Preschool partnerships: How teachers make sense of their experiences

One of the major goals of the preschool system is to contribute to closing the achievement gap between the most economically disadvantaged in the country and the middle class (Morgan, 2011; Rose, 2010). Among families who sent their children to preschool and partnered with educators at those schools in meaningful ways, studies showed higher scores on readiness tests, greater social skills, lower behavioral issues, and few crimes committed (Education for All, 2008; Schweinhart; 2002; Schweinhart, Montie, Xiang, Barnett, Belfield, & Nores, 2005; Yoshikawa et al., 2013). The preschool teachers' role in engaging families in an educational partnership is a key component of academic success (Epstein, 2011; Mapp & Kuttner, 2013; van Voorhis, Maier, Epstein & Lloyd, 2013).;The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was to examine how eight teachers in one Massachusetts urban public preschool made sense of their experience engaging in home school partnerships within an integrated classroom setting. The most prominent themes that emerged that relate to both Epstein's (1987, 2011) theory and the experience of preschool teachers as they partner with families include: Disconnected by Differences, Connected through Empathy, Comradery through Shared Experiences, and Security from Administrative Support..;The findings reflected several of the concepts found in previous research. The difficulties in bridging the gap between home and school resulted in frustration for the participants. However, the participants were willing to continue making these efforts because they recognized the importance of this connection. Particularly, several participants were aware that student from English Second Language backgrounds required additional support. Their awareness of this support extended to understanding the importance of home visits, and they demonstrated a willingness to make these visits. Opportunities for future research were also suggested.