Early Childhood Mathematics: Design Strategies for Power Sharing Between Educators and Latinx Parents

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 1:45 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Reimagining Early Childhood Educational Research (Table 5)

Abstract

Despite its recognized importance, current definitions and approaches to family engagement in education have been problematic. There is a critical need to radically restructure parent-school-teacher relationships, especially addressing power hierarchies that traditionally have allowed teachers and schools to dominate. This study explores a series of design strategies that support power sharing between preschool educators and Latinx families and their outcomes as part of a parent-educator dialogue group discussing equitable mathematics education in early childhood. The design strategies included: (a) establishing group norms and math tenets, (b) supporting a bilingual environment, and (c) connecting math to everyday knowledge. The study discusses the implementation of the strategies as well as the perspective of educators and families on their implementation.

Authors

• Smirla Ramos Montañez, TERC

• Scott Pattison, TERC

• Gigliana Melzi, New York University

• Beatriz E. Quintos, University of Maryland

• Viviana López Burgos, TERC