Aljoudah School: Teachers and Students’ Parents Experiences

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Introduction

The research focuses on the way teachers and students’ parents see their experiences in Aljoudah School. Teaching practices, teacher training, and development, overall impressions as well as the interaction between the major stakeholders are of particular interest to this study. Therefore, the participants were asked questions concerning these areas.

It is but natural that certain themes were recurrent. These themes were encoded as follows: training for teachers, teacher self-development, interaction (among teachers, administrators, students, parents), administrative support. It is necessary to note that the overall attitude towards the school was positive. The participants claimed that they were satisfied with the experiences they have in Aljoudah School.

At this point, it is also important to add that pricing has proved to be a recurrent topic as teachers and parents are dissatisfied with the pricing policies existing in this educational establishment. Parents noted that the fees were rather high and even ‘really exorbitant’ (Norah 2016, pers. comm., 31 June). teachers also admit that the fees are quite high as their children usually attend Aljoudah School. Whereas, teachers also state that the salaries are not very high and the working hours are long. It has been acknowledged that monetary reward is one of the most significant factors shaping Saudi teachers’ performance (Al Doghan & Albar 2015).

Thus, insufficient salaries could have a negative effect on the teachers’ motivation and, as a result, performance. Nonetheless, the pricing policies do not have a significant effect on the way the participants see the school and the performance of teachers and students. The participants noted that they would be glad if the pricing policies could be reconsidered. However, no one planned to leave the school due to high fees and low salaries. On the contrary, one of the participants planned to take her child from another school to register in Aljoudah School. It is clear that the financial issue is not critical, which is why the theme associated with fees was not considered in detail.

Training for teachers

It is necessary to note that the theme of training for teachers is rather recurrent for teachers, but parents seem to pay no attention to it. This can be explained by the parents’ role. They can be regarded as consumers of a product (high-quality educational services), and they pay little attention to the way the product is produced. The focus on such things as quality, availability, value and so on. Parents are concerned about teachers’ performance and their attitude towards the students. Of course, students’ performance is one of the primary concerns of parents, as well as the sign of the school’s efficacy.

Interestingly, Khan (2011b) notes that similar to parents, many Saudi teachers also pay little attention to training and professional development. More so, the researcher states that many educators find it ‘an academic embarrassment to take part in any training program’ (Khan 2011b, p. 71). They believe that educators have sufficient knowledge they acquire during their studies in a higher educational establishment. They also deem their experience rather than training is what they need to achieve their educational goals.

However, for the teachers participating in this study, training is one of the central aspects of their experiences in their working place. Thus, all of the teachers emphasise that one of the advantages of the school in question is the provision of various training options. The teachers mention training in particular subjects, teaching methodology as well as other aspects.

For instance, Nada, a 33-year-old teacher of Arabic, (2016, pers. comm., 31 June) notes that Aljoudah School’s distinctive feature is ‘their ambition to improve their employees’ as well as their ‘knowhow to develop and orient teachers into educating the youngest generation of our society with improved methods to benefit students’.

Ahmed, a 27-year-old teacher of mathematics, (2016, pers. comm., 31 June) also claims that the school provides continuous training in different aspects including ‘education manners, thinking method’. Importantly, the teachers develop different skills and competencies that positively affect their overall performance. All of the educators interviewed claim that there is remarkable progress in their development.

It is clear that development, training, and improvement are core values that are entailed in the school’s culture as the faculty has a particular view on the matter. At that, it is necessary to note that the participants are in their 30s, which can have an impact on their attitude towards development and training. In many cases, younger educators tend to have a positive view of training and development while older teachers do not seek for training or any development options (Alhaggass 2015).

It has been acknowledged that continuing and comprehensive development of the faculty contributes significantly to teachers’ motivation and performance (Sywelem & Witte 2013). Many educators prefer working for schools where professional development is provided as it positively affects their performance (Isman et al. 2012). In simple terms, educators understand the benefits of training as they learn about effective teaching strategies that enable them to achieve their academic goals in a more efficient way.

Importantly, this extensive training is viewed as one of the primary competitive advantages of a school. Flexibility in professional and self-development is also an important aspect valued by teachers (Isman et al. 2012). In other words, teachers are eager to have certain control over their development. They are willing to choose aspects to learn and skills to practice.

