Home Literacy Initiatives of Middle School Families During the 2020 Quarantine Period: Transformation in Education?

• In Event: Disrupting the Status Quo in Middle-Grades Education: Strategies to Mediate and Create Change

Abstract

The coronavirus pandemic changed everything almost overnight for students and their families. The purpose of this qualitative case study is to investigate the changing views of families about education for their middle school children, particularly home literacy practices, during the pandemic. Drawing upon Bourdieu’s theoretical framework of cultural capital, coupled with socioeconomic status, funds of knowledge, and crisis management, we conducted interviews with 8 parents. Using in vivo coding data analysis method, we identified some key preliminary findings: all-day-happy-hour, the strange disconnection between teachers and parents, and soft and hard approaches to school-home literacy. Participants revealed very distinctive dispositions to make this “school-home” education work on their own. This study confirms the importance of parental value in education.

Authors

• Elizabeth Stewart, Texas Tech University

• Jeasik Cho, Texas Tech University

• Mellinee K. Lesley, Texas Tech University

• Julie Smit, Texas Tech University