Parents’ New Role and Needs During the COVID-19 Educational Emergency

This article contributes to the on-going discussion of parental involvement in the education of children, with emphasis on new and unfamiliar roles of parents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The case study undertaken focuses on parents of first graders who belong to non-vulnerable and vulnerable social groups, and the first-grade teachers of a public primary school in the north of Greece. Research questions address the experience of ‘parents–teachers’, the need for technological tools and the required digital literacy, as well as the impact of homeschooling on the wellbeing of the family unit. Data were collected using semi-structured individual interviews. The data analysis shows that parents of both social groups took on the role of the teacher to accommodate the learning challenges of first graders. Mothers from vulnerable groups, in particular, encountered various challenges when attempting to support their children mainly in language lessons. Regarding the use of new technologies, the pandemic found parents of both groups unprepared and unfamiliar with the process of distance education. Stress and worry were the dominant emotions from the very start of homeschooling during the early stages of the pandemic while towards the end of the first lockdown, exhaustion overwhelmed parents and pupils. The article concludes with emphasizing the importance of active parental involvement and coaching that enables parents to contribute substantially to their children’s education in emergency situations.

Predictive Model for Amotivation and Discipline in Physical Education Students Based on Teaching–Learning Styles

One of the purposes of teachers is to ensure the motivation of the students in their classes and to maintain disciplined behaviours. However, the teaching styles and methodologies used do not always have a positive effect on student’s motivation and discipline. This study analysed the relationship between student’s perceptions of the controlling behaviours of their physical education teacher, together with amotivation and discipline styles from Self-Determination Theory. The sample comprised 922 students, aged between 14 and 18 years (M = 14.95; SD = 0.98). Students’ perceptions of less controlling discipline styles (control of the use of rewards) negatively predicted the thwarting of autonomy need. Conversely, a more controlling discipline style (judging and devaluing) positively predicted the thwarting of autonomy need, and this, positively predicted amotivation, which negatively predicted disciplinary behaviours and positively predicted undisciplined behaviours. Teachers must avoid using controlling behaviours like judging and devaluing, as this reinforces amotivation towards physical education and undisciplined student behaviours. The importance of designing classes where the student has responsibilities to make decisions and to be part of their own learning is pointed out.

Involving parents in secondary schools: principals’ perspectives in Greece

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to report findings from an investigation of Greek principals’ attitudes and perceptions concerning parental involvement in schools – research prompted by the belief that the information will be useful in attempts to make Greek schools more effective.

Design/methodology/approach

– The participants of the study were secondary school principals and vice principals from one Prefecture in Central Greece. The questionnaire used elicited information about the participants’ demographics, the main features of the schools they were serving in, and their views concerning existing and preferred school-family partnerships.

Findings

– The principals in the investigation seemed to be not only in favor of parental participation, but also saw a need to increase it. In general, then, the findings support others’ reports that parents’ participation in schools – in this instance secondary schools – tends to be less than satisfactory.

Originality/value

– In Greece, the issue of parental involvement in schools has not received adequate attention until recently. The latest school reforms emphasize the notion of parental involvement as a significant factor for the effectiveness of the Greek schools.

Successful transition to elementary school and the implementation of facilitative practices specified in the Reggio-Emilia philosophy

Systematic, mandated facilitation of school transitions is an important but understudied aspect of the Reggio-Emilia approach to early childhood education admired internationally as best practice. We studied the links between Northern Italian transition practices and academic achievement, school liking, cooperativeness, and problem behaviors. We followed 288 students across a transition from preschool to elementary school. Schools varied in their implementation of transition practices. High implementation of Reggio-type transition practices was related to significantly more school liking and significantly fewer problem behaviors after the transition. At follow-up at the end of the post-transition year, high-implementation schools were still characterized by lower levels of problem behavior. These data indicate that the facilitation of school transitions in the Reggio-Emilia tradition is associated with successful post-transition adjustment.

A holistic approach to school-based counselling and guidance services in Malaysia

Counselling services in Malaysian schools were first established in 1963. Several local research studies investigated the provision of school counselling services and revealed that they were unpopular among students and could be further improved. School-aged children are still under the care of their family, mostly their parents, and many authors suggested that the school counselling services for these children are inseparable from their family and community. A qualitative research study was conducted with 12 secondary school counsellors from Perak state in Malaysia. The counsellors were interviewed to explore their experiences of working in the existing counselling services system. The findings showed that there was a lack of collaboration among various educational stakeholders and the resources from the community were not utilized effectively. As a result of this study, a comprehensive integrative model for school counselling is proposed and discussed. Some possible challenges faced by counsellors and suggestions on ways to further improve counselling services within the Malaysian context are discussed.

Parental involvement and the academic achievement and social functioning of Cuban school children

The goal of the current study was to investigate whether parental involvement is an important predictor of student outcomes within the Cuban school system, where extensive support for pupils’ progress and adjustment are available from the peer group, community, and family. The participants were 188 children in Grades 2 and 3 from four localities in Cuba. School-based involvement was significantly higher among parents of children not at risk for behavioral problems than among parents of at-risk children. Parental involvement in Year 1 did not significantly predict changes in student academic competency or total difficulties between Year 1 and Year 2. These results suggest that school-based parental involvement may be of some importance in the adjustment of Cuban children. Any effects of parental involvement, however, were not strong enough to cause changes in ratings of student adjustment and achievement from Year 1 to Year 2.

