Parents' and Teachers' Attitudes regarding School Involvement in Education That Extends beyond the Traditional Academic Core

Abstract

In a survey conducted with 1,107 parents (590 mothers, M age = 38.8 yr., SD = 5.8; 517 fathers, M age = 41.3 yr., SD = 6.0) and 123 teachers (82 women, M age = 41.1 yr., SD = 9.2; 41 men, M age = 41.3 yr., SD = 9.1) in coastal rural Southern Ostrobothnia, Finland, an assessment of the relative responsibility of the family in comparison with that of school in the teaching of various skills to children was made. Parents and teachers agreed that the school carries 30–40% of the responsibility for the teaching of socio-emotional skills, such as conflict resolution, norms and values, self-esteem, sense of justice and responsibility, and close human relations. They also agreed that school carries 50% of the responsibility for providing information about sexuality and drugs. Fathers opined that school carried a greater responsibility in teaching skills than mothers did.