Parent – Staff Relations in Early Education

The parent - teacher relationship, which is paramount to the successful functioning of the kindergarten, is a complicated one. Its complexity has become more apparent in the last two decades with the growing impact of neoliberalism on the education policy. Neoliberals, who examine social relations in economic terms, view education as a commodity, parents and students as clients, and teachers as service providers. This perspective and its practical implications have resulted in both constructive and destructive effects. On the one hand, it has changed the power relations in the parent-teacher-student triangle and weakened the authority of teachers. On the other, neoliberal reforms have enabled parents to take an active part in the design of their child’s educational environment.
This course examines the parents-staff relationships in the kindergarten in light of the tension presented above. We will discuss the various possibilities for parental participation in the kindergarten and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of each option.