Identifying Teacher and Parental Communication Methods That Could Impact Elementary School Educational Outcomes

Developing and sustaining positive partnerships between parents and educators is a collaborative process whose primary focus should be directed towards student achievement. Due to ongoing educational reform, more researchers and practitioners are concerned about the quality of communication between parents and teachers. The importance of this issue should be addressed to provide an understanding between schools and parents of the impact that communication can pose on student outcomes. The purpose of this applied study was to identify teacher and parental communication methods that could impact educational outcomes at Bayou Elementary School (pseudonym) in northwest Louisiana. This study implemented a multimethod design to include qualitative and quantitative thematic analysis of parents, teachers, and administrators from Bayou Elementary School. Participants including teachers, administrators, and parents were selected based on those who work at Bayou Elementary School or whose children attend Bayou Elementary School. Qualitative data was collected through an informal interview and online focus groups. The data was analyzed using NVivo software to identify common themes using frequency tables. Quantitative data was collected through an online survey database. The data was analyzed using a frequency table, percentages, and graphs to find themes. The results were used to identify areas of improvement in communication at Bayou Elementary School. Recommendations based on the results of the study were provided to the school administration