A plan for more effective home and school cooperation in a rural community

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A PLAN FOR MORE EFFECTIVE HOME AND SCHOOL COOPERATION IN A RURAL COMMUNITY

A Project Presented to the Faculty of the Sch6ol of Education The University of Southern California

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree' Master of Science in Education

by Lura L. Hart August

1950

UMI Number: EP46805

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T h is p r o je c t r e p o r t, w r it t e n u n d e r the d ir e c t io n o f the c a n d id a te Js a d v is e r a n d a p p r o v e d by h im , has been p resen ted to a n d accepted by the F a c u lt y o f the S c h o o l o f E d u c a t io n in p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t o f the

r e q u ire m e n ts f o r

the degree

o f M a s te r of

S cience in E d u c a tio n .

A d v is e r

(R.'&V Dean■

TABLE OP CONTENTS CHAPTER I.

II.

PAGE ................

1

The local situation ...........................

1

Statement of the problem

. . .

2

Review of the literature

....................

2

Importance of the problem ....................

4

Scope of this i n v e s t i g a t i o n ..................

7

Organization of the remainder of this,report.

7

METHOD OP PROCEDURE .............................

9

THE NATURE OP THE PROBLEM

Emergence of the problem

III.

....................

9

Development of the bibliography .............

10

How reliability and validity were achieved.

.

11

. .

12

SECURING PARENT COOPERATION THROUGH CHILDREN AND PARENT TEACHER C O N F E R E N C E ........... Education a shared responsibility

..........

12

Teacher key to child's relationships in s c h o o l ...................................... Contacting p a r e n t s ..........................

13 16

Pupil progress reports *by teacher parent

IV.

c o n f e r e n c e .................................

17

The migratory problem ........................

19

S u m m a r y ........................................

20

HOME VISITATIONS BY CLASSROOM TEACHERS

. . . .

Purpose of home v i s i t a t i o n ..................

22 23

CHAPTER

PAGE Preparation for home v i s i t ......................... 25 Summary of f i n d i n g s ..........................

V.

PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION ...........

28 31

Aims and objectives of Parent Teacher

VI. VII.

A s s o c i a t i o n .................................

32

Effectiveness of P.T.A.........................

34

Summary of the f i n d i n g s ......................

37

C O N C L U S I O N S ..............................

39

THE PLAN FOR SECURING MORE EFFECTIVE HOME SCHOOL COOPERATION .............................

BIBLIOGRAPHY . .

......................................

4l 43

CHAPTER I THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM This introductory chapter presents the problem of securing better home-school cooperation through children and teachers in the rural areas.

A brief sampling of the

literature in the field assisted the writer in formulating a statement of the problem and suggested its scope and importance. The local situation.

The school that provided the

setting for this study is a six teacher elementary school in a rural community.

In the past three years the enroll­

ment has increased from forty to one hundred sixty pupils. Approximately seventy-five per cent of the pupils are from migratory families. It is obvious that there would be many administrative problems.

The outstanding one is the indifference on the

part of the parents to the work of the school and the urgent need of their cooperation and interest in the children and school.

Since these migratory parents are in the community

for short periods of time, they feel they are not wanted or needed.

Of course, it is difficult to contact these parents

because the mother as well as the father works. This lack of cooperation on the part of the parents

2 makes it very difficult for the teacher to get a well rounded picture of the child.

The teacher and children will

be at a disadvantage until an effective plan of home school cooperation has been worked out. Statement of the prob lem .

The problem of this study

was to develop a workable plan for effective home and school cooperation through the means of (l) pupils and parent teacher conferences,

(2) home visitations, and (3) Parent

Teacher Associations. Answers to the following questions were sought: 1.

How may the school secure parent cooperation

through children and parent teacher conferences? 2.

What are effective techniques for home visita­

3-

How may the Parent Teacher Association be used

tions?

\

for the betterment of the school? Review of the literature.

A sampling of the authori­

tative literature on parent and school cooperation, home school relationships,

and Parent Teacher Associations stressed

the need for the school and home to be brought into a closer and more understanding relationship if their mutual goal for the child is to be reached.

3 Yeager,

i

p Reavis

p and Grinnell^ emphasize the need

for the home and parent to work together for the good of the child.

They also concluded the key figure in securing

this cooperation is the teacher. There has been criticism of the schools for many years but only in recent years have the parents and teachers really tried to understand one another.

An article in the Journal

of Experimental Education states: The relationship between the school and community while good in some instances, offers many opportunities for improvement. Often citizens of the community do not understand what the school is trying to accomplish and are unaware of many of its needs in carrying out its responsibility. The school is too much an isolated institution without sufficient relationships to other social institutions of the community.^ Houseman^

reminds us that teachers and administrators,

1 William A. Yeager, Home-School-Community Relations, Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh, 1939).» P . 5243 P

ft

W. C. Reavis, Parents Offer Suggestions for Im­ proving the Work of the Schools," School Rev i e w , 54:253-5.» May, 1946. R J J. E. Grinnell, Interpreting the Public Schools, (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, I n c ., 1937 ) t P* 10. 4

Journal of Experimental Education. 1944, No. 4, p. 25?.

Vol. VII, June,

5 Richard Houseman, "The People Speak." The National Association of Secondary School Principals. February, 1948, p. 15.

4 on all school levels, should take into consideration the wishes,

desires, and suggestions which come from all the

constituents of the community in which they work.

Under no

conditions can an educational system become truly adapted to community needs and become functional in nature until school people have made positive efforts to bring the general public back into the folds.

Education is still the

people's business. There was a general consensus among authorities that any plan for securing teacher-parent cooperation must vary according to the local needs of the community.

The rural

school of today should be the community center since it is the only institution that is in a position to integrate the life of the community. The survey of the literature indicated that there was sufficient authoritative data of means of securing home school cooperation to provide an adequate solution to the p roblem . Importance of the proble m.

All of the authorities

surveyed indicated the need for a closer cooperation between parent and school.

