גיליון 3 | חוקרים@צוותי חינוך-הורים

Partnership between Educational Staff and Parents is Not Just a Recommendation: The Case of the Life Skills Program

Moshe Israelashvili

Abstract
This paper reviews the Life Skills program in Israel, discussing it as an example of the complexities involved in establishing school-parent partnerships in the context of social-emotional learning (SEL). It is argued that, once educational rather than academic matters are addressed, parental involvement is not only necessary but also indispensable. Moreover, fostering partnership in the context of programs like life skills presents a valuable opportunity to build a robust school-parent partnership. The paper advocates for a gradual approach to developing this partnership, including: First, addressing life skills that all partners recognize as important. Rather than concentrating solely on academic achievements, move on to collaboration on matters related to children's character development. Finally, expand the partnership to all relevant aspects of school life. Ultimately, this gradual process fosters mutual respect and leads to a comprehensive partnership between teachers, parents, and students, promoting a sense of unity and progress toward shared goals.

Keywords: life skills, social-emotional learning, school-parent partnerships, character education, values

Prof. Moshe Israelashvili, Professor Emeritus, School of Education, Tel Aviv University. His studies focus on adolescent development, prevention of maladjustment, and school adjustment. Moshe Israelashvili published over 120 papers and wrote or co-edited several books, including School Adjustment: Why Some Students Fade and Others Flourish (2025, Cambridge University Press).

Hebrew Editing: Shira Daniel
Translator: Debbie Nevo

Citation
Israelashvili, M. (2025). Partnership between education teams and parents is not just a recommendation: The case of the Life Skills program. Researching@Educational Staff–Parents, 3, 1-43.

Full Article (translated from the Hebrew version)

Beyond the Boundaries of Sharing: Parents' Perceptions On Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) in School

Sigal Chen

Abstract

The study examined parents' perceptions of their partnership with the school, focusing on social-emotional (SEL) aspects. An anonymous online questionnaire was distributed to 588 parents of children in grades 1 to 12. 82% of participants were parents of children in elementary school, and 18% in junior high school. The participants represented the Israeli population in terms of gender and demographics. The research aimed to identify the areas of activity that parents perceive as important and understand the influence of demographic and social variables on parental socio-emotional perceptions towards the school.

The study's findings show demographic gaps between gender groups and speakers of different languages, affecting the perception of the parents' committee roles, particularly in social and emotional skills (SEL), such as self-management, decision-making, and social awareness. The research highlights significant gender gaps in areas related to parental roles and behaviors. Mothers were found to be more directly involved in daily school activities, contributing to increased social awareness in educational contexts. Additionally, parents whose mother tongue is Arabic view the parent committee roles as more important compared to parents whose mother tongue is Hebrew. However, no significant differences were found in socio-emotional perceptions based on demographic variables such as place of residence, participation in the parents' council, education, field of occupation, and the perception of the roles of the parents' council. The activity perceived as the most important by the parents is the direct and continuous contact with the school administration. The study emphasizes the need to encourage parents to take a more active role in the educational process to improve the learning and emotional well-being of the students.

Keywords: Parental Involvement, Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), Parent-Teacher Cooperation, Ethnicity

Strengthening students' emotional and social aspects: Parental attitudes on educational goals during routine and following October 7^th Events

Anat Korem, Liat Biberman-Shalev, Rachel Sagee

Abstract

This article aims to capture the attitudes of parents regarding educational goals during both routine times and crises. It presents findings from data collected in 2023, a few weeks after the outbreak of the events in October, concerning the importance parents attribute to various educational goals. These findings were compared to data collected in 2021. A quantitative questionnaire was administered to a diverse sample of 502 participants from the Jewish population in Israel. They were also presented with an open question. The findings indicate that in 2021, parents ranked imparting knowledge and improving educational achievements as the most important educational goals. However, during the height of the crisis following the October 7^th events, parents ranked strengthening emotional and social skills and developing tolerance as the most important educational goals. The research conclusions point to a trend of shift in parents' attitudes regarding educational goals, when the emphasis on the goals is shifted towards the social and emotional aspects. This position is in line with the recommendations of experts in Israel and around the world regarding the desired educational goals in the current era. Considering this, it is important to strengthen the knowledge and professional skills of educators regarding the social and emotional aspects of students routinely and especially in times of crisis, thereby also strengthening their constructive partnership with the parents around these aspects.

