"The Sky Is the Limit for My Children": Maternal Strategies to Promote School Readiness

• In Event: Roundtable Session 6
  In Roundtable Session: Facets of Identity: African American Stakeholders Constructing Subjectivities

Abstract

Low-income African-American children living in resource-poor neighborhoods are at-risk for being unready to enter and succeed in kindergarten. Most research on this population focuses on the challenges these families experience; however, this longitudinal study uses qualitative interviews to illustrate how ten African-American mothers negotiated their children’s first year of kindergarten despite limited resources. Utilizing multiple in-home learning strategies, including gendered strategies to address the unique struggles of boys, these mothers take an active role in preparing their children for school success. The research findings provide substantive insights on positive parenting practices among low-income, African-American families, while also providing applied recommendations for preschools and elementary schools.

Authors

• Danielle Michelle Perry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Robin L. Jarrett, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign