Head Start Teachers’ Views on the Family-Teacher Relationship: A Research-to-Practice Summary

Abstract

This study looked at Head Start teachers’ relationships with families. The purpose of the research was to document home-school relationships from the perspective of teachers and to understand the teacher characteristics that may predict how teachers perceive their relationships with families. The study used a national sample of Head Start teachers and a questionnaire called the Family Provider/Teacher Relationship Quality measure. Results suggest that teachers’ job satisfaction, caregiving beliefs, and depressive symptoms all predicted how they viewed relationships with families. These results point to the importance of continuing to support teachers’ psychological wellbeing and their developmentally appropriate beliefs, as these may promote positive relationships with families.