There is a desire for a more thorough

understanding of the school by the parents according to The National Elementary School Twenty-eighth Yearb oo k: The people of this countrjr want an improved pr o­ gram of education for their children. Gaps between

5 former school experiences and those of their children, misinformation and doubt about distress stories produce skepticism and negative reactions. Because of these misunderstandings, citizens are asking for a great deal more information about the public schools, their deficiencies, their operations, their success, and their goals for the future. Im. proved understanding is being sought by both parents and the profession.o Large numbers of the residents of a community do not visit their schools; neither do they take interest in them or even support them with their ballot.

There is a great

need then for the school to seek means of making these dis­ interested people school conscious.

This, of course, can be

done through the public relations program. Houseman in referring to public relations says, Public relations in its true form is the process of maintaining a welcome working relationship between the public and the schools, a relationship that pr o ­ vides the people with the.understanding of the philoso­ phy, purpose, and program of the school and invites their suggestions, and criticisms, in making the school program functional for the children of the community.7 These questions have long been considered and argued: What can the parent expect from the teacher and what can the teacher expect from the home?

In answer Ojeman

and Fatland

6 "The Public and the Elementary School Twentyeighth Yearbook," The National Elementary Principal, 1:10, September, 1949. 7 Houseman,

ojd.

c i t . , p. 21.

6 give the following suggestions: 1. We need teachers who understand child behavior so well that they can apply their knowledge of it in all their daily relations with their pupils. 2. We need teachers who will learn to know each child as an individual. 3. We need teachers who are well adjusted them­ selves so that they can guide children in the attain­ ment of security., personal worth, and similar person­ ality requirements. 4. We need parents who know the principles of child development so well that they apply them in day-to-day family living and are fairly skillful in analyzing the behavior of their own children.

5 . We need parents who are so well adjusted them­ selves that they do not project their ambitions and irritations into the lives of their children or into their relations with their children's teachers. 6. We need teachers and parents who are so well acquainted with each other that they can work together in understanding and confidence, can look^st common problems from each other's point of view. It is evident if the school pulls one way, and the parent the other, nothing can be accomplished.

Any disunion

is seriously hampering; what we need is a sure, understand­ ing program of unbroken cooperation.

Each community must

develop a plan for home school cooperation that will enable \

it to meec

—

the needs of both parents and teachers.

8 R. H. Ojeman and L. Fatland, "Parents and Teachers as Partners," The National Parent Teacher, September, 19^5, p . 20.

Scope of this investigation. public relations is so broad,

Since the field of

the discussion Will be con­

fined to parent relationships in rural areas.

The delimita­

tion is made in order that the parent relationship may be more fully considered.

Only three phases of parent teacher

cooperation will be considered, parent teacher conferences, home visitations, and Parent Teacher Associations.

There is

no intention to discount the value of other means of parent teacher cooperation. Organ!zation of the remainder of this re port. Chapter II presents a brief restatement of the problem and its emergence.

A statement is made of the procedure used

and how reliability and validity were achieved. Chapter III presents various means of securing parent cooperation through the children and parent teacher con­ ferences . Effective techniques in home visitations by the teacher are outlined in Chapter IV. Chapter V outlines ways in which the Parent Teacher Association may be used for the betterment of the school. Chapter VI presents the conclusions drawn from the findings of Chapter III through Chapter V. Chapter VII is devoted to a workable plan for secur­ ing more effective home school cooperation,

in a rural school

8 composed of seventy-five per cent migratory children, using the conclusions presented in Chapter VI. The present chapter describes the local situation that gave rise to the problem.

A clear statement of the

problem was formulated after a sampling of the literature was made.

The general consensus of the authorities on the

importance of the problem of home and school cooperation assisted in defining the scope of this investigation.

The

following chapter will outline the procedures used in the solution of the problem in this study.

CHAPTER II METHOD OP PROCEDURE The preceding chapter outlined the nature of the problem of this study.

The present chapter will explain

the procedures used in the solution of the problem. Emergence of the proble m.

The local situation in

this rapidly growing rural community was characterized by the type o-f children responsible for this enormous growth. These migratory children often retarded, emotionally upset, feel insecure and unwanted.

We find the parents of these

children are just as bewildered as the children by their sudden changes to new surroundings.

This, of course, makes

the sc hoo l’s position all the more vital since it must help our new residents find themselves so they, too, may share in the feeling of belonging. The schools have an enormous job in helping these children as they come into our schools for such short periods of time. make.

They have many emotional and .social adjustments to

To the teachers in.the migratory schools comes this

task of guiding these children toward a greater security. To achieve this the teacher must continue to build confidence *t

and trust between herself and the home. This problem, then, emerged as a need to develop a

10 satisfactory plan for securing cooperation between the home a n d 'the school. A review of a sampling of the literature indicated that an effective plan should be based on the following questions: 1.

How may the school secure parent cooperation

through children and parent teacher conference? 2.

What are effective techniques for home visit­

3-

How may the Parent Teacher Association be used

ations?

for the betterment Development

of the school? of the bibliography.

The

library tech­

nique of research was used to find answers to the above questions.

Since there is ample periodical literature, only

one article was used that indexed under home

was written before

19^ 3 -All books

school relations, parent teacher relations

and home visiting that were available in the Doheny library were used.

Ten books were available in the period allowed

for library research and all were used in this study.

There

was a great number of periodical articles on the subject. A random sampling was made by listing twenty-seven articles from the Education Index and placing them in alpha­ betical order, from which three out of four were selected for use in'this study. ‘ These articles are starred in the

11

bibliography.

Twenty-one periodical articles were used.

How reliability and validity were achieved. Materials were used only if the writer was an officer of a prominent educational organization, school executive, or on the staff of a university.

All materialrwas rejected if the

competence of the writer was questionable.

Findings were

acceptable only on common agreement of the authors or a significant degree of concurrence of the writers. Chapter III will attempt to determine means of secur­ ing home school cooperation through children and parent teacher conference.

