Dismantling Deficit-Based Perspectives of the Pre-Primary Home Math Environments of African American and Multiracial Families

• In Event: Social Justice and Mathematics Education

Abstract

Few studies of the Home Math Environments (HME) of young children have examined differences in parents’ perceptions of the HME or their role in it along ethnic or racial lines. The present study examines perceptions of parents (n = 847) of 4-and 5-year-old children around their math parenting roles and practices in the HME prior to their child beginning kindergarten. Results showed that African American and Multiracial parents had significantly higher perceptions of their Role, Expectations of their child, awareness of appropriate early math learning, and higher math activity frequency than parent groups. These results work to dismantle deficit-based thinking that too-frequently characterizes discussions of the HME related to race and suggests the need for more research in this area.

Authors

• Anastasia L. Betts, Learnology Labs

• Ji-Won Son, University at Buffalo - SUNY

• Hee Jin Bang, Age of Learning