Epistemological beliefs as predictors of self-regulated learning strategies in middle school students

This study examines the contribution of epistemological beliefs to middle school students’ reported use of self-regulated learning strategies. One hundred and sixty 8th and 9th graders from three public middle schools participated in the study. Gender was about equally represented in the sample (89 girls, 71 boys). During the group examination phase, the participants were asked to complete a Greek version of Epistemological Beliefs Questionnaire (EBQ), based on Schommer-Aikins, Mau, Brookhart and Hutter’s (2000) middle school version of EBQ. During the individual examination phase, they were interviewed using the Self-Regulated Learning Interview Schedule (SRLIS). Epistemological beliefs about the speed of learning and the ability to learn significantly predicted the reported use of cognitive as well as motivational regulation strategies. The educational implications of the results are discussed in relation to cultural influences on the formation of epistemological beliefs.

Content analysis of School Psychology International, 1990–2011: An analysis of trends and compatibility with the NASP Practice Model

Formal analysis of research publications serves as one indicator of the current status of a profession or a journal. Content analyses provide both practitioners and academicians with information on the status of research in the profession. These types of analyses can also provide information on the concordance between published research and what professional organizations consider key areas of practice. The current study examined articles published in one journal, School Psychology International, for a 22-year period from 1990 through 2011 ( n = 671 articles). All articles were coded for demographics of the author, including country of origin and level of international content, and the content matching categories found in the NASP Model for Comprehensive and Integrated School Psychological Services. Results indicated that the journal is very much international with authors coming from 57 countries. With regard to gender, a trend was noticed for increased participation by women. Finally, the analysis of content found a pattern that was not highly consistent with the categories identified by NASP. Factors contributing to the lack of consistency between research and areas of practice are discussed.

Parent involvement at school entry: A national examination of group differences and achievement

This research examined the scope of parental involvement at school entry and sought to determine what, if any, differences existed between ethnic groups. In addition, the researcher attempted to determine if parental involvement was related to academic achievement at school entry. Participants were the African American and European American parents and children who participated in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-K; US Department of Education, 2005). Results from this project suggest that ethnic differences in parental involvement are present at school entry. In particular, European American parents were more like to be involved in home-based parental involvement activities such as reading to their children while African American parents were more likely to be involved in school related activities such as volunteering at school. In addition, the analysis suggests that parent involvement was only slightly related to reading achievement at school entry. The study is discussed in terms of its implications for future research towards narrowing the achievement gap.

A cross-cultural study of student problem behaviors in middle schools

Using the latest international educational database, TIMSS, this study investigates and compares the occurrences of 11 student problem behaviors as reported by middle school principals in ten countries. For each country, the study reveals the relationships of these problem behaviors with teachers’ attitudes and parental involvement, and discusses the influences of the problem behaviors on students’ academic achievement. Finally, a longitudinal study analyses the development and changes of student problem behaviors in 1995, 1999, 2003, and 2007 using the data from TIMSS four regular cycles. The results find that the student problem behaviors, especially those problem behaviors related to lessons or conflicting with others, in the Western country schools, have strong relationships with students’ performances. The findings provide worldwide perspectives and meaningful references for intensive research of school psychology, reduction of student problem behaviors in middle schools, and improvement of students’ academic performance.

Parental involvement in secondary schools in New Zealand: Implications for school psychologists

An extensive international literature now supports the potential of parental involvement (PI) for improving children’s academic achievements and social outcomes. This research also suggests that involvement which schools organize themselves is more effective than externally imposed PI programmes. It is therefore important to investigate PI practices in schools so that guidance on effective PI can be based on actual evidence from schools. This article reports the results of a survey of parental involvement (PI) practices in 21 secondary schools in New Zealand. Interviews were conducted with school principals using a schedule that focused on 11 aspects of PI. Analysis of data from the interviews indicates that all 21 secondary schools had a variety of PI practices in place. Notable gaps in PI provision were: a lack of written school policies on PI; the ad hoc nature of the organization of PI by schools; the lack of specific strategies to involve diverse parents; a limited focus on parent education; and, a lack of training for teachers on PI. Implications for improving the practice of PI in secondary schools and for the role of school psychologists in this, are discussed.

Psychosocial characteristics in relation to disordered eating attitudes in greek adolescents

The study explores possible links between eating attitudes in Greek adolescents and certain psychosocial characteristics such as self-esteem, empathy and anxiety. A total of 202 students (109 boys and 93 girls), 15-18 years old, have been recruited. The following questionnaires were used: the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents, the Multidimensional Body-Self-Questionnaire-Overweight Preoccupation and the Index of Empathy of Children and Adolescents. The EAT-26 revealed that 18.3% of the total sample of students (12.8% of boys and 24.7% of girls) reported having disordered eating attitudes. Adolescents with disordered eating attitudes had significantly higher levels of anxiety and scored less in self-reported physical appearance and romantic appeal. Empathy and global self-esteem did not differ significantly between the two groups. Adolescents with disordered eating attitudes have certain psychosocial characteristics which differentiate them from the students with healthier eating attitudes.