During recent decades, there have been far-reaching social changes in Western countries, that have affected parent-teacher relationships dramatically. The worldwide Covid19 crisis has exacerbated educational gaps, especially among disadvantaged populations. Therefore, restoring parent-teacher relationships is a key factor in reducing inequality. However, many models of parent-teacher communication have not yet been updated to include multicultural approach or socio-systemic work. Accordingly, we propose a new integrative applicable model: safe educational partnership with parents. This model is based on cultivating psychological safety, including identity safety, as a necessary condition for building close relations. For this purpose, the teacher has to work in three levels: 1) intra-personal level 2) inter-personal level and 3) institutional-organizational level. Educators and counselors can use this model to lead protected empathetic interactions with parents and promote an environment with a perspective of "value in diversity", for the benefit of restoring trusting relationships with parents and reducing gaps.
The COVID-19 pandemic compelled teachers to grapple with the challenge of distance learning and remote communication with pre-school children and their parents. This study examines how student-teachers perceived their and the teacher’s relations with the pre-school children and parents during the first lockdown. The study is based on a mixed-method, quantitative and qualitative, research design among ten third-year student-teachers in Israel. 56% reported that relations with parents during the first lockdown were strengthened, which they attributed to several factors (e.g., parental desire to establish a routine and maintain the child’s connection with their friends and teacher, and a desire to advance their children). Other factors were perceived to undermine parent-teacher relations (e.g., number of siblings, busy parents, economic and emotional stress, technological illiteracy). The study underscores the importance of a holistic and ecologic approach to relations among early childhood education teachers, student-teachers, parents, and children, and the critical need for partnership and transparency between the pre-school teacher and student-teacher.
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