# Parental Involvement: Urban Elementary School in Focus

Mary Ann S. Estorgio, Cindy B. Rosil

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## To cite this version:

Mary Ann S. Estorgio, Cindy B. Rosil. 10.9734/ajess/2024/v50i71470.

Parental Involvement: Urban Elementary School and Social Studies, 2024, 50 (7), pp.371-385.

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# Parental Involvement: Urban Elementary School in Focus

Mary Ann S. Estorgio a++* and Cindy B. Rosil a#

a Graduate School, The Rizal Memorial Colleges, Inc Davao City, Philippines.

## Authors' contributions

This work was carried out in collaboration between both authors. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript.

## Article Information

DOI: https://doi.org/10.9734/ajess/2024/v50i71470

## Open Peer Review History:

This journal follows the Advanced Open Peer Review policy. Identity of the Reviewers, Editor(s) and additional Reviewers, peer review comments, different versions of the manuscript, comments of the editors, etc are available here:

https://www.sdiarticle5.com/review-history/118612

## Original Research Article

Received: 14/04/2024

Accepted: 19/06/2024

Published: 22/06/2024

## ABSTRACT

The study investigated the experiences of elementary school parents in urban areas regarding their engagement in their children's education. Employing a qualitative research approach, specifically adopting a phenomenological design, it was conducted within selected public elementary schools in Davao City, utilizing in-depth interviews with 8 parents. Strict ethical protocols were adhered to throughout the data collection process. The findings, analyzed meticulously using thematic analysis, revealed that the most common issues faced by parents included conflicting work schedules and inadequate communication with teachers. Coping strategies employed by parents included time management, setting priorities, and active engagement. Parents emphasized the importance of effectively managing their schedules, setting clear priorities, and being intentional in their interactions with the school to fulfill their roles in their children's education. Participants highlighted the significance of continuous communication and active involvement for achieving these goals. It is recommended that parents may prioritize effective communication with teachers to enhance their engagement in their children's education. This includes regular updates on their child's progress, discussing concerns or challenges promptly, and actively participating in school activities and meetings.

<footnote>\*\* Student;</footnote>

<footnote>\# Faculty;</footnote>

<footnote>*Corresponding author: Email: maryannestorgio@outlook.com;</footnote>
Keywords: Education; parental involvement; urban elementary school; phenomenology; Davao City; Philippines.

# 1. INTRODUCTION

Parental involvement plays a crucial role in children's learning experience. Students' school and home environments contribute to shaping their minds, characters, and skills. However, some factors may hinder parents from actively engaging in their children's school life. Schools have created several initiatives to address this problem and increase parent participation in academic settings [1-3]. Some of these initiatives have flourished to yield better outcomes, yet others are not privileged to achieve the same results. This is especially so for oversized school populations in impoverished urban areas.

According to Jafarov [4], there is no single definition of parental involvement in the literature. But LaRoque et al. [5] highlighted that this refers to parents' or guardians' investment in their children's education. Parental involvement may denote parents' home-related and school-related functions in their children's education. Literature about the influence of parental involvement on students' academic achievement has been published extensively for over 50 years [6].

A study by Barge and Loges [7] mentioned that parents, students, and teachers differ in how they view parental involvement. For parents, parental involvement means regular supervision of learners' homework by the parents, creating individual relationships with teachers, gaining advantage of extracurricular school activities, and enhancing supportive relationships with the community. Meanwhile, for the students, parental involvement may indicate parental motivation, parental assistance with homework, and engagement between school and parents.

Other known benefits of parental involvement are improved parent-teacher relationships, improved school attendance, teacher morale and school climate, improved mental health and behavior of students, and increased parental satisfaction, interest, and confidence. The meta-analysis conducted by Fan and Chen [8] shows that there is a positive correlation between academic achievement and parental involvement. That is to say, students with more active parents in school tend to achieve more in their academic pursuits.

Several factors contribute to parents' low participation in school activities. A study by Baquedano-López et al. [9] explored these factors, particularly for parents from low-income households, and the strategies schools use to address them. Additionally, Hornby and Blackwell [10] cited that factors such as lack of time, low educational background, lack of knowledge about the curriculum, income level, and self-held beliefs about their skills to develop learning influence parents' lack of involvement in their children's education.