CHAPTER III SECURING PARENT COOPERATION THROUGH CHILDREN AND PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE The preceding chapter outlined the method of pr o ­ cedure to be followed in finding dependable answers to the three important questions involved in the problem. question considered in this chapter was:

The

How may the school

secure parent cooperation through children and parent teacher conferences? In accordance with today’s changing concepts of public relations, educators place the child's welfare above all else Teachers, social workers, and parents agree that each child is a shared responsibility in which the school, the home, and the child himself must cooperate. Education a_ shared responsibility.

C.H. Waller states

The old idea that the school will take care of teaching the children reading, writing, arithmetic, etc., and the home will take care of teaching social and personal attitudes and habits is fortunately passing on. The learning the child does In school subjects will not be confined to the time he spends in school nor will the habits and attitudes he learns at home be confined to the home or out of school. There are mutual advantages to school and parent which will benefit the child when good relations exist between parent and teacher.1

C.H. Waller, "When the School and Home Work Together Wisconsin Journal of Education, December, 1948, p. 21.

13 Evans says: Small children spend from five to six hours daily at school, the rest is spent at home. This means that the children are products of their respective homes, and hot of the school they a t t e n d . 2 The parent then, controls the major part of the child's environment.

The school merely expands the home experiences

by organized environment to meet the needs of the child. ,TSince the education of each child is a cooperative experience, the school and the home should work together for the good of the about it.

c h i l d . ” 3

Many schools and parents do nothing

There are mamy reasons for this, the teacher is

often overloaded leaving little time to contact parents.

Often

the parent isn't interested and never approaches the teacher unless their child is in trouble.

So it seems necessary for

the teacher to take the initiative in winning the friendship and understanding of the mo t h e r s . Teacher key to child's relationships in school.

The

child must see the teacher as a person deeply interested in him.

If he likes his teacher, he will like his school.

2 Clara Evans, "Company Coming, The Teacher Visits," Nebraska Educational Jou rn al , October, 1944, p. 240. 3 C.A. Beaver, "Getting the School and the Home To ­ gether," American Schoolboard Journ al, June, 1946, p. 41.

Burma^ states that teachers must cease to act as if they only have a temporary interest in the community but take part in the community and become leaders.

Often the teacher

feels she has only one function, to teach,

and that is as

far as their interest need go in the community. ’’Teachers are the very heart and center of every school, and, in the main, what pupils think of their teachers parents think of their

s c h o o l s .

”5

"When the child dislikes his

teacher, hates to go to school and is happy when it is over, always feeling a sense of defeat, the parent may try to co­ operate with the school but his heart isn't in it."^ The teacher may do much to establish permanent friend­ ship with pupils and likewise with the homes.

Prom a public

relations standpoint, it is well to recall that what the child thinks of the teacher, the home thinks of the school.

It is

said that pupils are probably the school's most effective am­ bassadors of goodwill.

They offer the elementary school

staff an opportunity to promote good public relations by m a k ­ ing certain that the pupils understand the total program at the school.

^ J.H. Burma, "Home Visiting Pays Dividends," Nations ^ S chools , February, 19^6, p. 32. 5 John Locke, "Partner for a Way of Life," The National Association of Secondary School Principals. February, 1948, p. 52. b Hazel Gabbard, "Beginning Together," National Educa­ tional Jour nal, September, 19^9* P- ^18.

15 It Is easily discernible how the likes and dislikes of the school children are reflected in the community.

Grin-

nell comments: How the pupil interprets the school will depend on how successful it has been in winning his confi-' dencej respect, and good will. What he interprets depends on what he knows and how much he is interested. Rather obvious statements, to be sure, but it is sur­ prising how frequently their truth is overlooked or disregarded.7 The following statement is made in the Twenty-Eighth Yearbook of the National Elementary Principal: Children traveling back and forth to and from school, chatting freely along the way and at home about their school experiences, happy or otherwise, do more to interpret their school program to parents, laymen, and the community than do any other single g rou p.° Educators agree that the teacher must have frequent contact with the parent.

In writing on parent-teacher con­

ferences McDaniel^ contends that individual parent-teacher conferences are not an adjunct to the school program or cur­ riculum but an integral part of it and becomes the strongest link in the chain connecting home and school.

7 Grinnell, ojo. c i t . , p . '10. ® Twenty-Eighth Yearbook of the National Elementary Principal, p. 41. 9 I.e. McDaniel, "Establishing Effective Home-School Relationships." California Journal of Elementary Educa tio n, February, 19^8, p7 165 •

"in modern education the teacher should have intimate knowledge of the child's tendencies and activities in his out of school time., of which he is often ignorant."-^1 Accord­ ing to G a b b a r d ^

parents are becoming more interested to

knoi"j how they can pave the way for their children's school adjustments.

They seek to help the teacher in making the

transition from home to the school smooth and pleasant. Contacting parent s. ing parents.

There are many ways of contact­

It is generally agreed the simplest and most

convenient way of contacting the parent Is to send a note to the parent for an Informal

conference.

sit down and have a friendly talk about

The teacher and parent the work of the child.

Quite often samples of the

child's work are exhibited.

They

discuss the child's strong

and weak points. The parent

Is

invited to discuss any practices or procedures of the school and to offer any suggestions. The teacher should plan carefully for the conference, determining the points to be discussed with the parent, famil­ iarizing herself with the child's cumulative record Informa­ tion.

McDaniel believes:

10 Kate Wofford,"Modern Education in Small Rural Schools, Nations Schools, 1938* Part 4. Gabbard,

ojc. c1 1 . , p. 4l8.

17 It is the teacher's responsibility to establish rapport through a friendly greeting and an attitude of respect for the parents' opinion. The first Im­ portant step in any conference with parents is the establishment of a working relationship with the parent. There must be a desire to work together for the child. During the time of the conference, the parent has the opportunity to ask questions concerning the child at school. The teacher also has the opportunity to elicit information concerning the child's sleeping.and eating habits, emotional and nervous stability. . . . The kindly, thoughtful teacher will inform the mother first of the child's strengths In ability, his Interests, and his achievements. Every parent enjoys hearing the little amusing incidents centering around her child. When the mother seems entirely at ease the teacher might present tactfully the child's problems a n d w e a k n e s s e s . 12 "When teacher and parent become well acquainted parents learn, to enjoy visiting the school and usually develop a hearty interest in what is being done.

