Dual-Role Educator-Parents: How Public Educators Navigate Their Own Children Through Public Education

Abstract

The purpose of this narrative inquiry was to reveal how parents who are educators navigate their children through public education (from Kindergarten to the completion of high school) and to share their insights with the widest possible audience to ultimately enhance the learning and wellbeing of all children. The premise of this study was that teachers and principals use social capital acquired through their professional practice in their role as parents, and that sharing their experiences with parents who have no insider knowledge may benefit all children. Findings indicated that participants used social capital (knowledge, relationships, and resources) about public schooling to enhance their children’s academic success and wellbeing. Although participants offered advice for all parents and divulged their own personal practices as parents, several also acknowledged the fear some parents would feel to follow their advice entailing involvement with schools, teachers and administrators. As such, policy makers and educators are urged to improve communications that increase parents’ comfort, in order to remove fear as a barrier to involvement and advocacy.