In the context of the Philippines, family is deemed important because it serves as the center of one's social world [11]. Yet, many Filipino families face socioeconomic difficulties. In 2022, the proportion of poor Filipinos has been recorded at 18.1 based on the initial results of the Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES). This refers to the proportion of the number of Filipinos whose income per capita does not adequately meet individuals' basic food and non-food necessities. The figure translates to 19.99 million Filipinos living below the poverty threshold. This points to a salary of 12,030 pesos monthly for a family of five [12].

Many Filipino children in urban areas come from low-income households, where parents often juggle multiple jobs to provide for their families. As Jabar [13] suggests, parental involvement in these situations might not translate directly to academic involvement. To compensate for limited time, low-income parents may see providing food, financial security, exempting children from chores, maintaining strong family relationships, and avoiding harmful habits as their way of being involved in their children's upbringing.

Parental involvement in urban elementary schools refers to parents' participation in their children's education in large city areas. Usually, these parents carry out multiple jobs and responsibilities. In large demographic urban areas such as Davao City, schools catering to students from low-income households face many challenges with parental support and involvement. This is the case with students from low-income families in Francisco Bustamante Central Elementary School, where teachers face difficulties engaging with students' parents about
<figure><img src="image_4.png" /><figcaption>Fig. 1. Conceptual framework of the study</figcaption></figure>

their educational experience. Parents' actual experiences are beneficial in order to arrive at an understanding of the factors that contribute to the difficulties and lack of their involvement. This will help schools develop strategies to approach the problem better and strengthen the sense of community between schools and their parent stakeholders.

**1.1 Purpose of the Study**

This study investigated the challenges faced by urban elementary school teachers in fostering parental involvement and the coping strategies they employ to address these challenges. The study's findings would help contribute to the plethora of literature that intends to find solutions to reduce the barriers to parental involvement in education and gather coping mechanisms to solve these problems better.

**2. METHODOLOGY**

**2.1 Philosophical Assumptions of the Study**

According to Creswell [13], one could begin the process by thinking about why it's important to understand and be able to explain the philosophical presuppositions that drive qualitative research. According to Creswell [14-15] understanding philosophical presuppositions is essential because it affects how one formulates problems, research questions, and information-seeking tactics. These assumptions are also based on one's training and reinforced by the scholarly community in which they are employed.

Additionally, the researcher benefits from knowing the reviewers' positions on key epistemological issues when they make philosophical assumptions about the work.

In qualitative research, paradigms are philosophical presuppositions and beliefs. They include ontology, epistemology, axiology, and technique. According to Creswell, axiology examines how values play a role in research, ontology involves views about the nature of reality, epistemology addresses what constitutes knowledge and how knowledge claims are supported, and methodology refers to the research process. The nature of reality and its attributes are related to the ontological problem of philosophical presumptions and beliefs. When conducting qualitative research, researchers are accepting the concept of various realities. Like the study's participants and readers, various researchers embrace various realities. Qualitative researchers perform studies on individuals with the goal of reporting these various realities.

In qualitative research, the epistemological premise dictates that researchers attempt to establish a personal connection with the participants. According to individual viewpoints, the subjective evidence is put together, which is how knowledge is discovered. The field in which the participants live and work becomes crucial for conducting studies since these circumstances are crucial for comprehending what the participants are saying. This is done to reduce the distance and subjectivity between the researcher and the subjects of the study [16].
Meanwhile, the axiological presumption relates to
the values the researcher brings to the study,
and in qualitative research, the researcher
makes their values explicit. According to
Creswell, in a qualitative study, the researchers
actively disclose their personal beliefs and
prejudices and the value-laden character of the
data they collected on the ground. They also
acknowledge the value-laden nature of the
research.

Qualitative research methodology is described as
such as inductive, emergent, and formed by the
researcher's experience in data collection and
analysis. As mentioned by Creswell, instead of
being totally passed down from a theory or from
the opinions of the researchers, the qualitative
researcher's logic is inductive from the ground
up.