Teachers also get a

different viewpoint about the child and parent. "-*-3

Such con­

tacts have improved the relationship between the school and home. There are many reasons for parent-teacher conferences usually they are centered around personal social problems, behavior problems, grade placement and pupil progress. Pupil progress reports by teacher parent conference. The Inglewood city school district has developed an outstand­ ing example of promoting happier relationship between, the 12 McDaniel,

o jd

.

c i t . , p. 166.

13 Ibid., p . 167 .

18 home and school by means of teacher-parent conference method of reporting pupil progress to the parent.

McDaniel

in the California Journal of Elementary Education describes it in this way: The Inglewood city school district has developed this plan of pupil progress report- to an exemplary status, Issuing a w r i t t e n .report only as the final form at the close of the school term. The plan chosen and followed for the last seven years in the Inglewood schools provides for a conference held by each teacher with a parent or guardian of each child during the early part of the year, (1) to interpret the purpose of the school, (2) to discuss the needs of the child, (3) to establish co-operatively goals for the child's growth and (4) to discuss proposed experiences to meet his needs. During the middle of the year another report is made by means of a conference, a comprehensive letter, or a report form. Emphasis is placed upon actual growth made by the child. Goals set up at the first conference are also evaluated. At the end of the year an evaluation is made and recorded on a standard form, sent to the parent or guardian. This interprets, to the parent, the tea che r’s and the child's judgment as to how the child has grown in relation to the original goals. The parent re­ turns to the school an ^attached blank on which he can give his opinions regarding the progress of the child, especially at home, and can also suggest things that will help the school. Additional re­ ports are supplementary to the three required, and are made when It is considered desirable. There is general agreement that school reports to the home are particularly Important In building good home-

McDaniel,

op), c i t . , p. 169 .

19 school relationships.

According to Kyte^5 to be most

serviceable the report should emphasize,

what is right

with the child rather than what is wrong.

When a pupil's

difficulty or need is reported it should be in explanatory terms with suggestions for overcoming the obstacle.

The

parent should be invited to confer with the teacher. The migratory problem.

So far this chapter has been

devoted to the average school, however, many schools have the enormous problem of the migratory parent and children. These people have many emotional and social adjustments to make.

To the teacher in the migratory school comes the

task of guiding these children toward, a greater security and stability in life which will build better citizens.

To

achieve this the teacher must continue to build confidence and trust between herself and the home. There is much talk about the migratory children but we have not thought much about the parent.

The parents

are just as bewildered as the children by their sudden change into new surroundings.

This makes the school posi­

tion much more vital since it must help our new residents find themselves so that they may have a feeling of security

15 George C. Kyte, The Principal at Work Ginn and Company, 1941), p. 423-

(New York:

20

and belonging. Smith gives the following ways of working with the migratory parent: 1. Usually the parent brings the child to be enrolled. This gives us a splendid opportunity to extend a courteous reception, to explain in­ teresting things about our school, to take the parents on a tour of the buildings, to tell them about our Parent Teacher Association and to invite them to our meetings, to visit with the parents on these occasions and find out about the child’s dif­ ficulties and his interests. 2. We create opportunities to talk with the parents by calling them on the telephone, by con­ tacting them at Parent Teacher meetings. 3. We give the names of the new people to the hospitality committee of the Parent Teacher Asso­ ciation.1® Summary. Eight of the ten authorities used agreed that education is a responsibility that should be shared by the home and school, even the child must cooperate.

Most

of the authorities believe the pupils do more to interpret the sehool to the parents and community than any other group, Seven of the authors considered the teacher as the key to the child’s relationship in school.

That the teacher

should try to establish permanent friendship with the pupils and also with the parents. 16 f.b. Smith, ’’Welcoming the Migrant Parent,” Cali­ fornia Elementary School Principal Association Yearbook, 19*+3, P. 102.

21

In the perodical literature fifteen of the twentyone authors stressed the fact that the teacher must have frequent contact with the parent.

Seventeen suggested

parent teacher conferences at school while home visit­ ations and pupil reports were also discussed as important. The present chapter has considered ways the school may secure parent cooperation through children and parent teacher conferences.

Chapter IV will attempt to determine:

What are some effective techniques for home visitations?

CHAPTER IV HOME VISITATIONS BY CLASSROOM TEACHERS The basic principles involved in securing parent cooperation through parent-teacher conferences were dis­ cussed in the preceding chapter. to determine:

Chapter IV will attempt

What are effective techniques for home

visitations? This study is interested principally with the rural schools,

of'which many operate on a limited budget.

There­

fore, they are often unable to employ a trained visiting teacher.

When visiting teacher is mentioned,

it will refer

to the classroom teacher that makes home visitations. There is a growing appreciation of the great in­ fluence a child's out of school life has on his behavior in school.

According to Benedict:

The school is realizing that the child has not two personalities, a "home personality" and a "school personality," and that he does not shed his "home personality" somewhere on the road and emerge a "scholar," a child with a school side only, unaf­ fected by what has happened at home. The school is seeing that the child's personality is a unit, that for better or worse both it and the home are working on that personality, are helping habits to be formed, are developing attitudes, and that for this reason, it is of vital importance that they should not work at cross purposes: Thus the school has decided that it must broaden Its work, that it must go back over all those w i nding.roads and clattering streets, must become acquainted with parents, brothers, sisters, and friends of the children. All forces working on

23 the “child must be studied, and their Influence harmonized in every way with the school's, “in' the interests of the child. This means adapta­ tions on both sides. It means working out a plan In relation to both school and his home.l Purpose of home visitation.

"All school administra­

tors will agree that knowledge of home conditions is'essential for the best understanding of pupils."

The solution

of many school problems demands that someone talk to the child, visit his home, confer with his parent, and try to obtain their cooperation.

