Looking Beyond Quantity: Using Surveys and Observations to Examine the Nature of Parents’ Mathematical Engagement

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Abstract

Building evidence supports the importance of parents in promoting children’s mathematics outcomes (e.g., Daucourt et al., 2021; Eason et al., 2022). Much work emphasizes the frequency of mathematics-related activities and quantity of mathematical language during parent-child interactions (Mutaf-Yildiz et al., 2018). However, parental engagement in children’s mathematics learning likely varies across multiple dimensions beyond sheer frequency of mathematics activities and mathematical words that are uttered in the home. Such variation in the nature and quality of parental mathematics engagement may contribute to differences in children’s mathematics outcomes.
In this symposium, we present four papers exploring different dimensions of parents’ mathematical engagement beyond the quantity of mathematical input and activities. We examine the nature of parents’ engagement in mathematical activities with preschoolers and elementary school students and consider how parents’ beliefs and attitudes may contribute to children’s mathematics outcomes. Study 1 analyzes facets of parents’ math beliefs and affect as longitudinal predictors of children’s math adjustment in elementary school. Study 2 examines how attitudes and beliefs may impact math support by observing how parents’ constructive and non-constructive behaviors relate to elementary students’ math learning. Study 3 observes parents’ behaviors geared toward preschoolers’ math learning, considering the influence of activity context on parent responses to child errors. Study 4 examines how interventions may enhance the depth of parents’ guidance during math activities with preschoolers. Collectively, the papers in this symposium highlight promising new directions to examine as we continue to refine our understanding of how parents promote children’s mathematical achievement and interest.

Sub Unit

• Education, Schooling

Chair

• Sarah H. Eason, Purdue University, West Lafayette

Individual Presentations

• The Role of Parents’ Math Beliefs and Affect in Children’s Math Adjustment - Presenting Author: Carolyn MacDonald, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Michael Barger, University of Georgia; Eva Pomerantz, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Parents’ Affect and Communication of Utility Value Linked to Children’s Probability Learning - Presenting Author: Yuchen Song, University of Georgia; Michael Barger, University of Georgia; Emily Quinn Rosenzweig, University of Georgia; Eva Pomerantz, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• How Does Activity Context Relate to Parents’ Responses to Preschoolers’ Mathematical Errors? - Presenting Author: Can Carkoglu, Purdue University, West Lafayette; Sarah H. Eason, Purdue University, West Lafayette

• Step To It: Parent Support of Preschoolers’ Math Engagement During a Measurement Game - Presenting Author: Maureen Vandermaas-Peeler, Elon University; Alanis Camacho-Narvaez; Scottie Farrin; Mandy Heffernan; Miso Kim; Sophia Templeton