Why Is Parental Involvement in Children’s Mathematics Learning Hard? Parental Perspectives on Their Role Supporting Children’s Learning

This article focuses on parents’ experiences and practices supporting children’s mathematics learning. We employ a conceptual framework that makes a distinction between school-centered and parent-centered approaches to parental involvement in children’s learning. We review literature showing that as...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Tim Jay, Jo Rose, Ben Simmons
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2018-05-01
Series:SAGE Open
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244018775466
id doaj-ebfb3e8a2b5f45caa66005aa2bd2e572
record_format Article
spelling doaj-ebfb3e8a2b5f45caa66005aa2bd2e5722020-11-25T03:09:35ZengSAGE PublishingSAGE Open2158-24402018-05-01810.1177/2158244018775466Why Is Parental Involvement in Children’s Mathematics Learning Hard? Parental Perspectives on Their Role Supporting Children’s LearningTim Jay0Jo Rose1Ben Simmons2Sheffield Hallam University, UKUniversity of Bristol, UKBath Spa University, UKThis article focuses on parents’ experiences and practices supporting children’s mathematics learning. We employ a conceptual framework that makes a distinction between school-centered and parent-centered approaches to parental involvement in children’s learning. We review literature showing that aspects of both school-centered and parent-centered approaches can be problematic, and explore this further in a group interview study. Group interviews were conducted with parents of children in 16 primary schools in a city in the southwest of England. Topics of discussion included parents’ level of confidence and perceived ability in mathematics, their experience of doing mathematics with their children out-of-school, and their interactions with school about mathematics. Findings revealed some specific negative effects of school-centered approaches, and suggested that school-centered approaches may in fact restrict parents’ understanding of how they can support mathematics learning in the home. However, the analysis also adds useful depth to our understanding of opportunities associated with a parent-centered approach to parental involvement in mathematics learning.https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244018775466
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Tim Jay
Jo Rose
Ben Simmons
spellingShingle Tim Jay
Jo Rose
Ben Simmons
Why Is Parental Involvement in Children’s Mathematics Learning Hard? Parental Perspectives on Their Role Supporting Children’s Learning
SAGE Open
author_facet Tim Jay
Jo Rose
Ben Simmons
author_sort Tim Jay
title Why Is Parental Involvement in Children’s Mathematics Learning Hard? Parental Perspectives on Their Role Supporting Children’s Learning
title_short Why Is Parental Involvement in Children’s Mathematics Learning Hard? Parental Perspectives on Their Role Supporting Children’s Learning
title_full Why Is Parental Involvement in Children’s Mathematics Learning Hard? Parental Perspectives on Their Role Supporting Children’s Learning
title_fullStr Why Is Parental Involvement in Children’s Mathematics Learning Hard? Parental Perspectives on Their Role Supporting Children’s Learning
title_full_unstemmed Why Is Parental Involvement in Children’s Mathematics Learning Hard? Parental Perspectives on Their Role Supporting Children’s Learning
title_sort why is parental involvement in children’s mathematics learning hard? parental perspectives on their role supporting children’s learning
publisher SAGE Publishing
series SAGE Open
issn 2158-2440
publishDate 2018-05-01
description This article focuses on parents’ experiences and practices supporting children’s mathematics learning. We employ a conceptual framework that makes a distinction between school-centered and parent-centered approaches to parental involvement in children’s learning. We review literature showing that aspects of both school-centered and parent-centered approaches can be problematic, and explore this further in a group interview study. Group interviews were conducted with parents of children in 16 primary schools in a city in the southwest of England. Topics of discussion included parents’ level of confidence and perceived ability in mathematics, their experience of doing mathematics with their children out-of-school, and their interactions with school about mathematics. Findings revealed some specific negative effects of school-centered approaches, and suggested that school-centered approaches may in fact restrict parents’ understanding of how they can support mathematics learning in the home. However, the analysis also adds useful depth to our understanding of opportunities associated with a parent-centered approach to parental involvement in mathematics learning.
url https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244018775466
work_keys_str_mv AT timjay whyisparentalinvolvementinchildrensmathematicslearninghardparentalperspectivesontheirrolesupportingchildrenslearning
AT jorose whyisparentalinvolvementinchildrensmathematicslearninghardparentalperspectivesontheirrolesupportingchildrenslearning
AT bensimmons whyisparentalinvolvementinchildrensmathematicslearninghardparentalperspectivesontheirrolesupportingchildrenslearning
_version_ 1724661717637529600