Not only the homes of the problem

children but the homes of all the children should be visited. These should be friendly "get acquainted" calls the first time. Donner says: School and home cannot be independent one from the other, for there is no marked division between the school and community. The school is but one part of the child's community life. The pleasant and unpleasant happenings at school are carried over Into the home. The pleasant and unpleasant happenings at home are likewise carried over Into the school. Home visitations help the teacher to better understand and better deal with the pupils, for this knowledge of home life can serve as a background in the Agnes Benedict, Children at the Crossroads, (New York: The Commonwealth Fund Division of Publication, 1930 ), P• • 2 Arvin N. Donner, "Preparation for Home Visits," The Principal and His Community, (Eleventh Yearbook of the Department of Elementary School Principals, Vol. 11, No, 3? Washington, D.C., Department of Elementary School Principals of the National Education Association, 1932 ), p. 235 .

24 interpretation of school life.^ Bonar comments on the purpose of home visits: The primary purpose of these home visits is to make possible better understandings so essential if we are to know the needs of boys and girls and more nearly meet these needs in the areas of assist­ ance assigned to the schools. If this purpose is to be realized, teachers cannot be too well prepared to discuss Intelligently the modern school program of services. This preparation will include knowledge of present-day educational philosophies and their in­ fluence on the local school's services, knowledge of child psychology, familiarity with these services, and a thorough knowledge of the school history of the child. In all cases the teacher must remember that she is a representative of the school. The impression she leaves with the parent Is significant. The Eng­ lish spoken, the evidence of general intelligence, and the ability to give information on the total school program all contribute to the success or failure of the call. As a result of this call, the parent will form an opinion of the fairness, the open-mindedness, the culture, and the humanity of the teacher.1* Schreiber5 believes one of the most satisfactory ways of creating and maintaining support for the public school program is through personal contact with the parents by staff members.

There is something about the school demon­

stration of genuine interest in the welfare and progress of the child by visits to the home that creates a wholesome and desirable relationship between the school and home. 3 Ib id .. p. 240. 4 Hugh S. Bonar, ’’Every Teacher a Visiting Teacher," Journal of National Education Association. XXX January, 1941,

p. 4.

5 Nicholas Schreiber, "Home Visits that Count," The National Association of Secondary School Principals, February 194'S, p. 177-

The teachers of elementary schools are all too familiar with the perplexing problems as:

Why does Johnny

want to play alone? or why does Betty depend on others to help her with her lessons?

Of course, answers for such

questions must be looked for in the home conditions of the children. Evans^ contends we have a far better chance of help­ ing children after we have visited their homes. Preparation for home v i s it .

Dexter states,

"The

visiting teacher in order to perform her work successfully needs a knowledge of the emotional behavior and skill in the technique of investigation and treatment and behavior problems."7 Holtberg® believes home visitations should be care­ fully planned.

The teacher should know the child as an

individual person, how he fits into the school group and then know him as a member of the family. Much information may be obtained by conversation

6 Evans, ojg_. c i t . , p. 241. 7 Elizabeth Dexter, "The Visiting Teacher in New Ark, Eleventh Yearbook of the Department of Elementary School Principals, p. 251.

8 Myrtle Holtberg, "Preparation for Home Visits," Eleventh Yearbook of the Department of Elementary School Principals, April, 1932, p. 234.

26 with the pupils after school and hy the stories they write and tell in school about themselves and their homes.

Many

times teachers, nurses, or social workers are familiar with the pupil's home conditions. The teacher should come as a friend and should exhibit tact, courtesy,*and genuine friendliness.

"in most

cases she will be welcomed, but when there is evidence that her visit is not desired by the parent,

she should not

intrude."9 Schreiber gives the following summary on home visit­ ations : 1. The school, teacher, and student would profit if time were provided in the teacher's program to do systematic home visiting. It would pay dividends in better teaching and better under­ standing by the school and the home. 2. The home visitor should be a teacher who has tact, a high degree of sympathy and understand­ ing, sincerity, integrity, as well as a knowledge of, and agreement with, the school. 3. Preferably the initial interview should be arranged in advance. 4. If possible, the time of visit should be at the convenience of the parent. 5. The teacher should be genuinely interested in the student as a person and in assisting to solve his problems.

9 McDaniel, o p . c i t . , p. 163 .

27 6 . Any appearance of fact gathering should be avoided. If the visit is effective and the confidence of the parent is gained, the parent volunteers much factual data that will be help­ ful in working with the pupil. 7 . At all times the teacher should be sensitive to his responsibility to the s c h o o l . 10 Since parents are conversational about their children the teacher should direct her speech in that direction. should be a careful and interested listener.

She

When speaking

to parents she should adjust her language to the parents' background.

Throughout the conversation she should be posi­

tive and objective.

If the parents have a problem concern-

the child she should help or encourage them to find the solution. Torrance lists suggestions for Interviewing parents: 1. As you approach the home, observe Its size, con­ struction, and maintenance, also observe the lot and neighborhood. 2. The manner in which you are received by the parents may indicate the parents' attitude to the school, which is essential information for a good interview.

3 . To direct conversation, re-state the purpose of the visit at the beginning of the interview. 4. An expressed Interest in photographs on the piano often leads to information about other members of the family.

10 Schreiber,

o jd

.

c i t . . p. 178 .

28

5.

Paintings and books often give cultural back­ ground of the family.

6.

Comment on evidence of things made by members of the family.

7.

After comments on the size of the family and the ages of the children, the parents usually tell about the relationship of the child with the other brothers and sisters.

8.

If the teacher tells about some difference be­ tween the present school and the school of his day, the parent usually present their diffi­ culties in understanding the present school rprogram.

9.

Summarizing what the parents say often saves questioning and helps to keep the parent talking.

10.

Khow when to terminate the interview and how to make it easy for the parents to meet you in the future.

11.