## 2.2 Qualitative Assumptions

People use social constructivism as an
interpretive framework for qualitative
presumptions to understand their reality and
create distinctive meanings that connect to their
experiences. These meanings are not innate or
implanted in every individual. Instead, meanings
develop through interactions with others [14].
Given the wide range of meanings participants
attributed to parental involvement, the study
prioritized understanding their perspectives in all
their complexity rather than imposing simplistic
categories. This approach emphasized relying
heavily on the participants' own viewpoints. In
social and historical settings, these arbitrary
interpretations are frequently contested. In other
words, they emerge through social interactions
as well as traditions from history and culture.
This means that rather than being solely
imprinted on people, they are created via
interactions with others as well as historical and
cultural traditions that function in their lives.

## 2.3 Research Design

Open-ended questions were used in a qualitative
inquiry-based phenomenological research design
for the study. A type of investigation known as
"phenomenological research" aims to extract the
substance of participants' descriptions of a
phenomenon. In order to comprehend the
experiences of the study participants, the
researcher excludes or brackets their own
experiences [17]. By using technology in their
teaching and learning, the study explored the
shared understanding teachers have about

promoting digital literacy, emphasizing the
commonalities in their experiences.
Phenomenological techniques are particularly
good at challenging structural or normative
presumptions by bringing individual experiences
and perceptions from their own points of view to
the fore. By enabling it to be used as the basis
for practical theory, phenomenological research
can be used to inform, support, or challenge
policy and action by adding an interpretive
component [18]. The study methodology thus fits
well for capturing the ideas and experiences of
instructors in an inclusive environment. Filling in
research gaps and offering recommendations for
improvement, which in the case of the current
study pertains to teachers' experiences in an
inclusive classroom, will be made easier with a
clearer picture of the occurrence.

Additionally, this study used an IDI that included
participant observations. According to Denzin &
Lincoln [19], this approach uses various
interviews, observations, and historical,
interactive, and visual texts to gather information
about the routines, issues, and significance of
people's lives. It is an investigation technique for
comprehending a social or human issue based
on several methodological traditions. It creates a
comprehensive picture, examines written
materials, reports, and informants' in-depth
opinions, and conducts the research in a natural
environment.

Real-world situations must also be examined in
terms of the participants' perceptions of their
context. Phenomenology is a method that can be
used to investigate the issues surrounding the
lived experiences of home economics teachers in
public secondary schools.

## 2.4 Research Participants

This study was carried out at Francisco
Bustamante Central Elementary School. Eight (8)
participants who are parents of Grade 1 Muslim
students will be chosen on purpose to serve as
the key informants. The purposeful selection of
an informant based on the informant's personal
characteristics is known as the judgment
sampling or purposive sampling technique. It is a
non-random technique that does not require
underlying ideas or a predetermined number of
informants [20].

The researcher determined what information was
necessary and then set out to locate those who
could and would be willing to share it due to their
experiences. Through the key informant technique, where one or a small number of people are asked to serve as guides to the phenomenon, deliberate sampling is demonstrated. Key informants are perceptive, self-aware members of the community of interest who have a wealth of knowledge about the subject and are both able and eager to offer it.

The following qualifications are specifically required for inclusion: (1) parent of Grade 1 elementary students; and (2) has work or occupation. The following exclusion criteria were considered: (1) parent without a work or occupation.

## 2.5 Role of the Researcher

In qualitative research, the researcher's job is to obtain the necessary data while examining the opinions and feelings of the study subjects regarding the topic under investigation. To put it mildly, this is not an easy process. This means getting people to talk on subjects that could be extremely sensitive to them. Reliving past experiences can be difficult at times, especially if they were unpleasant and are still fresh in the participant's mind. As a researcher, my first responsibility is to safeguard participants and their data, regardless of the method used to collect it. Participants must be provided with clear and concise protective methods.

## 2.6 Data Gathering Procedure

An interview guide comprised of three significant questions was prepared to understand the experiences of public school teachers involving parental engagement in urban elementary schools. The focus of the guide was deliberately chosen to identify the problems faced by educators in their efforts to engage more parents in school involvement and initiatives. The interview guide was then validated by specialists. Additionally, proper ethical protocols were observed and applied during the data collection process.

