Academic support from teachers and parents during grade 2 : Links to teacher perceived children's task persistence

Abstract

The present study investigated the interplay between teachers' (n = 40) and parents' (n = 606) self-reported quantity (frequency of help), and quality (positive affect while assisting a child) of academic support and teacher rated children's task persistence (n = 647). In the fall semester of Grade 2 children completed academic performance tests. Teachers and parents filled out questionnaires in the fall and spring semesters of Grade 2. First, the results showed that the frequency of teachers' and parents' help did not significantly predict teacher perceived children's task persistence, whereas teachers' and parents' positive affect while assisting a child contributed to the children's higher task persistence. Second, the results revealed that the effect of the frequency of teachers' help on teacher perceived children's task persistence is moderated by their positive affect while assisting a child. Finally, teachers and parents responded to lower children's task persistence by providing more frequent help, and parents responded with more positive affect when children's task persistence was high. Educational relevance statement: The current study confirms that both home and school contexts play a meaningful role in second graders' task persistence development by simultaneously taking into account the effect of the quantity (frequency of help) and quality (positive affect) of teachers' and parents' academic support. Results suggest that teachers' and parents' quality of academic support (positive affect) is critical in shaping more persistent children's behavior with the tasks according to the teachers' reports. Meanwhile, while the frequency of help seems not to have a unique effect on teacher perceived children's task persistence, it appears significant in interaction with teachers' positive affect, indicating that children remain the most persistent with the tasks when teachers are high in positive affect (joy and satisfaction) and low in the frequency of help. Further, as teachers' and parents' academic support is significant for teacher perceived children's task persistence, teacher perceived children's task persistence also seems to be an important factor in evoking teachers' and parents' academic support. Specifically, low children's task persistence triggers more frequent help from teachers with classwork and from parents with homework. In terms of positive affect, higher children's task persistence evokes more joy and satisfaction only for parents. Thus, the reciprocal associations investigation of two different teachers' and parents' academic support dimensions provide a better understanding of how both teachers and parents together can support children's task persistence during Grade 2. In sum, teachers and parents should monitor how frequently they offer help to children, focusing more on keeping a positive learning atmosphere by demonstrating joy and satisfaction.