Componente térmica

outcomes. Responses reflected school- and teacher-related experiences which disappointed parents. These perceived problems, in turn, deter them from further

communicating with the teachers and becoming more involved. This theme includes two subthemes: past interaction with teachers and school policies.

4.1. Past interaction with teachers. A few of the participants recounted untoward incidents involving teachers where their efforts to be involved and support their children backfired. Consequently, this limits their intention to continue corresponding with the teachers. For example, Lyka (B) narrated a time when she was wondering why her son’s report card grades were lower than what she expected, considering that she had monitored all his test papers and homework, which all seemed okay. She decided to ask the teacher about it but it did not turn out to be a pleasant experience. “My approach to the teacher was so pleasant, but why was it like she seemed to be shouting at me? I was just asking a question politely,” she said. When asked if she followed up after that or had raised a complaint about the teacher (and the grading) to the principal, Lyka (B) replied, “Not anymore, I didn’t want the issue to blow up. Besides, there’s really nothing I can do. I got shouted at, and there were other parents who heard it. It was so embarrassing.” Monica (C) also complained of one incident she dealt with a teacher:

It’s just that I don’t like it when they (teachers) take the children for granted. A classmate stepped on my daughter’s eyeglasses. I asked the teacher about it and the teacher said she was not aware of the incident. I asked her why she didn’t know about it when she was in the room. Eyeglasses are so expensive. I told her I

wanted to talk to the other parent so that we could split cost of getting a new pair, she ignored me! I was at the classroom door, and she just kept on teaching even when I had said ‘Excuse me, Ma’am.’ And then she just blurted out, ‘Later the mom would pick up the kid, just talk to her then.’ I felt disrespected that she was just ignoring me.

4.2. School policies. Some participants’ narratives included problems with unfavorable and inconsistent school policies that affect how they support their children. Having inconsistent school policies, such as on meeting with teachers, confuses parents and limits their capacity to demonstrate greater school involvement. Imposing restrictions on the parents without regard for their situation also sends a message that the school is not entirely treating the parents as equal partners. Christy (A) mentioned that her daughter’s homeroom adviser does not prefer letting parents in the school (and walk along the hallway) during class time. She shared:

It was not like I was checking up on my kid, I was just going to hand her her food allowance, and the teacher does not like it… Even when I try to be sly… So the teacher would scold my daughter. But as much as possible, I wouldn’t really want to go inside, too. It’s just that I only got some money after my daughter left for school.”

Erica (B) also recounted a time when her daughter would get bullied in school. She talked to the teacher about it and the teacher said she already reprimanded the classmate who hurt her daughter, but the bullying incident happened again. Erica (B)

said that she did not follow up anymore because it got tiring, especially because the guards would not let them in and would only give snide remarks like, “Oh you’re here again...”

Wilma (C), Holly (C), and Karen (C) had similar complaints about unclear and inconsistent school rules regarding going inside the school premises. Wilma (C) recalled, “One time the teacher called me for a meeting, and the school guard would not let me in! That’s what I explained to the teacher, ‘Ma’am, you asked me to come here and the guard said you were not yet here and that I was supposed to talk to you during dismissal time. Even when I told him (the guard) that you called for me, he still didn’t let me in.” Karen (C) said, “Sometimes you’d really want to go inside to talk to the teacher, but there were times when they wouldn’t let you in, they’d give you all sorts of reasons. It gets irritating sometimes because I was in a hurry and I wanted to talk to the teacher and they wouldn’t let you in.” Karen added that she has witnessed the guards letting other parents in. Holly (C) also mentioned, “…when you want to go inside the school, you’ll just get into a fight with the guards. Of course, if I knew that I’m right, then I’m gonna fight back.”

RQ3. Will Any Pattern Emerge from the Data to Describe the Relations between Parental Involvement and Children’s Academic Outcome?

All participants reported common strategies to help their children in school, such as monitoring and teaching their children. However, a closer examination revealed at least two differences in parental involvement that emerged between the accounts of parents of high-achieving students and parents of under-achieving students. These differences lie in the participants’ (1) teaching strategies and expectations and (2) comfort level in

Theme 1. Teaching strategies and expectations. The responses of the parents of