A formal letter requesting permission to conduct the study was submitted to the principal of the schools, the district supervisor, the DepEd division office, and the superintendent of the schools' division of Davao City. Upon receiving the approval letter, all requirements mandated by the authorizing authority were addressed and fulfilled.

Following this, interview sessions were conducted and audio recorded with the informed consent of the participants. Additionally, participants were instructed to refrain from mentioning names of people or places during the interviews. During each interview, the study's objectives, the interview format, and the nature, benefits, and potential drawbacks of participation were explained to the participants. They were also informed that participation was entirely voluntary and that all collected information would be treated with the utmost confidentiality. It was emphasized that there would be no monetary compensation for their involvement; however, it was noted that their participation could contribute to the advancement of knowledge on the phenomenon under investigation. Subsequently, a note taker and recorder were employed to transcribe the In-Depth Interviews (IDI). To ensure the authenticity of the informants' responses, the trial version of the Inscribe software was also utilized to record their responses. This technique facilitated a connection with the interview subjects and encouraged open and honest responses. Following the IDI procedure, the data was reviewed and summarized before being presented back to the participants for verification of accuracy.

Participants were offered the opportunity to critically evaluate and comment on the findings by sharing them with them. The summaries provided to the participants received unanimous approval as an accurate representation of their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Their confirmation of the information's accuracy and completeness significantly enhanced the study's credibility. Consequently, the information obtained from the IDI was then organized into themes for analysis.

## 2.7 Data Analysis

In a qualitative research design, several tasks were completed before the gathered data was analyzed. These fundamental tasks are applicable to all methodologies within this design. First, data protection procedures were established to safeguard both the data itself and the original materials used in data collection [21]. The storage process ensured the anonymity and privacy of the participants. Next, the raw data was transcribed into a usable format. A master copy and backups were created to mitigate any potential errors. Following this, thematic analysis was employed to identify patterns within the data.
Examining interview data involved searching for recurring themes within the patterns. A benefit of thematic analysis is its flexibility. It can be applied to deductive studies, where pre-defined themes are investigated, or exploratory studies, where themes emerge organically. Regardless of the study type or purpose, the most critical aspect of the analysis remained respecting the data and accurately portraying the interview findings [22].

Consequently, participants in the study were required to receive all information necessary to make an informed decision regarding continued participation and to exercise their right to decline involvement if they chose. Participant privacy was ensured by withholding names and other

identifying information throughout data collection, analysis, and reporting processes (reference withheld to protect anonymity). Careful attention was paid to safeguarding interviewee privacy and confidentiality at every stage of the procedure, including pre-interview planning, the interview itself, data analysis, and the dissemination of results.

The study was conducted in compliance with ethical standards for qualitative research. All necessary steps were taken to ensure participants' understanding of the study details and the presented concepts. Additionally, required documents were submitted to the ethical committee of the graduate program at Rizal Memorial Colleges for verification and approval.

<figure><img src="image_5.png" /><figcaption>Fig. 2. Analytical framework</figcaption></figure>
# 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

## 3.1 Challenges Experienced by Urban Public Elementary School Teachers on Parental Involvement

**Work schedule conflicts.** Parental involvement plays a crucial role in a child's academic success. However, in today's fast-paced world, many parents are overwhelmed with various responsibilities, leaving them with limited time to engage in their child's academic pursuits actively. The analysis of the themes showed that parents' primary struggles include having no time to be more involved in their children's education. This is due to hectic schedules caused by their busy work.

"Less time for their academic studies." (P1)

"Yes, especially to those who are working moms like me." (P2)

"There are times that it may be difficult. For instance, when these activities in school involve parents and it conflicts to the schedule of parent's work." (P3)

"Yes, because sometimes I can't be with my child's event in school because of my work." (P4)

"No time in dealing schoolwork, lack of time and money." (P5)

"Yes, especially in terms of financial and time schedule because of my work." (P7)

P1 highlighted that s/he experienced less time in supervising their child's academic studies. Meanwhile, P2 stated that this is due to the hectic schedule caused by being a working mother. P3 agreed that there were times when their schedule at work would not match their child's school activities, thus compromising the latter. This is the same with the experience of P4, where she stated there were missed instances of showing up at their child's school events due to work. Furthermore, P5 and P6 agreed that they lacked both time and money to be more involved in their children's academic lives.

