'Can You Help Me with My Homework?' Elementary School Children's Invitations and Perspectives on Parental Involvement.
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| Title: | 'Can You Help Me with My Homework?' Elementary School Children's Invitations and Perspectives on Parental Involvement. |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Walker, Joan M., Hoover-Dempsey, Kathleen V., Reed, Richard P. |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 19 |
| Publication Date: | 2000 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research Speeches/Meeting Papers |
| Descriptors: | Academic Achievement, Elementary Education, Elementary School Students, Homework, Parent Participation, Parent Student Relationship, Parents, Performance Factors, Student Attitudes |
| Geographic Terms: | U.S.; Tennessee |
| Abstract: | Grounded in Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler's model of the parental involvement process, this study examined links between empirically suggested manifestations of children's invitations and parents' levels of involvement in children's homework activities. Relevant literature suggested the potential importance of four child attributes in inviting parents' homework involvement: (1) child's general level of performance; (2) child's experience of difficulty with daily homework; (3) child's developmental press for independence; and (4) child's valuing of the parent's involvement activities. Twenty public school fourth graders and their parents (one per child) were interviewed individually and responded to questionnaires; data on child school performance were gathered from school records (6-week report cards for the full year; standardized achievement test results for the year). Findings suggested very modest links between higher levels of parental involvement and higher work difficulty as reported by parents, lower child press for independence as reported by parents, as well as lower general levels of performance as reflected in child interviews and school grades. Child valuing of parental help was linked weakly to parental involvement (stronger child valuing of parents' involvement activities was positively related to child reports of more parental involvement.) These and other findings were considered in light of qualitative patterns of parent and child observations in the interview data set, as were implications for theoretical understanding of variables contributing to parents' involvement decisions. Based on findings, suggestions were devised for teachers and parents wishing to increase the incidence and effectiveness of parents' involvement in their elementary children's education. (Contains 33 references.) (Author/KB) |
| Notes: | Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (New Orleans, LA, April 24-28, 2000). |
| Journal Code: | RIEJAN2001 |
| Entry Date: | 2001 |
| Accession Number: | ED443581 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Grounded in Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler's model of the parental involvement process, this study examined links between empirically suggested manifestations of children's invitations and parents' levels of involvement in children's homework activities. Relevant literature suggested the potential importance of four child attributes in inviting parents' homework involvement: (1) child's general level of performance; (2) child's experience of difficulty with daily homework; (3) child's developmental press for independence; and (4) child's valuing of the parent's involvement activities. Twenty public school fourth graders and their parents (one per child) were interviewed individually and responded to questionnaires; data on child school performance were gathered from school records (6-week report cards for the full year; standardized achievement test results for the year). Findings suggested very modest links between higher levels of parental involvement and higher work difficulty as reported by parents, lower child press for independence as reported by parents, as well as lower general levels of performance as reflected in child interviews and school grades. Child valuing of parental help was linked weakly to parental involvement (stronger child valuing of parents' involvement activities was positively related to child reports of more parental involvement.) These and other findings were considered in light of qualitative patterns of parent and child observations in the interview data set, as were implications for theoretical understanding of variables contributing to parents' involvement decisions. Based on findings, suggestions were devised for teachers and parents wishing to increase the incidence and effectiveness of parents' involvement in their elementary children's education. (Contains 33 references.) (Author/KB) |
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