Tímarit um menntarannsóknir - 01.01.2008, Page 90

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Tímarit um menntarannsóknir, 5. árgangur 2008
Results
The main results of the study indicated that
most preschool teachers (93%) viewed giving
advice to parents as a part of their job. Close
to 70% of the participants said that parents
often seek advice in the following three main
areas: practical advice about childrearing,
developmental advice, and advice regarding
discipline. The preschool teachers said they
offered advice on their own initiative about
equally often in the three areas. They seemed to
be confident in their professional ability as 86%
of them claimed themselves to be specialists
in the education and care of young children.
Close to 80% of preschool teachers felt that
discipline problems have increased and that
parents are less able to deal with them. Over
80% of the teachers felt that parents have too
little time for their children. The study showed
a correlation between preschool teachers with
longer work experience and advice-giving. By
looking at cross tabulations one can see that
on the whole teachers with more experience
were more often asked for advice by parents
and more often offered advice on their own
initiative. The relationship proved significant
in some of the areas of advice. Also, teachers
with long work experience significantly more
often felt that they were specialists than those
with shorter work experience.
Discussion
Little is officially stated about advice to parents
in the job description of preschool teachers.
Nevertheless, this research study showed that
advice-giving is a substantial part of their
co-operation with parents. Both Icelandic
and foreign scholars claim that parents need
support and advice in their parenting role
(Rodd, 2006; Júlíusdóttir, 2001), which is in
accordance with the results of the present study.
Another interesting result is that teachers with
long work experience had more professional
confidence. They received more requests
for advice and also gave more advice. This
is particularly interesting because younger
teachers more often had a university degree
than the ones with longer work experience.
Therefore, it seems that work experience
contributes more to perceived professional
competence and is a more important factor
in relation to advice-giving than a degree in
education. It seems safe to conclude that the
advisory role of preschool teachers in regard
to parent co-operation should be given special
consideration in their education.
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