Chapter 9: Recognizing And Embracing Parents ’ Rich Mathematics Backgrounds

A growing body of research indicates the importance of creating strong partnerships in mathematics between home and school (Civil & Andrade, 2003; Civil, 2007; Civil et al., 2019; Colegrove & Krause, 2017; Kelly, 2020; Stoehr & Civil, 2019). Connections that are made between home and school can greatly benefit student learning. This is especially true for mathematics (Anhalt & Rodríguez-Pérez, 2013; Civil, 2007; Civil et al., 2019; Colegrove & Krause, 2017; Kelly, 2020; Stoehr & Civil, 2019). Therefore, providing opportunities that promote authentic and meaningful engagement around mathematics in ways that position parents as active and knowledgeable participants in the education of their children is essential, especially for families from underserved communities (Civil, 2007; Colegrove & Krause, 2017; Kelly, 2020; Stoehr & Civil, 2019).

Civil and Andrade’s (2003) work reveals the importance of creating a two-way dialogue between home and school that views parents as intellectual resources. To create an authentic two-way dialogue, teachers and schools need to commit to a genuine partnership with parents that is interested and respectful of parents’ views and ways that mathematics is used in their homes and communities. Building rapport and trust with families are situated at the core of the parents as an intellectual resources framework. Given that more than 50% of students in public schools are from homes and communities that are culturally, linguistically, and racially diverse, (Kena et al., 2015) it is critical that teachers explore ways to tailor their mathematics instruction to reflect parents’ rich mathematical knowledge and experiences. Additionally, Civil and Andrade (2003) also recognize that it is important for parents to learn about how mathematics is being taught at their children’s school so that parents can connect school mathematics to the mathematics that takes place in their homes on a daily basis. Such symbiosis between home and school has the potential to optimize student learning and build a healthy sense of identity for them as well.

This chapter examines the interviews of 72 parents at one of the two study sites who upon completing the workshops shared their own mathematics experiences of learning mathematics and their reflections of participating in the workshops. The research was part of a professional development grant titled Math and Language, Literacy Integration in Dual Language Settings (MALLI). While the grant provided professional development to preservice and in-service teachers that focused on three components of instruction in mathematics classrooms (discourse, vocabulary, and literacy), mathematics workshops were offered to parents/caregivers of the students whose teachers who took part in this study. Specifically, five cohorts of parents who had children in MALLI teachers’ classrooms received targeted mathematics learning opportunities.

The parents attended four mathematics workshops with the goal of (a) strengthening their own mathematics skills; (b) showcasing their ways of solving mathematics tasks; (c) building their confidence and competence around mathematics; (d) shedding light on the relationship between home mathematical and language practices and the expected learning goals of the classroom; (e) acknowledging and embracing their everyday mathematical interactions with their children; and (f) engaging in mathematics tasks with their children’s teachers.