A parent-teacher meeting as a space of procedures and rituals. Discussing formalness and requiredness.

Abstract

Introduction

Many schools associate parents and teachers’ relations with group and individual forms of cooperation. One of the basic ways of communicating is a parent-teacher meeting conducted according to a permanent approach which covers greeting, organisational matter, grade reports and free conclusions. The meeting then  follows a specific social pattern with actions sequenced by its participants. It is formal, mandatory and often with one-way flow of information. Furthermore, there is a clear division of competences based on ‘we-them’ demarcation.

Research objectives

This article presents parents and teachers’ meetings in terms of repetitive, stereotypical and predictable behaviour connected to realisation of the value. By describing these meetings, the author made an attempt to identify and name rituals encountered during group meetings.

Research method

The study was oriented towards revealing  typical social procedures and rituals. Empirical data was obtained through participatory observation and interview. The study focused on parents’ experience with crowding, waiting, fighting for arguments and holding power over the speech.

Results

Collected data enabled categorising participants’ behaviour during school meetings as follows: being lost in events and information overflow, routine, habit, lack of reflection and reducing other people’ sense of operational efficiency.

Conclusion

Rigid attitude, repeatability, behaviour rhythmicity as well as referring to an authoritarian order favours submission, thus making it difficult or even impossible to build proximity between parties that work together for the benefit of a child.