This study is framed within the field of family education family-school-community partnerships considering ways by which schools might help parents to be better involved in their children's education; one of this ways is performing parenting programmes within the school in areas of interest for parents. The objective is to identify parents' educational needs regarding their role with small children to help them to answer those needs by means of a parenting programme. Accordingly, the study has been organized in two phases: the first one is devoted to assess and identify parental needs and the second one to describe and evaluate a parenting programme. Both qualitative and quantitative procedures to gather information have been used: parents' questionnaires, group dynamics with parents and semi-structured interviews. The sample is composed of 54 Spanish rural and urban parents with small children. Results in the assessment phase indicate that although most parents are satisfied with their parental role, many have doubts about how to solve problems and help their children to control their behaviour better. The positive results of the parenting programme in the second phase point out the convenience to design, perform and evaluate educational strategies for empowering parents while upbringing their children.
Research shows that families' involvement in schools promotes children's educational quality; it is also a parents' right according to the Spanish educational legislation. Therefore, it should be promoted from the schools and the teachers. The objective of this research is to analyze nursery and primary school teachers' perception of the typology of mothers' involvement activities in schools as well as their difficulties on this regard. In addition, differences between these two educational stages and between urban and rural areas were analysed. This is an exploratory study, given its limited sample size composed of 78 teachers working in nursery and primary schools in urban and rural settings. The Scale on Relationships between Schools and Families (Martínez-González, 1994) was used to gather information; it is made up of items with four point Likert scale answers. Descriptive and comparative data analyses were carried out. The results indicate that, according to teachers, mothers participate more in activities organized by the school, than in those organized by the families themselves through the Parents' Association at School. They do it more frequently and in more diverse ways in rural than in urban areas, according to the teachers. In primary schools they participate significantly more in parents-teachers meetings than in nursery. Regarding the difficulties to participate, teachers perceive they are mainly associated with the working hours of the families and those of the schools. No significant differences were found between the two educational stages in this regard; however, differences do exist between urban and rural settings, with the former showing greater difficulties. In rural areas there are greater transport limitations to the school. From these results, actions to improve mothers' involvement in schools were suggested. ; La participación de las familias en los centros escolares constituye un elemento facilitador de la calidad educativa que reciben los menores; es también un derecho recogido en la legislación educativa española. Por ello, ha de ser promovida desde el contexto escolar, actuando el profesorado como agente clave en su dinamización. El objetivo de esta investigación es conocer la percepción del profesorado de Educación Infantil y de Educación Primaria sobre la tipología de actividades de participación de las madres en los centros escolares, así como sobre sus dificultades. Se analizan, además, diferencias entre las etapas educativas mencionadas y entre zonas urbanas y rurales. Se trata de un estudio exploratorio, dado el limitado tamaño de la muestra, configurada por 78 docentes de estas etapas educativas, que imparten docencia en centros públicos rurales y urbanos. El instrumento de recogida de información es la Escala de Relaciones entre Centros Docentes y Familias (Martínez-González, 1994), compuesta por ítems con respuesta en escala Likert de cuatro alternativas. Los análisis descriptivos y comparativos de grupos efectuados indican que, según el profesorado, las madres participan más en actividades programadas por el centro, que en aquellas organizadas por las propias familias en Asociaciones de Madres y Padres. Lo hacen con más frecuencia y en actividades más diversas en centros rurales que en urbanos. En Educación Primaria, participan significativamente más en reuniones tutoriales que en Educación Infantil. Respecto a las dificultades para participar, el profesorado las percibe asociadas fundamentalmente a los horarios laborales de las familias y de los centros. A este respecto, no se detectan diferencias significativas entre las etapas educativas; pero sí entre centros urbanos y rurales, con mayores dificultades en los primeros. En las zonas rurales existen mayores limitaciones de transporte hasta el centro escolar. De los resultados obtenidos se derivan sugerencias de mejora. ; A participação das familias nas escolas é um elemento que facilita a qualidade educacional que as crianças recebem; Eles também fazem parte da legislação educacional espanhola. Para isso, deve ser promovido a partir do contexto escolar, com o professor atuando como um agente-chave em seu dinamismo. O objetivo desta pesquisa é compreender a percepção do professor de educação infantil e ensino fundamental sobre a tipologia de atividades para a participação de crianças nas escolas, bem como suas dificuldades. Além disso, são analisados, diferenciando as etapas educacionais mencionadas e as áreas urbanas e rurais. Trata-se de um estudo exploratório, dado o tamanho limitado do edifício, configurado por 78 professores dessas etapas educacionais, que lecionam em centros públicos rurais e urbanos. A ferramenta para coletar informações sobre a Escala de Relacionamento entre Centros de Ensino e Famílias (Martínez-González, 1994) consiste em itens com uma resposta da escala Likert de quatro alternativas. As análises descritivas e comparativas dos grupos realizados indicam que, segundo a professora, as mulheres participam de atividades planejadas pelo centro, organizadas pelas famílias nas Associações de Mães e Pais. Hacke com mais frequência e diversidade nos centros rurais do que nos urbanos. No ensino fundamental, participo significativamente mais de reuniões de tutoria do que na educação infantil. Quanto às dificuldades de participação, o professor percebe a associação fundamentalmente com o horário de trabalho das famílias e dos centros. Nesse sentido, não há diferenças significativas entre as etapas educacionais; mas entre centros urbanos e rurais, com maiores dificuldades no primeiro. Nas áreas rurais, existem limitações significativas de transporte para a escola. Sugestões para melhoria são derivadas dos resultados obtidos.
This study is part to a broader one funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (EDU2012-38074). It has received also financial support from the Government of the Principality of Asturias (Spain).