Emphasize the value of the interview and express your genuine appreciation.11

Once the confidence of the parent is secured, the teacher need not worry about the parents' attitude toward the school. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS Nine out of ten authorities examined believe plan­ ned home visitations are the most valuable method of

^ P.H. Torrance, "Teacher Meets Parents," School Elementary Edition, XXXIV (January, 19^6), p. Ho6.

attaining mutual understanding between parent and teachers. The teacher learns the economic, social, and emotional background of the child and is thereafter, able to teach him more effectively*

The parent has a clearer concept

of the total school program.

This understanding between

parent and teacher is necessary since the primary concern of both is the well being and development of the child. All ten authorities agreed for home visitations to be effective they must be carefully planned.

The teacher

should have in mind the. purpose of the visit, securing as much information on the child and parents as possible be­ fore the visit.

All visiting teachers should have some

special training in social problems and guidance. In the periodical literature examined eighteen of the twenty-one authors agreed that the goal of better home and school relationship can be attained only through better mutual under standing. This goal can best be attain­ ed through visitation.

The purpose of the interview is

that of establishing rapport between teacher and parent. She should in no way appear critical of home or the family. It is a splendid opportunity to gain infonaation and to give information concerning school policies and procedures as well as answering any questions the parent may ask concerning the school. The teacher through her attitude toward the parent

30 can influence children toward a deeper appreciation of their home and school and in many ways create a friendly feeling in parents toward the school. The present chapter discussed techniques of home visitation as a means of securing home-school cooperation. The following chapter will consider:

How the Parent

Teacher Association may be used for the betterment of the school.

CHAPTER V PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION The most effective techniques for home visitation in securing home-school cooperation were determined in the preceding chapter.

Chapter V will consider the question:

How may the Parent Teacher Association be used for the betterment of the school?

Only the principles considered

most important by the majority of the authorities referred to in this study were used.

The principle which pervaded

all the literature was, the Parent Teacher Association is the chief organization in the United States that has pro­ grams aimed at the promotion of home school cooperation. The Parent of the parents of

Teacher Association is an organization the children attending a particular school,

together with the teachers,schoolboard members, and other interested patrons of the interested in the

community.

It is open to anyone

welfare of the school.

"There is no agency which can be more valuable in bringing home and school into closer relationship than the Parent Teacher Association."-*-

The Parent Teacher Association

as- we know it today is an outgrowth of the early home school

-*- I.C. McDaniel, "Establishing Effective Home-School Relationships," California Journal of Elementary Education, February, 19^8, p. 171-

32 m ov em e n t . The Parent Teacher Association is a clearing house in which parents and teachers can cooperate in planning and organizing educational activities. This kind of planning and organization promotes the unification of home and school education for our boys and g i r l s .2 Aims and objectives of Parent Teacher Association. According to Reeder: The primary objective of the Parent Teacher Association is that of fostering the desirable educational welfare of childhood in any school community. Its ideals are non-political, non­ sectarian, non-commerCial; they are entirely altruistic.5 The National Congress of Parents and Teachers states the purposes of their organization as follows: First, to promote child welfare in home, school, church and community; to raise the standards of home life; to secure more adequate laws for the care and protection of children. Second, to bring into closer relation the home and the school that parents and teachers may co­ operate intelligently in the training of the child, and to develop between educators and the general public such united efforts as well secure for every child the highest advantages in physical, mental, moral, and spiritual education.4

2 Paul Sloan, "Our Schools Need PTA's," National Parent Teacher, February, 1948, p. 178 . 3 Ward Reeder, An Introduction to Public School Relationship, 1937 3 P» 129. ^ National Congress of Pa rent and Teachers B y -L a w s . Article VI.

33 The Parent Teacher Association should be one of the effective organizations in fostering understanding and co­ operation between the school and the community.

Each local

association is build around the local needs of the community and in rural, areas a large percentage of the parents take part in its success.. Moore gives seven general purposes of the Parent Teacher Association: 1. To understand more fully the plans and aims of education and how to realize these plans and aims. 2. To know the local school, its needs, its plans, and its programs of procedure; and to be a real factor in helping it to meet its needs, execute its plans, and realize its programs.

3 . To link the school and community together. 4. To take an intelligent interest in the school elections whether the voting be in relation to bonds, current taxes, or for members of the school boards.

5 . To bring the community and the teacher into a more harmonious relationship by helping the teacher to get acquainted and properly established in the community. 6 . To support the teacher when she is right, in­ stead of permitting her and her school to become a choice subject of conversation for neighborhood tattlers or the anvil on which the community "knockers" ring all the changes from morning to night. 7 . To supplement-the efforts of the school board in making the surroundings of the school or schools approach the ideal as nearly as the resources of the association will permit.5 5 M.E. Moore, Parent, T e ac he r, and School The Macmillan Company"^ I926 ), pp. 5T-65*

(New York;

3^ Effectiveness of P.*T.*A* effectiveness of the P.T.A.

Moehlman in discussing the

stresses these principles:

It must he representative; all members of the school community rich or poor, the well schooled, and the unschooled, must be'.brought together around the interests of the. child. The frequency of meeting and the regularity of attendance are important factors in success. Program making and the reaction to programs as demonstrated through changed community attitudes are vital factors. The cleverness of professional leadership which directs and stimulates while remaining Inconspicuously in the background will determine success and progress over a long period of time.° According to a majority of the authors the most im­ portant function of Parent Teacher Association is to provide the parents with information concerning their school and children's progress as well as fostering a closer relation­ ship between parents and school.

In studies made by Hol-

beck^ and Butterworth,® however, it was found many of the associations were more or less interested in social activi­ ties rather than following the real objectives of the asso­ ciation.

York:

6 Arthur B. Moehlman, Public School Relations The Macmillan Company, 19271 p"^ 185.

(New

7 Elmer Holbeck, "Achievement of P T A , " Contribution. to Education, No. 601. Bureau of Publications Teachers College, Columbia University. New York, 193^.» P* 55® Julian E. Butterworth, The Parent Teacher Associa­ tion and its W o r k - (New York: The Macmillan Company"^ 1929), P. 3.