In the school in question, administrators provide significant flexibility to teachers, and the educators (at least, those interviewed) appreciate it. The participants also acknowledge the benefits of training and stress that it helps them to provide high-quality educational services and contribute to the development of the community (Ola 2016, pers. comm., 1 July).

The participants pay special attention to the peculiarities of the training provided. Several aspects are mentioned by three out of four teachers: continuity, supervision, comprehensiveness. For instance, Faten (2016, pers. comm., 1 July) notes that the school provides training and ‘skills development for more than once per scholar year’. The participants also stress that this development is provided through extensive mentoring and supervision. Each teacher has a supervisor who guides the educator in his/her professional development.

The participants find it very important as they feel they are on the right track. Almannie (2015) emphasises that the role of supervisors is central to the professional development of the faculty as these leaders help the teachers to align policies with practice and respond to the challenges educators face every day. The participants state that their supervisors share their experience, which ensures the continuity of the professional development. Teachers in Aljoudah School can obtain a wide range of development options. Nada (2016, pers. comm., 31 June) stresses that the school’s administration ‘trust you completely, they give you a chance to develop yourself’.

Besides, the participants note that the school provides them with all the necessary materials for their professional activities as well as development. Ahmed (2016, pers. comm., 31 June) claims that his supervisor is very helpful in many respects, ‘perhaps she has ideas and is able to support me with resources, give me books, reference, she ensured to me British books which cannot find it in KSA’. Importantly, scholars stress that the availability of resources is one of the key components of successful training, especially when it comes to sciences and technology (Bingimlas 2009).

It is also necessary to add that the participants acknowledge the benefits of the professional development as they all report about progress in their professional skills. All the four teachers state that they have improved their skills and increased their knowledge in many aspects including their disciplines, teaching methods and so on. The participants are also committed to the further professional development and continuing work for the school. Interestingly, the participants tend to compare their experiences in Aljoudah School with their previous working places.

They all agree that their current employer is more concerned about the staff’s development and growth and invests a lot of funds and effort in this aspect. This investment translates into people’s commitment to work hard and pay little attention to such issues as salaries that could be higher. Therefore, it is possible to note that the primary aspects teachers appreciate in training and development efforts made by the school are flexibility, continuity, comprehensiveness, and supervision. Since supervision (or support, as the participants put it) and flexibility are the most recurrent themes, it is clear that these aspects are most valued by the participants.

Teacher self-development

The next theme to be considered is teacher self-development. Just like in the case of professional development, parents interviewed do not mention this aspect. At the same time, the educators interviewed pay to it even more attention compared to their concerns about professional development provided at the school. Clearly, the two themes are closely connected. It is also possible to assume that the participants appreciate the professional development options given in Aljoudah School due to their commitment to self-development and continuing growth.

Thus, many Saudi educators have insufficient training and are not motivated enough to obtain professional development due to cultural or personal reasons (Khan 2011a). They are not interested in any self-development, which has quite adverse effects on their performance (Kahn 2011b). Khan (2011a) notes that this situation is specifically common in primary education as many educators believe their level of expertise does not require any ongoing improvement as students do not learn about complex phenomena that need extensive research and advanced teaching methods. This study involves teachers of middle and high school, so the commitment of primary teachers in Aljoudah School is yet to be examined.

The commitment to ongoing professional growth is evident as all the four teachers mention it several times during the interviews. For instance, Nada (2016, pers. comm., 31 June) describes herself as ‘the kind of person who seeks improvement’. The rest of the teachers also mention their willingness to progress as professionals and persons. The samples also stress that they appreciate the freedom they are given in Aljoudah School when it comes to self-development. Khan (2011b) argues that educators’ self-development is deemed one of the central elements of teaching.

Educators should be willing to seek for development and use any opportunity to gain new knowledge and skills. Al-Zahrani (2015) states that the commitment to self-development ensures teachers’ compliance with the current educational paradigm existing in the Saudi educational system. The country tries to bring up new generations that will have the necessary knowledge and skills to make the kingdom a leader in the region. To achieve this goal, educators should provide students with the most recent information and teach young people to be creative and willing to explore (Al-Zahrani 2015).

Interestingly, when speaking about professional and personal growth, one of the participants paid attention to the cultural aspect. This participant spent some time in Canada working in a school. Ola (2016, pers. comm., 1 July) reflects on her experiences in the school and her personal and professional growth and states:

It was an add up to my career as an individual, I learned great things since the practices are closer to my lifestyle, traditions, and my Islamic religious beliefs. Those are more important to me as a Muslim woman. Unlike in Canada, I feel connected to my values by default.