Numerous studies have indicated a significant correlation between parental involvement and child academic performance. However, when parents face time constraints due to work

commitments, multiple jobs, or other responsibilities, their ability to actively participate in their children's education diminishes. This lack of parental engagement can manifest in various ways, including decreased supervision of homework, limited communication with teachers, and reduced participation in school activities [23].

**Lack of communication.** Another theme in the analysis was the lack of communication between the parents and the school, which resulted in parents being unable to attend to their children's important academic matters. The responses were as follows:

"Lack of communication & receiving information." (P6)

"It was hard to communicate with the teacher sometimes about my child's academic performance because I'm also very busy at work." (P8)

P6 mentioned that there had been a lack of communication between them and the school, and there were instances when receiving information came across as difficult. Meanwhile, P8 highlighted that it was sometimes hard to connect with the teacher regarding their child's academic performance due to their busy work schedule. The lack of communication, for various reasons, between parents and teachers may come across as a hindrance because providing and receiving necessary information that could potentially help the child in their academic progress does not reach the parents.

Research consistently demonstrates that strong parent-teacher communication positively influences children's academic outcomes. When parents and teachers actively engage in open dialogue, they can effectively collaborate to support the child's learning needs. However, several negative consequences may arise when communication is limited or nonexistent. These include a lack of awareness of the child's progress, missed opportunities for intervention, and difficulty addressing academic or behavioral concerns on time [24].

The absence of effective communication between parents and teachers can create a disconnect in the children's educational journey. Parents may feel uninformed about their children's academic performance and, therefore, unable to provide support at home. Similarly, teachers may struggle to gain valuable parental
insights that could inform their instructional practices. This communication breakdown can contribute to students' academic disengagement, frustration, and underachievement.

## 3.2 Coping Mechanisms used by Teachers to Counter the Challenges

The participants' responses have demonstrated the different problems faced by parents regarding their involvement with their children's education. These difficulties are a barrier in the educational community as they do not positively contribute to the well-being of the learners. Parents have, therefore, developed coping strategies to deal with the circumstances.

**Time Management.** One of the themes that emerged from the analysis was time management. Time management should be properly implemented so that parents can meet the demands of both work and parenthood. Below are the responses of the participants, to wit:

"Adjust time management. Budget your time for school involvement." (P1)

"Flexible scheduling of time, to accommodate to those parents with busy work schedules and other commitments." (P2)

"Having flexible scheduling options for parent-teacher conferences, school events to accommodate parents with busy work schedules or other commitments." (P3)

"I make some adjustment with the time. Making some schedule that I can be present or get involved to school where my children are studying." (P4)

"We just keep on being flexible and open." (P7)

P1 suggested that proper time management and budgeting his/her time for school involvement is key to finding a balance between work and active involvement with their child's academic pursuits. Meanwhile, P2, P3, and P7 highlighted that flexible schedules could help them be more participative in his/her child's education. The school can help in making this possible. Furthermore, P4 noted that adjusting their time could help them become more of an active parent in their child's education.

**Setting Priorities.** Another theme from the study was setting their priorities right to insert more valuable work into the process. These were the responses of the participants, to wit:

"First, know my priorities; second, avoid unnecessary things that add chaos in situations. Lastly, focus only on the important needs for your child's success." (P1)

"Having a timeline in making my time management proportion so that I can have time for school involvement as a parent." (P4)

P1 suggested that it is imperative to set their priorities right. Meanwhile, avoiding unnecessary tasks that could add to more responsibilities at present, and prioritizing those that are urgent and important could lead to more time to address their child's education. Moreover, P4 highlighted that having a timeline and following it thoroughly also helps in being more involved as a parent.

In retrospect, setting priorities reflects a parent's commitment to their child's future and educational success. By prioritizing education, parents send a powerful message to their children about the value of learning and academic achievement. Moreover, prioritization facilitates the establishment of routines and structures that support consistent parental involvement, which is crucial for fostering a supportive and nurturing educational environment [25].

