Title

A Five-Year Follow-Up: Teachers’ Perceptions of the Benefits of Home Visits for Early Elementary Children

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to replicate previous research about teachers' perceived benefits of home visits to determine if they remained stable. Furthermore, the investigation sought to find out whether home visits impacted variables often associated with improved school success (i.e., school attendance, academic performance, parent engagement). Participants were 29 kindergarten through second grade teachers in a rural, Midwestern school district who conducted home visits at the beginning of the school year. Seventeen of the teachers participated in the earlier study. Revised surveys were completed. Results are consistent with those of the previous study. Specifically, teachers reported these positive effects: beneficial relationships and better communication with parents, more appreciation of the influence of the child's home environment related to school performance, and a better understanding the child's behavior in school. In addition, teachers identified a connection between the home visits and variables related to school success. Thus, teachers' perceptions reinforced the importance of conducting home visits.

Department(s)

Childhood Education and Family Studies

Document Type

Article

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-011-0461-1

Keywords

teacher perceptions, home visits, teacher-parent relationships, academic performance

Publication Date

2011

Journal Title

Early Childhood Education Journal

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