An Investigation of the Importance of Designing a Family Education Curriculum for Elementary Schools

This study sought to examine the importance of designing a family education curriculum for elementary schools. This qualitative research was carried out through conventional content analysis method. The research sample included 20 experts in curriculum planning, psychologists, sociologists, family counselors, and family educators who were selected by purposive sampling method. Data collection was undertaken through semi-structured interviews and it continued until saturation was obtained. The results were classified into two main categories: 1) Relationships between school and family based on needs and mutual understanding (with 8 subcategories, i.e., parents' awareness of their duties and roles, cohesive planning as well as unitary method in family education, the need to pay attention to the family as the core of human growth and excellence, parents' involvement in the curriculum, the need to link curricula with realties of life, ignorance and behavioral problems in families, parents’ familiarity with school curricula, awareness of all dimensions of children’s development); 2) Curricular efficacy (with 3 subcategories, i.e., efficiency of curricula, taking into account global changes, application of supportive methods in teaching and learning activities). According to the findings, family education curriculum for primary schools plays a pivotal role not only in boosting parents’ awareness, positive attitude and performance in raising children but also in making the educational objectives and expectations between home and school compatible.