**Active communication with teachers.** One of the themes that emerged from the study's findings was the need for active communication between parents and teachers. The participants suggested constant communication through follow-ups and updates to resolve the problem with reduced parental involvement. These were the responses, to wit:

Constant follow-up/updates of all related matters and seek feedback and evaluation." (P2)

"Given my experiences, I will suggest that we shall communicate effectively to foster a positive relationship." (P3)

"Work together-growing children means a great responsibility for us parents, for every struggle that we may encounter, helping
each other or working together means so much for us to pursue and overcome the situation for the good of our children." (P7)

P2 suggested that conducting constant updates regarding important matters related to the child's education and seeking feedback and evaluation of the child's performance are important. Additionally, P3 suggested that communicating effectively [with the teacher] promotes positive relationships. Moreover, P7 emphasized that working with the school community helps parents, teachers, and students overcome whatever challenges could affect a child's education.

According to Cunha et al. [26] informing parents about children's grades and attendance has significantly raised the level of students' educational attainment. This coincides with the study of Chatzinikola [27] in which the importance of parent-teacher communication was highlighted to further improve students' academic performance. More so, constant communication improves the relationship between the school community and parents.

## 3.3 Insights Gained from the Experiences

Insights were garnered through the analysis of the qualitative data gathered. The data show a comprehensive analysis, allowing for a deeper understanding of parents' experiences regarding school involvement.

**Constant communication.** One of the themes gained from the findings was the importance of keeping constant communication. Below are the accounts of the participants, to wit:

> "Good communication towards parents. Goals that are attainable for the good of the learners." (P4)

> "Constant follow-up of all school-related matters." (P6)

P4 suggested that there should be good and constant communication between parents and teachers. This way, goals could be attainable for the benefit of the learners. Meanwhile, P6 agreed that there is a need for constant follow-up of all school-related matters. The participants' suggestions coincide with the findings of the study of Hidayat and Arini [28], in which the

<figure><img src="image_6.png" /><figcaption>Fig. 3. Experiences of parents with school involvement</figcaption></figure>
<figure><img src="image_7.png" /><figcaption>Fig. 4. Coping mechanisms used by parents to counter challenges with school involvement</figcaption></figure>

importance of parent-teacher communication is highlighted for the growth and welfare of the students. The study results show that parent-teacher communication positively influences a child's academic performance and parent cooperation on the learner's learning outcomes [29-31].

**Active involvement.** Another theme from the study's findings is the importance of parent's active involvement in their children's academic pursuit. The responses of the participants were as follows:

> "Be involved. Get in contact with your child's teacher. Communicate well with your child. Talk and somehow, we can learn something wonderful from them. Learn to discover many things from our children from their school. Give time to them." (P1) "Keeping oneself involved so that you will not be

> ignorant of the things going on. Be active & supportive all the time." (P2)

> "Keeping oneself involved so that you will not be ignorant of the things happening in our environment, especially with the community where your children are connected to." (P5).

Based on the suggestion of P2, keeping parents involved will help them be more informed about the important occurrences in their child's academic life. P5 also mentioned that active involvement will help parents be more aware of the kind of community environment that their child is exposed to. This is in congruence with the findings of Goodall and Montgomery [1], which highlighted the role of parental involvement and parental engagement in a child's educational growth. The findings suggest that more involved parents tended to have more academically performing learners.
<figure><img src="image_8.png" /><figcaption>Fig. 5. Insights gained from the experiences</figcaption></figure>

## 4. CONCLUSION

The results of the analysis revealed the following findings:

The study showed the relevance of parental involvement in a child's education, as well as the challenges that parents encounter to be more active in their child's school life. Moreover, parents' coping mechanisms to counter the said challenges were likewise thoroughly discussed.

The parents agreed that parental involvement is necessary for their children's academic growth and for managing undesirable school behaviors.

Likewise, being more involved in their children's academic life fosters stronger bonds between the parents and school, working hand-in-hand to benefit the learners.

However, several problems, such as parents' busy work or home life schedules, hinder parents from actively participating in their children's education. Work schedule conflicts that often do not coincide with school event timetables are one of the most common reasons parents are unable to attend important school events or meetings. Moreover, the lack of contact between parents and teachers also compromises the quality of communication they have. This way, there might
be problems that could not be addressed
thoroughly had parents extended extra time and
effort to do their part in the learning process.