It is clear that the cultural aspect can also play an important role in educators’ self-development. Al-Seghaye (2014) notes that educators’ development occurs within a particular culture that is incorporated into the teacher’s practices. Liton (2012) also argues that teaching and learning are always shaped by certain cultural environment.

The participant’s account shows the extent to which culture can be important to a professional. The teacher feels she can be a more efficient professional and contribute more to the development of the community and the entire Saudi society. Her self-growth is closely connected with such aspects as culture and connectedness with the community. The administration of Aljoudah School pays the necessary attention to the cultural aspect as Muslim values are put to the fore and there is a close link between the school and the community. This connectedness will be considered in detail below.

Interactions

Another recurrent topic is interaction. It is but natural to expect that parents and teachers would pay much attention to the interaction among such stakeholders as educators, students, parents and administrators. However, the participants also pay a lot of attention to the interaction between the school (especially teachers and students) and the community.

However, each of these interactions should be considered in detail. At this point, it is necessary to note that the interaction with the administration has been identified as a separate theme concerned with the administrative support. Therefore, interactions amongst teachers, students, and parents, as well as the community, will be discussed in this section.

Parent/student – teacher interaction

Clearly, the interaction between the student and the teacher, as well as parents and teachers, is one of any parent’s concern. The parents interviewed pay a lot of attention to this element of their children’s school experience. The parents have quite different attitudes towards this interaction, and this is related to their children’s performance.

Norah’s child is a high achiever, and the child ‘was ascendant, and even in the exams… she was ascendant’ but the parent emphasises that she fails to ‘notice any support to the student’ (2016, pers. comm., 31 June). The parent stresses that she would like to see more educators’ support for students. At the same time, Norah mentions that there are some ‘support sessions’ for those who receive low marks in tests (2016, pers. comm., 31 June). She also admits that her involvement in her child’s school life is very limited as she does not help her with her studies or attends many school events.

On the contrary, Abrar is very satisfied with the level of attention and support provided by teachers to her child. It is noteworthy that the student had certain issues with reading. Abrar (2016, pers. comm., 1 July) contemplates the role the school should play in a student’s life and states:

The school is the second home to a student… When the student comes to this school, he feels at ease, which is rare to see elsewhere. Especially the teacher’s direct involvement, there is systematic bridging between them and their students, making the student feel closer to his teacher due to simplicity of communication and interactions exercised by this school’s employees and students. They employ a great deal of respect in dealing with the student mind. This is something I have noticed with all Joudah School students.

Thus, the participant reports about a great deal of teacher’s involvement in their student’s academic life. Importantly, the woman mentions different aspects of support, which means that teachers do not simply provide some information for students to learn, but is a mentor who guides through the process of knowledge acquisition. It is also clear that the participant interacts with her child’s teacher more often compare to the other parent. The two cases contribute to the existing knowledge base.

It has been acknowledged that parents have relied on teachers when it comes to students’ academic performance, and the shift towards a deeper parental involvement has occurred rather recently (Abdullah et al. 2011). This trend is evident in the case with Abrar, while many parents do not still engage actively in their children’s school life, which is the case with Norah. The reasons for the level of interaction between parents and teachers can be a subject of a new study. However, it is clear that parents pay specific attention to teachers’ interaction with a student regardless of their own (parental) engagement. It is also clear that teachers’ support is regarded as one of the advantages of a school and a contributing factor to a student’s academic success.

As far as teachers interviewed are concerned, they seem to pay no attention to the interaction with parents. It is noteworthy that they were not asked about this directly as the focus was on their professional experiences and administrative support. Nonetheless, the domain of the teacher’s professional sphere involves the interaction with parents that equips the educator with the necessary information about the child’s psychological and emotional state, needs and expectations, the time the child can invest in studies and so on.

As has been mentioned above, many Saudi teachers have acknowledged the benefits of parental involvement, which makes their interaction with parents vital (Abdullah et al. 2011). Teachers can instruct parents as regards their possible assistance to their children. Teachers and parents should also discuss students’ progress and any issues children encounter. It is possible to assume that some the teachers of Aljoudah School see this interaction a part of their routine and do not even mention it. What is clear, they do not think this aspect has a considerable effect on their professional experiences if they do not mention it.