35 Grinnell states,

"Unless the Parent Teacher organ­

izations are able to maintain leadership of the highest quality, fully informed of the aims and purposes of public education, they will do more harm than good.u9 It is then necessary that much thought be given to devise a program that will achieve the goals of the asso­ ciation.

Stout lists a number of principles which will

assist in the formation of a desirable P.T.A. program: 1. The local needs for child development con­ stitutes the basis of the program. 2. The program must fulfill educational needs in accordance with the standards and goals explicit in the major objectives of the association. 3. The program will be varied from time to time to engage and hold the interest represented in the membership. 4. A central theme will characterize each program. 5. After selecting the theme for the meeting, the program committee will specify the task which shall constitute the program and select the person best qualified to perform them. 6. It is best to employ discussion and other types of open-forum procedure more often than the guest-speaker technique.

7 . Each meeting in which discussion has taken place demands an appropriate follow-up. 8 . Education, not entertainment, pose of the p ro g r a m .10

is the main p ur ­

9 Grinnell, op., c i t . , p. 329. 10 Dorman G. Stout, Teacher and Community (Yonkers on Hudson, World Book Company]! 1940), 260 pp.

36 There is a great need today for P.T.A.s to look over their past accomplishments and then make constructive plans for bringing about a better relationship between school and homes.

In writing on this Osborne says:

Parent Teacher Associations should not be con­ tent to plan and carry on activities that are not making a contribution to closer home-school relation­ ships for in the last analysis that is the responsi­ bility of the association. In all probability there has never been a time in the history of our schools when the need for home-school cooperation has been so clearly realized. The P.T.A.s of the country are faced with a challenge that calls for the pruning away of the non-essentials and the turning of all re­ sources of the organization to this important task. 1 There are an unlimited number of projects that the P.T.A. may carry on; however, the local needs. be:

they will vary according to

Some projects for rural communities might

Health services, prenatal clinics, free milk program,

free lunches, safety, care of migratory children, home demonstration clubs, dental services, and glasses for in­ digent children. Smith lists some of the usual activities carried on by the Parent Teacher Association: 1. Meetings for transaction of business and educa­ tive programs. 2. Social activities:

11

One?"

E. G. Osborne, "Home and School; Two Worlds or National Parent T ea ch er . May 19^1, p. 13*

37 a. b. c. 3.

Serving refreshments. Holding teas or serving banquets. Get togethers for money raising or social purposes.

Serving hot lunches to the school children.

if. Welfare activities: a. Gathering and distributing food and clothes. b. Providing eye glasses. c. Investigating problems such as health con­ ditions. ,, 5.

Study groups.

6.

Circulation of magazines or books”.12

The local P.T.A. through its committees is in a position to meet the needs of all children, whether these needs call for lunchrooms, playgrounds, equipment, better library services or any other service. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS In surveying the literature nine of the ten authors agreed that the Parent Teacher Association is the chief or­ ganization in the United States that has programs aimed at the promotion of home school cooperation.

A majority of the

authors believe it is necessary for the Parent Teacher Asso­ ciation’s leadership to be of the highest quality and know

12 F.B. Smith, "Accomodation for the P.T.A.” Elemen­ tary School Environment and the Modern Curriculum. Thirteenth Yearbook, California Elementary School Principals’ Associa­ tion, 19^1, p. 129.

the aims and objectives of the association in order to be of value to the community.

In studies made by two of the

authors, it was found that many of the Parent Teacher Asso­ ciations were more interested in social activities than following the real objectives of the association* Sixteen of the twent-one authorities in the period­ ical literature, agreed that no permanent program can be set up for a Parent Teacher Association.

The program must

be flexible so as to fit the changing needs of the commun­ ity.

Each Parent Teacher Association must be planned a-

round the local needs of the community.

Fifteen of the

authors maintained that education not entertainment is-the main program of the Parent Teacher Association. Health services, free milk programs, hot lunches, dental services and eye glasses for indigent children were most commonly mentioned as desirable projects for many Parent Teacher Associations*

CHAPTER VI CONCLUSIONS The preceding chapter discussed means of using the Parent Teacher Association for the betterment of the school. The present chapter will state the conclusions derived from the findings of Chapters III, IV, and V. There was common agreement among the writers that cooperation between the home and school is necessary and desirable for the good of the child.

A majority of the

authorities agree it is necessary for the teacher to take the initiative in winning the friendship and understanding of the parents.

They also believe the pupils do more to

interpret the school to the parents and community than any other group. There was a general consensus among the authorities that parent teacher conferences are desirable and one of the most recent trends toward parent teacher cooperation is the pupil progress conference. The majority of the writers believed that planned home visitations are the most valuable method of attaining mutual understanding between parent and teachers. should be carefully planned.

The visits

The teacher through her atti­

tude toward the parent can influence children toward a deeper appreciation of their home and school and in many cases

40 create a friendly feeling in parents toward the school. The Parent Teacher Association was cited by most of the writers for its fine purposes and effective work in securing home school cooperation, however, several of the authors pointed out that it is necessary for the leadership to be of the highest quality as well as being informed of the aims and objectives of the association in order to be of value to the community.

They also agreed the program

must be flexible so as to fit the changing needs of the community.

Their program must be planned around the local

needs of the community. It was generally concluded that the parent teacher conference, home visitation, and Parent Teacher Association are all helpful in bringing about a better understanding of the school on the part of the parent and are able to bring the school and home closer together for the good of the children. This chapter briefly outlines the conclusions drawn from the findings of the study.

The final chapter will use

these findings in a plan for the local school situation..

CHAPTER VII THE PLAN FOR SECURING MORE EFFECTIVE HOME SCHOOL COOPERATION Chapter V presented the conclusions based on the find­ ings of the literature.

This chapter will Incorporate the

findings in an outline of a plan for securing effective home school cooperation in a rural community composed mostly of migratory parents. That closer home and school cooperations are necessary and possible with efficient leadership.

The writer plans to

incorporate these findings in a workable plan for the local situation.

This plan must be worked out in the school by

the principal and teachers.

