Communication with families: Understanding the perspectives of early childhood teachers

Authors

Pearl Avari, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Erin Hamel, University of Georgia
Rachel E. Schachter, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow
Holly Hatton-Bowers, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

ORCID IDs

Pearl Avari https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4089-995X

Rachel E. Schachter https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3951-858X

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2023

Citation

Published in Journal of Early Childhood Research 2023 DOI: 10.1177/1476718X221140747

Comments

Copyright © 2022 by the authors; published by SAGE Publications. Used by permission.

Abstract

Communication between teachers and families in early childhood is a key aspect of successful teacher-family engagement. The goal of this exploratory study was to investigate how teachers communicated with families in early childhood classrooms and what they communicated about. This study of 31 teachers working with children birth to age five, primarily in the Midwestern U.S. examined how they described communication with families using semi-structured interviews. Findings indicated that teachers used multiple formats to communicate with families about children’s daily routines, developmental progress, and other relevant information. Teachers preferred in-person communication although challenges occurred due to classroom dynamics and the global COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Technology such as apps and messaging emerged as an efficient way to reach most families, however difficulties facilitating reciprocal communication with families were described. Further research is needed to identify successful communication strategies for both teachers and families, thus building higher quality teacher-family partnerships.