However, teachers mention their interactions with students. These interactions can be divided into such domains as purely academic, emotional and community-related. For instance, Ahmed mentions his attempts to help a student to cope with linguistic issues. His account relates to two domains: emotional and purely academic. The teacher tries to help the student gain the necessary knowledge through overcoming the linguistic issues, and the educator also provides encouragement to the student.

Ola mentions a very specific practice that addresses all the three domains of the interaction between the teacher and the student. The participant notes that the school has a practice of encouraging students to contribute to the community. Ola (2016, pers. comm., 1 July) calls these social activities ‘clubs within or an association’. These social activities imply the creation of a group (the teacher and students) that ‘would have to choose amongst matters that has a direct impact on our society’ (Ola 2016, pers. comm., 1 July).

The participant stresses that the school (or rather educators) makes a difference through exposing students to meaningful issues and teaching students to think critically and work on the development of particular solutions. The participant also emphasises the beneficial effect of this type of activities as an important bond between the educator and the student is created.

It is also important to add that the cultural aspect also plays a significant role in this component as teachers and students explore the cultural contexts that become the ground for the development of their relationships (Liton 2012). The teacher should be able to develop the necessary rapport to encourage and motivate students to learn and remain committed to their academic goals. The participants seem to understand the importance of this type of interaction, and they do a lot to make the interaction effective.

Teacher – teacher interaction

Teachers share knowledge and experiences to facilitate their professional and personal growth (Al-Seghaye 2014). The participants also mention their interactions with colleagues. For instance, Nada (2016, pers. comm., 31 June) states that they work in ‘teams’, which helps teachers of Aljoudah School to come up with various teaching strategies that help them achieve their teaching goals.

Khan (2011a) stresses that peer support is vital for teachers’ professional development since educators can acquire new skills through sharing their experiences. Ahmed (2016, pers. comm., 31 June) reports about the benefits of such interactions and mentions particular instances of knowledge sharing, ‘we exchange experiences, you see, even in meetings we make reflections then action plans for the next year’. Obviously, the participant acknowledges the benefits of such practices as he emphasises that he has made a lot of progress due to these interactions.

Apart from such formalised types of knowledge sharing (meetings), the participants also mention less formal forms. For example, Norah (2016, pers. comm., 31 June) notes, ‘I take advice from another teacher I trust’. Ahmed also mentions that his supervisor is an advisor he trusts and the one who helps him in many instances. It is clear that the faculty in Aljoudah School can be regarded as a community where individuals are ready to share and support each other.

The participants appreciate this and see it as one of the competitive advantages of the school and one of the factors contributing to its efficiency. Three out of four teachers interviewed mentioned that they would recommend other educational establishments to apply methods used in Aljoudah School. At that, Faten (2016, pers. comm., 1 July) notes that the school utilises various effective strategies but there is still room for improvement, and Aljoudah School should also ‘look up other schools that have been a success, and their methods’.

Administrative support

Scholars and practitioners agree that administrative support is vital for the development of any educational establishment (Alhaggass 2015). All the stakeholders (students, educators, parents, the community) benefit from the successful administration (Alyami 2014; Alhaggass 2015). Educators, as well as parents, often need materials, information concerning existing policies or events, advice on various issues and so on. Administrators often make decisions concerning the use of training programs for teachers.

Therefore, administrative support is an important element of teachers’ professional life. The participants have quite a similar attitude towards the involvement of administration in the school’s development. The participants have a positive view and claim that they are satisfied with the level of this support. It is possible to identify three major domains of the administrative support as seen by the participants: materials/training, instruction/psychological support, policies/regulations.

Materials/training (administration / educators)

As has been mentioned above the school provides extensive and continuous training to its teachers. The participants note that administrators do their job well, and their professional needs are satisfied since training provided is helpful. All of the teachers interviewed mention several times that their progress is evident. Apart from training, administrators make sure that the educators have access to all the necessary materials. Ahmed emphasises that his supervisor provides him with all the necessary books including materials that cannot be easily found in the country.

The availability of resources is another important factor that affects teachers’ performance. Bingimlas (2009) argues that the lack of resources results in the insufficient competence that, in its turn, decreases teachers’ motivation and has adverse effects on their performance. The availability of resources is specifically vital in the context of the transformations the Saudi educational system has been undergoing.

