Parents as partners in learning

Globally, teachers and school leaders are increasingly encouraging parents to become more directly involved in their children’s schooling and academic development. This study was designed to support the parents of students who experience difficulty with academic learning via a school-based Parent Mindset Program comprised of three parent engagement workshops delivered fortnightly over six weeks by a teacher. The Program was designed to support participants to practice growth mindset knowledge and skills at home with their child and receive feedback to support skill mastery. Cognitive tools were used to create the social process essential for learning by providing a point of reference and opportunities for parents to discuss, inquire, and problem-solve with other parents and the presenter. From the socio-cultural perspective, this study aimed to develop the capacity of parents as partners in learning to support their children during the time when they are not in the classroom and thus align the parents’ contributions with the supportive approach used in the school. An intrinsic case study research design enabled the development of a deeper understanding of the phenomenon of parental engagement in their child’s schooling. Three elements were found to have influenced the effectiveness of the parent engagement program’s capacity to increase parental self-efficacy to engage in their child’s schooling: demographic factors; participant motivation factors; and, the instructional design of the program