فراتر از مدرسه: واکاوی تعاملات خانواده و مدرسه برای تدوین الگوی بومی در جوامع روستایی کردستان ایران

Introduction: Family-school partnership, as a complex and multi-dimensional process, is recognized as one of the key factors in enhancing the quality of education and students' academic success (Hill & Tyson, 2017; Jeynes, 2016; Wang & Sheikh-Khalil, 2017). This partnership, which goes beyond the physical presence of parents, involves intricate interactions that influence the beliefs and behaviors of the participants (Fan & Chen, 2018) and its dimensions have been defined in areas such as decision-making, educational support at home, and interaction with teachers (Epstein, 2018). This complexity manifests in specific cultural and social contexts, such as the rural communities of kurdistan, iran, which are the site of unique interactions. In this regard, Wei and Ni (2023) found that in rural communities, family-school partnership is rooted in deep-seated cultural beliefs, social norms, and family values. The gap in the existing literature is multifaceted; a significant portion of research has focused on urban communities, has predominantly utilized quantitative approaches, and has overlooked strategic dimensions of partnership such as participation in decision-making (Jeynes, 2016; Fan & Chen, 2018). These gaps are more pronounced in Kurdish society due to its specific socio-cultural context and the influence of school management styles (Ahmadi & Abdolmaleki, 2012). Therefore, a deep understanding of the lived experiences of participants is essential for designing indigenous and operational strategies. Consequently, the present study was conducted with the aim of analyzing the lived experiences of parents and school principals in rural Kurdistan, identifying facilitating and inhibiting factors, examining the commonalities and differences in their perspectives, and presenting an indigenous model of these interactions. Accordingly, the research questions are formulated as follows:

Main Research Question:

What are the dimensions of the lived experiences of parents and school principals regarding family-school interactions in the rural communities of Iranian Kurdistan?

Sub-Questions:

1. What facilitating and inhibiting factors of these interactions are perceived by parents and school principals?

2. What are the key commonalities and differences in the lived experiences of parents and school principals?

3. Based on the research findings, how can an appropriate indigenous model for family-school interactions be formulated for the rural communities of kurdistan, iran?

Methodology: In terms of purpose, this research was applied, and regarding approach, it was qualitative. Given the research objective, which was to gain an in-depth understanding of the lived experience of family-school interactions from the perspective of parents and principals in rural areas, the phenomenological method was employed. This study was conducted within the geographical boundaries of Kurdistan Province. The temporal scope of the research spanned the years (2023-2024). The study population consisted of school principals and parents of students in elementary and multi-grade rural schools in Kurdistan province, who were selected as participants through purposive criterion sampling. Data were collected using in-depth interviews; in total, interviews were conducted with 32 principals and 30 parents until Data saturation was achieved. Data were analyzed using the seven-step framework proposed by Dahlgren and Johansson (2009). To ensure the trustworthiness of the research, peer debriefing and independent analysis by researchers were utilized.

Results: After analyzing the interviews, a total of 114 codes were extracted; 71 codes pertained to the lived experiences of principals and 43 codes pertained to the lived experiences of parents regarding family-school interactions. Five overarching themes were identified: the importance of time, access and information exchange, cultural-social attitudes and beliefs, the quality and nature of communication, and support and backing. The lived experiences of principals and parents regarding interactions were categorized into facilitating and inhibiting factors. It is noteworthy that the commonalities and differences in the lived experiences of principals and parents indicate that both groups identified five main areas as the cornerstone of family-school interactions. This commonality signifies their shared understanding of the importance of "time, access and information exchange, cultural-social attitudes and beliefs, the quality and nature of communication, and support and backing." The difference in their experiences and perspectives lies not in the topics themselves, but in their angle of view. However, the primary difference in experiences and perspectives is not in the "what," but in the "how"-how each group views and interprets the interactions.

Conclusion: The findings confirm that although both parents and principals referred to the five main themes of the research-the importance of time, access and information exchange, cultural-social attitudes and beliefs, the quality and nature of communication, and support and backing-their perspectives were entirely different. Principals view issues from a systemic and service-provider standpoint, emphasizing flexible planning and formal structures, whereas parents perceive their lived experiences from the position of a participant, emphasizing individual preoccupations, the need for easy access, and feelings of inadequacy. To bridge this gap, this study proposes an indigenous model emphasizing three core features: 1) the prominence of informal and verbal relationships over formal structures to overcome distrust, 2) the intertwining of family and school relationships to transform the connection from a service provider-recipient dynamic into a social collaboration, and 3) the pivotal role of local teachers as trust mediators to translate the formal language of the school into the cultural language of families. This model does not challenge Western theories such as Epstein's framework but rather provides a localized and critical update, demonstrating that in this context, the "how" of interaction is more important than the "what" of interaction. Ultimately, this research suggests that solutions copied from Western models-such as designing complex notification systems or holding formal meetings-are likely to fail. Effective strategies, which must be extracted from within the culture itself to form meaningful and sustainable interactions, include: holding mobile and seasonal meetings at appropriate times in central village locations, installing noticeboards in village centers, introducing a local teacher as a trusted informant, utilizing cultural peer modeling instead of one-way lectures, regular face-to-face visits by principals to the villages, and engaging parents in school projects based on their indigenous skills.