Examining the mutual expectations of teachers, parents, and students: A step towards improving communication at school.

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Master of Arts in History and Philosophy of Education and Elementary School Teacher. Shiraz, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor of Philosophy of Education, Department of Fundamentals of Education, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

The aim of this research is to examine the mutual expectations of teachers, parents, and students in order to assess the extent of their awareness of each other’s needs and demands. Since the school is the main institution of formal education, clarifying these expectations can help shape more constructive relationships among stakeholders. Within a qualitative paradigm, semi-structured group and individual interviews were conducted with teachers, parents, and students from a girls’ elementary school in District 2 of Shiraz. Participants were selected purposefully using convenience sampling, and data were analyzed thematically. To ensure reliability, audit trails and peer reviews were employed. Findings show that the expectations of the three groups fall into three broad categories: ethical, educational, and emotional. A comparison of the groups’ expectations indicates that overlap decreases as we move toward identifying common ground. Out of 90 expectations expressed, only seven were shared across all three groups. This suggests a limited awareness among teachers, parents, and students of one another’s perspectives, creating a significant gap between expectations.The results highlight the need to foster dialogue and strengthen interactions between these groups. Doing so could lead to deeper mutual understanding and greater alignment of expectations, ultimately contributing to more effective and harmonious school–family–student relationships.
Quarterly Journal of Education Studies
Volume 11, Issue 44
March 2026
Pages 82-100

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