Chapter 13: Mothers as Co-Facilitators of Mathematics Learning Experiences

This chapter describes an example of co-construction of learning opportunities with families through the development of a mathematics games workshop. The first author brings almost three decades of work with families and mathematics with a focus on the concept of parents as intellectual resources (Civil & Andrade, 2003). This concept views parents as resources for learning and prioritizes the need for authentic collaborations with parents and families in program development.

Our work bridges theory and practice with a focus on asset-based views of family engagement, particularly in communities with large immigrant representation. We draw on the concept of funds of knowledge (González et al., 2005), which capitalizes on the resources, knowledge, and experiences of Mexican origin families in communities in Arizona, which is where our work is located. It is necessary to understand the historical, social, and political context of the communities with which we work. For example, in our case, although some families are relatively recent immigrants, other families have been in Arizona for generations, when this area was part of Mexico; as the popular saying goes, “we did not cross the border, the border crossed us.” In terms of language ideology, the situation is complex, from Mexican American families whose main home language is English, to families with Spanish as their primary language, and all the possible combinations in between; most frequently, the parents are Spanish dominant, and their children are English dominant.