The focus is on the use of advanced practices and up-to-date information, and resources are instrumental in gaining the necessary knowledge and skills. Administrators of Aljoudah School understand this need of the teachers and invest a lot of money and effort in providing educators with the necessary resources.

Materials/training (administration / parents)

When it comes to this kind of support provided to parents, this aspect is mainly manifested through the provision of information (data on schedules, events, policies and so on). Parents interviewed have quite similar views on the matter. They feel totally informed about all the existing policies and regulations as well as options for students (support programs).

One of the interviewees is not satisfied with the availability of training for students while the other stresses the effectiveness of the sessions provided. This domain is also associated with certain financial aspects. Thus, Norah adds that the administrative support to a high-achieving student could acquire a form of a scholarship. The participant states that this would be a sign of care and proper evaluation and appreciation of students. It is necessary to stress that the parent is satisfied with the school, but sees certain areas for improvement.

It is noteworthy that the parents interviewed have children of different age. The mother of a child in the primary school is completely satisfied with support sessions that improved her child’s performance (as reported by the participant). However, the mother of a child in the middle school is not satisfied with the support provided to high achievers. She notes that there are no programs for such children even though they deserve it as well. Clearly, the provision of information is one of the essential responsibilities when it comes to the communication between administration and parents (Almannie 2015).

It is clear that the school administrators manage to inform parents about major activities, standards and policies, but the communication still needs significant improvement. It is clear that some parents remain disconnected. For example, Norah tends to ignore various messages and incentive of the school administration. This can have a negative effect on the development of the relationships between this parent and the school. It is clear that although the parent is satisfied with the quality of educational services provided and her child’s performance, she is dissatisfied with the lack of support and attention given to high-achieving students like her child.

Clearly, the school should provide diverse options to students of all ages and educational levels. It is also important to make sure that all the parents are fully informed as Norah may be unaware of some options for her child. The existing communication channels are not sufficient especially in the case of parents who are not fully engaged in their children’s academic life. The analysis of the teachers’ accounts suggests that educators of the school in question do not pay the necessary attention to this aspect of their work.

None of the teachers mentions interactions with parents. They mention the school’s links with the community, but they do not give any information on the way they or the school administration interact with parents. This is a considerable gap that is yet to be filled in. Almannie (2015) stresses that the interaction between the school (administration and teachers) and parents should be continuous and consistent. Otherwise, parents feel disconnected, uninterested and dissatisfied, which leads to the lack of parental engagement that may have detrimental effects on students’ performance and academic outcomes.

Instruction/psychological support (administration / educators)

Nada (2016, pers. comm., 31 June) stresses that administrators in Aljoudah School provide ‘really very wonderful’ moral support. Interestingly, the participant stresses that being a female is associated with additional issues that affect the emotional state. Thus, family / work balance, physiological (pregnancy and maternity leave), psychological (being emotional) peculiarities of female teachers are addressed. Nada states that the school’s administrators take into account all these peculiarities and try to meet all the needs. Aljoudah School administrators do not focus on plans and meeting some rigid requirements.

Instead, they try to develop proper relationships that involve attention to teachers’ needs, family backgrounds, preferences and life objectives. It is not clear whether administrators encourage teachers to participate in training programs as the educators’ interviewed do not mention that. Alhaggass (2015) argues that administrators should motivate teachers to gain new knowledge and skills as this is beneficial for the development of the entire school.

In the case of Aljoudah School, it can be essential for administrators to encourage teachers to gain new skills and knowledge associated with the communication with parents as not all of the student’ parents are totally satisfied with their experiences. Teachers should master techniques aimed at encouraging teachers to be engaged in their children’s academic life.

According to all of the participants, employees receive the necessary support, understanding as well as assistance. For instance, Ahmed mentions the situation when he had some family issues associated with his mother’s health. The administrators provided the necessary help and expressed their concern, which was the needed psychological support for the participant. It is necessary to note that all the four teachers interviewed mention the emotional support of the administrators. They also add that this support is very important and makes them feel a part of the family rather than an institution.

Obviously, the teachers interviewed are committed to hard work and performing well to achieve the goals set. It has been acknowledged that creating a favourable working environment is beneficial for the development of an educational establishment as teachers are more committed to the school’s goals (the provision of high-quality educational services is one of them) (Almannie 2015). Almannie (2015) states that administrators play a significant role in this process. These professionals often create and maintain the organisational culture. Aljoudah School’s culture entails such aspects as connectedness, support, respect, self-growth and ongoing development as well as compliance with major standards.

Instruction/psychological support (administration / parents)

It is necessary to add that parents also mention psychological and emotional support provided by the school’s administration. For instance, Abrar (2016, pers. comm., 1 July) reports about particular cases when she received ‘the morale support from the administration’. At the same time, Norah stresses that the attention provided to parents is insufficient. The parent is somewhat dissatisfied with the level of support the administration provides to parents as regards the data on teaching practices used and overall communication.

Notably, researchers state that parental involvement depends, to a certain extent, on the efficacy of communication between administration and parents (Abdullah et al. 2011). It is clear that the more information or even attention (and psychological, practical, emotional support) parents receive, the more committed they are to participating in their children’s academic life. It is clear that Aljoudah School makes significant efforts to develop proper relationships and communication with its students’ parents.

Nonetheless, this attention is not enough as one of the parents interviewed feels disconnected. More importantly, she has certain concerns associated with this gap. The parent sees this as an area for improvement. At that, she does not link this support (or rather a lack of it) to her child’s academic performance. The participant states that the level of teaching is satisfactory, but the support from the administration could be increased. This is an important finding as it becomes clear that parents value administrative support (instructional, emotional and so on), which may affect their engagement in the students’ academic life. The school administration should pay more attention to this aspect.

Policies (administration – educators)

Another important aspect to consider when focusing on the contemporary Saudi education is the compliance with and awareness of regulations and policies. As has been mentioned above, the Saudi educational system is now aimed at developing life-long learners who are committed to continuing development, critical thinking, innovative approaches as well as the contribution to the development of the society (Alnahdi 2014). In order to implement the change, each teacher should be aware of major regulations and policies and comply with them.

The teachers interviewed are completely aware of major policies and regulations existing in the school as well as the entire educational system of the country. It is noteworthy that the participants do not mention any particular policies that, in their opinion, undermines students’ performance. This may have two implications: all policies and standards are effective, or teachers do not strictly follow all of them. The way teachers follow the standards adopted in the kingdom can be further researched. The focus of this study is teacher’s and parents’ attitude towards their experiences. It is clear that educators acknowledge the importance of policies and standards and report about their compliance with these regulations.

One of the major sources of knowledge for teachers in Aljoudah School is the school’s documentation. The participants note that they are informed about central provisions of the educational policies and regulations. Importantly, their contracts contain this kind of information as well as the emphasis on the need to comply with the policies introduced in the kingdom. Thus, from the very first days in Aljoudah School, teachers learn about various policies and strategies established in the school and the educational system of the country.

The compliance with these standards and regulations is an integral part of the organisational culture. The educators try to keep up with the standards and follow all of the requirements. Notably, they appreciate the flexibility the school provides as they can try new practices and methods when teaching, they can also come up with ideas concerning the improvement of the processes that take place in the educational establishment.

Another important source of knowledge is the school’s administration. Teachers of the school have regular meetings where they are informed about new policies or regulations. For instance, Ola (2016, pers. comm., 1 July) mentions ‘awareness sessions about the establishment’s policies’. She also adds that they have regular briefings where they receive all the necessary information. Faten (2016, pers. comm., 1 July) notes that she receives emails with all the necessary information on changes as regards policies and rules adopted at school or introduced in the kingdom.

The analysis of the participants’ accounts shows that the teachers in Aljoudah School tend to address supervisors and peers, the school also uses technology to inform the educators. However, these two sources of information and knowledge sharing should be combined to achieve the highest efficiency. Sywelem and Witte (2013) note that the creation of digital networks for knowledge sharing have proved to be effective and a part of school management.

Aljoudah School could benefit from the use of such a network where important information could be provided timely. Importantly, this could be a platform for knowledge sharing as teachers in Aljoudah School trust their peers and ask for advice whenever they encounter an issue they cannot handle. The online network would embrace more educators and effective teaching methods, and practices can be shared more effectively.

Policies (administration – parents)

As far as parents’ awareness of policies existing in the school and the kingdom, parents have rather different perspectives. Norah claims that she knows about ‘school program, the attendance policy, school requirements’ (2016, pers. comm., 31 June). It is clear that these aspects are discussed in detail and are incorporated in the admission documents. The school makes sure that parents have a clear understanding of central regulations that ensure order and maintenance of certain culture. Nevertheless, Norah admits that she does not know a lot about other policies and regulations existing in Aljoudah School. More so, she repeatedly notes that she ignores many of these aspects, but she is concerned with the lack of support provided to high-achieving students and their parents. This participant’s views reveal certain gaps in the school’s (or rather administrative) interaction with parents, but it is also necessary to add that the parent interviewed seems to be rather uninterested in the peculiarities of her child’s academic life. The parent may ignore various messages and school’s efforts to inform as she does not attend many school events and is not an active member of the school community.

On the contrary, the other parent interviewed is satisfied with the existing policies and is completely (according to herself) aware of major policies established in the school. Abrar (2016, pers. comm., 1 July) states that parents receive information concerning important policies and regulations timely, or as she puts it, they receive ‘details at once’. The participant also adds that she is close to teachers and is quite connected to the school. Obviously, the parent is engaged in her child’s academic life and pays much attention to the communication with teachers and administrators. At that, it is noteworthy that the parent works as a teacher in another school.

She knows the benefits of parental involvement and she knows all the peculiarities of the educational system. This may be a decisive factor in her readiness and willingness to closely interact with the school. The fact that her child received poor marks could also affect her attitude towards his academic needs. The parent could start paying more attention to the child who has certain difficulties while her engagement in the life of a more successful student could also be limited (like in the case with Norah).

It is clear that the strategies used to inform and engage parents are far from being effective since there are parents who ignore messages from the school and their children’s academic challenges. As has been mentioned above, the school has a significant advantage as it has close ties with the community. It is possible to use this link for enhancing parental engagement. The creation of a digital network can serve this purpose (Sywelem & Witte 2013).

The school administration should attempt to encourage parents to participate more effectively in their children’s school life. Students, the school’s partners, respected leaders in the community should also be a part of this community. This digital platform can facilitate the interaction between all the stakeholders and positively affects the development of the community. The school will be able to address one of the priorities of the educational system of the country as it will create a community of people who share such values as life-long learning, development, innovation, tradition, connectedness, contribution and so on.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is necessary to note that the attitudes of teachers and parents towards their Aljoudah School experiences is quite positive. The perspectives were analysed in terms of the following domains: training and self-development, interactions and administrative support. Teachers are satisfied with the level of administrative support and training provided in their working places. They note that work and family life balance can be quite difficult to maintain, especially during some periods.

They add that salaries could be higher. Nonetheless, educators are committed to the school’s goals as they feel the support, they have the opportunity and freedom to self-develop and explore new ways, they can contribute to the development of the community. Notably, educators mention this aspect that seems to be quite important for them. It is possible to assume that development and social impact are incorporated into the organisational culture in the school.

The educators are also informed about policies and regulations, which ensures their compliance with standards adopted at school and the entire kingdom. These can be factors affecting the school’s performance. The educators’ satisfaction with the school and their being motivated to work hard and achieve educational goals shows the importance of the administrative support and the focus on the faculty’s development.

This study also revealed the importance of getting insights from parents who provide an outsider perspective on the school’s efficiency. The parents’ views on the school differ although both parents have a positive view of their school experience. The study shows that the school attempts to develop proper relationships with the students’ parents, but it is clear that communication is insufficiently effective. One of the parents feels disconnected and lacks the support of teachers and administrators.

She stresses that high-achievers do not receive enough attention. At that, the parent seems to pay little attention to the academic life of her child as she admits that she ignores the policies or practices used. Whereas, the other parent is engaged in her child’s academic life. The parent states that there is extensive support provided to students and parents.

The participant reports about her awareness of major policies and effective communication between parents and the school. However, it is important to note that the parent is an educator and understands the peculiarities of the educational system. Thus, one of the major focuses revealed during parents’ accounts’ analysis is the school’s support. It is clear that parents’ involvement does depend on the support provided by educators and administrators.

One of the possible ways to address the gaps existing is the creation of a digital network that will serve as a platform for sharing knowledge and promotion of certain values. The network can have several access options as it can be exclusively for educators, exclusively for students and the third platform can be for all the stakeholders involved.

This digital community can become the resource that informs, inspires and encourages as the stakeholders can encourage each other to participate more effectively. For instance, students can help their parents become more engaged. It is possible to assume that the school can try this strategy as it focuses on innovation and development, which presupposes the use of ICT technologies.

Reference List

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