It is necessary that the teach­

ers are in sympathy with, the plan for it to be workable. 1. As recommended in the findings, plans for more parent teacher conferences should be planned.

It has been

found that informal evening conferences or round table dis­ cussions among parents and educators are valuable in getting the parent who works in the daytime out to visit the school. The pupil progress conference with the parent is becoming more popular.

It could be started in the lower grades and

if successful later instituted in the upper grades. 2. Each teacher should be given special training in the most effective techniques of home visitation.

Home

42 visitations should, he made in all the homes whether the children are in need of particular help or not;

since it

will increase understanding between teacher and parent and creates a mutual feeling of goodwill. 3.

The Parent Teacher Association has been of great

help in securing a better understanding between home and school.

There is a great need for capable leadership,

therefore, the principal should take a greater interest in helping secure capable leaders while he himself seemingly remains in the background.

Another recommendation is that

a survey of the community be made on the immediate needs of the local patrons.

This would be of great value in planning

the years work for the organization. Much study is still necessary on the pupil progress reports to the parents.

It has been used most extensively

in city systems. This entire plan will require much planning on the part of the principal and teachers but the writer feels it will be of great value in securing more effective home school cooperation.

B IB

L I O G R A P H Y

A. BOOKS Benedict, Agnes, Children at the Crossroads. New York: The Commonwealth Fund Division of Publication, 1930. 238 pp. Butterworth, Julian E., The Parent Teacher Association and Its W o r k . New York: The Macmillan Company, 1929149 Grinnell, J. Erie, Interpreting The Public Sc hools. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1937* 360 pp. Kyte, George C., The Principal at W o r k . and Company, 194 1~. 495 P P •

New York: Ginn

Moehlman, Arthur B., Public School Relations. Rand, McNally and Company, 1927~ 262 pp. Moore, Mark E., Parent, Teach er , and Sch oo l. The Macmillan Company, 1926. 395 PP*

New York: New York:

National Congress of Parents and Teachers, The ParentTeacher Organization. Chicago, Illinois, 1944. 197 PP Reeder, Ward G., An Introduction to Public Relations. York: The MacMillan Company, 194o7 260 pp.

New

Stout, Dorman G., Teacher and Community. Yonkers-on-Hudson New York: World Book Company, 1941. 236 pp. Yeager, William A., Home-School -Community Relations. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh, 1939* 523 PP*

B.

PERIODICALS

Beaver, C.A., "Getting the School and the Home Together ,'1 American Schoolboard Jo u r n a l , 112:41, June, 1946. Bonar, Hugh S., "Every Teacher'a Visiting Teacher," The Journal of National Education Association, 30:4-5, January, 1941. Burma, J. H., "Home Visiting Pays Dividends," Nations S ch oo ls , 37:32, February, 19*16.

44 Coulter, K.C., "Parent-Teacher Conferences,n Elementary School Journal, 4 7 :385 -90 , March, 1947- 0 Dexter, Elizabeth, "The Visiting Teacher In New Ark," Eleventh Yearbook of the Department of E l e m e n t a r y School Principals, 11:248-51, April, 1932. Donner, Arvin N., "Preparation for Home Visits," The Principal and His Community, Eleventh Yearbook of the Department of Elementary School Principals, Vol. II, No. 3 * Washington, D.C., Department of Elementary School Principals of the National Education Association, 1932. 11:236-40, April, 1932, p. 236 . Evans, Clara C., "Company Coming, The Teacher Visits," Nebraska Educational J o ur na l, 24:240, October, 1944. Finlay, G.C., "Public Relations and Curriculum Development," Journal Educational R e s e ar ch , 42:3©~6, September, 1948. Gabbard, Hazel, "Beginning Together," National Educational J ou rn al , September, 1949Holbeck, Elmer S., "Achievement of P T A," Contribution to Educat io n, No. 601, Bureau of Publications Teachers College, Columbia University. Holtberg, Myrtle, "Preparation for Home-Visits," Eleventh Yearbook of the Department of Elementary School Prin­ cipals , 11:234-5* April, 1932. Holtlund, W.S., "Visiting T e a c h e r ’s Role," Michigan Educa­ tional Journa1 , 25:329~32, February, 1948. Houseman, Richard, "The People Speak," The National Associa­ tion of Secondary School Principals, 32:31-6, February, .I9W . Locke, John, "Partner for a Way of Life," The National As so ­ ciation of Secondary School Principals, 32:52-8, F e b ­ ruary, I9T 8 . McDaniel, Inga C., "Establishing Effective Home-School Rela­ tionships," California Journal of Elementary Education, 16:160-75* February, 1948. Mathews, F., "intensive Home Visiting," New E r a , 29:73~4, April, 194-8.

45 Ojeman, R.H., and L. Fatland, "Parents and Teachers As Partners," National Parent Te a c h e r , 4-0:20-3* March, 1945. Osborne, E.G., "Home and School: Two Worlds or One?" National Parent Teacher, 35:11-13* May, 1941. Schrelber, Nicholas, "Home Visits that Count," The National Association of Secondary School Principals, Bulletin 32: 177-9* February, 1948. Sloan, Paul, "Our Schools Need PTA's" 3 8 :30 - 1 , February, 1948*

National Parent Te acher,

Smith, F.B., "Accommodation for the P.T.A." Elementary School Environment and the- Modern Curriculum, Thirteenth Y e a r ­ book, California Elementary School Principal's Associa­ tion, pp. 128 -32 , 137 -8 . Snyder, P.H., "Light on Today's Children," National Elementary P r i n c i p a l 27:160-4, September, 194-7* Torrance, P.H., "Teacher Meets Parents," School Elementary Ed i t i o n , 34:405-7, January, 1946. Waller, C.H., "When the School and Home Work Together," Wisconsin Journal of Education, 81:21, December, 1948. Wofford, Kate V., "Modern Education in Small Rural Schools," Nations Schools, 1938* Part 4.

u n iv e r s it y o f

Southern Cutlforela Uhrer*