Las matemáticas son primordiales: Everyday Mathematics in the Homes of Latine Families with Young Children

• In Event: Parent-Child Interaction in Latin American Families: Attention to Strengths and Culturally Appropriate Methods

Abstract

In recent years there have been a proliferation of programs developed to improve how families talk about and engage in mathematics activities with their young children in the home and community. Yet, these programs are often based on research conducted primarily with English-speaking European-American families from upper-income communities. There is a pressing need to design studies that capture the intellectual resources and diversity that all families, especially US Latine families, bring to their children’s mathematics learning so that programs can expand on, rather than subordinate, their knowledge (Civil, 2018; del Rio, et al., 2017).

Using an emic approach, this study explores two main research questions:
● How do US Latine families with young children from low-income households define mathematics, reflect on the use of mathematics in their everyday lives, and express attitudes about the topic?
● How do US Latine families’ definitions, usage, and beliefs about math relate to the learning opportunities they provide their children?

Methods
As part of a larger study, 75 US Latine mothers from low-income households and their children (Mage = 47 months old; SD = 8.00; 47% girls) engaged in: (1) open-ended activities that afforded multiple opportunities for mathematical talk and interactions (e.g., organizing a birthday picnic with oversized stuffed animals and engaging in a clearing task); (2) semi-structured interviews about family math, and (3) a card sort about the importance of different abilities for children to acquire. Nearly 50% of mothers were born in Mexico and average years of education across all caregivers was 11 years. All interactions were videotaped, transcribed, and coded qualitatively using grounded theory approach.

Results & Implications
Results suggest that families think and act in varied and meaningful ways about mathematics. Table 1 presents the most common concepts, definitions, and attitudes families discussed. We found a positive and significant correlation between mothers reported uses of mathematics and the concepts they attributed to mathematics (r=.39, p<.01) as well as between mother’s reported uses of mathematics and the importance they placed on abilities related to math-learning (e.g., problem solving, communication, dealing with uncertainty, working in groups, taking initiative, and incorporating multiple points of view) (r=.30, p<.01). Emerging data also suggest a relationship between the total math talk and reported uses of math.

Results are discussed in relation to the mathematical strengths in the everyday practices of Latine families and the benefits of designing ecologically valid studies to help restructure family math programs so that they are asset-based.

Authors

• Margaret Caspe, National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement
  Presenting Author

• Gigliana Melzi, New York University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Nydia Prishker, St. Thomas Aquinas College
  Non-Presenting Author

• Catalina Alvarado, Universiteit Leiden
  Non-Presenting Author