1. University of Bahrain Bahrain Teachers College Research Methods for Educators – TCPB 124 Second Semester 2009 / 2010 Teacher Perceptions of Arab Parental Involvement in Elementary Schools

3. Arab Parent Sample and Procedure

4. Teacher Survey Design

6. Communication Styles

7. Teacher Efficacy and Approach to Culture

8. Perceived Support From School Administration / District and Arab Families

9. Teacher’s CommentsDiscussion

10. Description Type of research: Quantitative ( Survey ) – Qualitative ( Interviews) Researchers: Samira Moosa, Stuart A. Karabenick, and Leah Adams Research Question: what are the teachers’ perceptions of Arab parent involvement in America? Purpose (Objectives):Researchers hope that school communities will act with increased sensitivity to the needs of Arab families, and indeed all families, in the days ahead. They also hope researchers will work quickly to add to their current knowledge resulting in better service to Arab American families. Sample: Structured surveys of Arab (n =45) and non-Arab (n = 87) teachers Interviews of 39 first-generation Arab mothers 6. Methods: Surveys – interviews

11. Teacher survey design Each survey included cover letter that assured the anonymity participants The teachers been told how value is the research, and they’ve been asked to return the surveys in 3 weeks .

12. Surveys was divided to 5 sections

13. Arab mothers survey The survey have a lot of information such as Date of birth Country of origin Level of education Years and reasons of immigration to USA

14. The interview were conducted around 5 topics:

15. Results

17. Education is important to Arab families . The more teachers believed that Arab parents are interested in participating the more they attributed the lack of it to financial resources and time.

18. Parents could assist their children if provided with the appropriate skills. 87% of teacher believe that all parents could learn ways to assist their kids with school work if shown how to do it.Language is a barrier to Arab parents in helping their kids and that English immersion is the best ways for Arab children to succeed in school

20. Parents preferred the written letters to be translated into Arabic. This might explain why Arab teachers thought that letters were more effective with non-Arab parents than with Arab parents, especially that if those written letters were in English only.

22. The more that teachers believed they were capable of teaching and interacting with the Arab population, the more they believed that Arab parents were interested in their children’s education and the more important they considered Arab parent involvement in the schools.

25. ESL classes for parents believed by teachers to be much more important than providing parents with information on citizenship, job training, and events.

26. Teachers considered after school programs more important than did mothers.

27. Information on becoming US citizens was also considered more important by mothers than by teachers.

28. Most mothers indicated such information, in addition to U.S. laws and ESL classes, to be of importance.

30. Group Members