Yet, the study's findings showed that parents
used different coping mechanisms such as time
management, setting priorities, and active
communication to counter the challenges
mentioned. Parents should not merely leave their
children in the hands of teachers and staff but
must actively do their part in raising academically
performing and well-behaved kinds of learners.
To do so, they must set their priorities right,
leaving unnecessary tasks at home or work to
tend to the educational needs of the children they
choose to have. More so, maintaining active
communication with teachers has contributed to
more effective execution of parental involvement.

5. FINDINGS

This study delved into the lived experiences of
parents with regards to their active involvement
in their children's education. By means of
interviews and thematic analysis, important key
themes emerged, which paved the way for
significant insights to be obtained.

The study participants emphasized that they
have faced several problems with parental
involvement. The parents described conflict
between their work schedule, and school events
as a common challenge. Their schedule at work
often clashes with school events, thus
compromising the latter. The lack of
communication was another problem that
hindered the participants' active involvement in
their children's education. Because parents could
not find the time to come to school or dedicate a
few minutes to communicate with teachers, they
felt the communication between them and the
school was hampered.

To cope with the problems experienced, parent
respondents proposed that they must improve
their time management skills, set their priorities
right, and build active communication with
teachers.

Time management emerged as a relevant coping
strategy, with participants emphasizing the
essence of prioritization and efficient strategies
to save time to allot a portion for their children's
academic pursuits. Moreover, this connects with
parents' motivation to set their priorities right
regarding work and home life. They mentioned
that cutting back on extra tasks at work or at

home that are not deemed urgent can help them
save more time to communicate with their
children's school teachers and monitor their
learners' progress in terms of academic and
behavioral aspects.

Furthermore, active communication was
highlighted by the participants. They stated that
communicating with their children's school
teachers can help them be more aware of the
kind of academic standing the students have and
the kind of environment they are exposed to.
Parents could connect with teachers and staff
through calls or messaging if school visitations
are not deemed convenient.

Finally, with all the emphasis on constant
communication and active involvement from the
parents, the participants highlighted that they
should maintain a connection with teachers
through school visitation or messaging.
Moreover, allotting time and efforts to be more
active in their roles as parents is an important
realization that parents surmised, albeit with
some still worrying about work schedule conflicts.
Overall, the parents have agreed that
involvement in their children's education is
important for the learners' growth.

6. FUTURE DIRECTIONS

The following future directions were surmised
based on the findings of the study:

The Department of Education may encourage
schools to develop more flexible schedules to
accommodate parents, particularly those working
full-time. Programs that offer opportunities for
parents to be more involved in school, such as
the "Brigada Eskwela" must be properly
promoted and implemented to encourage more
parental involvement in the school community.

School administrators and teachers may craft
programs and activities to invite more parents to
participate. More so, schools must consider the
possible problems that could hinder parents from
getting more involved in their child's school life,
such as socioeconomic barriers and lack of
education on the parents' end, among many
others. Schools must foster a welcoming
environment where parents from all walks of life
will be comfortable communicating and engaged
with their children's education.

Parents may use the strategies discovered to
resolve problems that arose in their efforts to be
more involved in the academic pursuits of their
children. Through this, they could potentially
increase their involvement in their children's
school life.

Researchers may work on a similar study using a
different demographic in the future. Moreover, for
better results, additional methods may employed.

DISCLAIMER (ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE)

Author(s) hereby declare that NO generative AI
technologies such as Large Language Models
(ChatGPT, COPILOT, etc) and text-to-image
generators have been used during writing or
editing of manuscripts.

CONSENT AND ETHICAL APPROVAL

Ethical issues were considered particularly
important in qualitative research due to the in-
depth nature of the inquiry. Brinkmann and Kvale
(2020) argued that more significant ethical
questions arose when conducting face-to-face
interviews with vulnerable participants who might
experience stress while discussing their feelings.
Prior to obtaining informed consent, it was
necessary for participants to possess the
competence to provide consent, understand the
nature of the request, and participate voluntarily.
All authors declare that 'written informed consent
was obtained from the respondent.

COMPETING INTERESTS

Authors have declared that no competing
interests exist.

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