Keywords: Educational Goals, Parents' Attitudes, Crisis, Trust, Hysteresis

Communication between Parents of Students with Disabilities and Homeroom Teachers during a Classroom-Based
Social Cohesion Program
Odelia Barak and Eliezer Yariv[1]

Abstract
Parents of children with disabilities are key partners in their child's education. However, their communication with teachers is often limited and shallow. This qualitative study explores the nature of communication between teachers and parents of children with disabilities. Here, seven teachers – all of whom are graduate students – implemented a social-emotional learning program and maintained weekly reflective journals on their interactions with parents. In addition, 84 WhatsApp messages sent by parents to the teachers over a six-week period were collected and analyzed. Findings reveal that the majority of the communication occurred with mothers, far less with parents as a unit and never with fathers. Most interactions were conducted through written messages rather than phone calls or face-to-face meetings. The content predominantly focused on requests, notifications or urgent matters. In some cases, the quality of communication evolved, particularly when improvements in the child’s functioning became evident. Mothers began initiating contact with the teacher, rather than merely responding to messages. Attaching photographs of the children to the correspondence enriched the interaction and enhanced the quality of the relationship. The discussion analyses the dynamics of these reciprocal communication patterns and illustrates how proactive engagement on the part of the teacher fosters greater parental involvement.

Keywords: parents, teacher, preschool teachers, communication, social cohesion, educational integration.

Odelia Barak, homeroom teacher at Shazar School, Ashdod, Israel, and head of the science department. She initiated and founded the school makers’ workshop with the support of the Fund for Innovative Education. She holds a teaching diploma (with a major in science education) and completed a master’s degree at Givat Washington College, Israel.

Professor Eliezer Yariv is an educational psychologist with over 30 years of experience in psychological services. He holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of Haifa, Israel, and earned his doctorate from the University of Leicester, UK. Eliezer taught for two decades at Gordon Academic College of Education in Haifa. He currently serves as Head of the M.Ed. Program in Inclusive Education at Givat Washington Academic College of Education, Israel. His research focuses on classroom management, teacher–parent relationships, inclusive education, and the professional development of teachers. He has published numerous scholarly articles and several books. His most recent book is For All and for Each: Adaptive, Inclusive, and Caring Teaching (2026).

Hebrew Editing: Shira Daniel
Translator: Debbie Nevo

Citation
Barak, O., & Yariv, E. (2025). Communication between parents of students with disabilities and homeroom teachers during a classroom-based social cohesion program. Researching@Educational Staff-Parents, 3.

[1] The authors thank Lee Sol Elkobi, Esther (Eti) Gorni, Isana Levit, Tal Aviv Mizrahi, Hilla Meshulam and Marina Ostrovsky for their collaboration in the research.

Full Article (translated from the Hebrew version)

A Case Study – Group Psychological Therapy for Children and Youth Experiencing Ongoing Social Difficulty: A Systemic Approach That Includes Parents and Educational Staff

Alon Wasserman

Abstract

The article presents three case studies based on cumulative clinical experience, with the aim of illustrating a systemic approach to group intervention with children dealing with ongoing social difficulties. The intervention combines group work for the children with systemic support for their parents and cooperation with the educational staff. The case studies demonstrate the application of a systemic therapeutic model in the field, while relating to its guiding principles, typical therapeutic dilemmas, and the processes of change that were made possible through partnership with parents and educators.

The approach is based on the assumption that children can be helped to improve their social functioning at every developmental stage by creating a comprehensive therapeutic-systemic environment. The focus of the model is the collaboration between the child, parents, therapists, peer group, and educational staff. Group work takes place throughout the year with different age groups and is accompanied by regular meetings with parents and, at times, with the children's educational staff.

The involvement of educators and school counselors is considered an essential part of the process, particularly when changes in the educational environment are required, such as class or school transitions. Joint work with educational staff may also include professional training and guidance aimed at strengthening the child’s social adaptation within the classroom.

One of the recurring challenges in the process is the tension that may exist between parents and the educational system. The intervention model seeks to strengthen the connection between these two elements, recognizing that the child’s wellbeing depends on coordinated and unified action. The therapeutic process includes identifying the child’s social strengths and challenges, experiencing change within the group, and enabling the generalization of this change to the classroom and other environments.

The article describes the structure of the intervention and its guiding principles, which are based on three core components: first, creating a therapeutic alliance with parents as a lever for improving relationships throughout the system; second, systemic work involving the group, parents, and educational staff with the goal of generalizing change beyond the therapeutic setting; and third, an approach that combines acknowledgment of difficulties with identifying personal strengths and ways to realize them in the social arena. In addition, the article outlines the processes through which changes achieved within the group are generalized to the child’s broader social life.

Author Information

Dr. Alon Wasserman is a rehabilitation neuropsychologist and lecturer at the Levinsky-Wingate Academic College, Israel. The cases described are based on many years of clinical experience gained through work with children and adolescents experiencing social difficulties, as well as through training psychologists in group psychological therapy with an emphasis on systemic aspects.

Hebrew Editing: Shira Daniel
Translator: Debbie Nevo

Citation

Wasserman, A. (2025). A case study – group psychological therapy for children and youth experiencing ongoing social difficulty: A systemic approach that includes parents and educational staff. Researchers@Educational Staff–Parents, 3.