Annotation from the Connection Collection
You are viewing a record from the Connection Collection, a searchable annotated bibliography database. It links you with research-based information that you can use to connect schools, families, and communities.
| Title: | Parental strategies in contrasting cultural settings: Families in Mexico and ÒEl NorteÓ |
| Author: | Reese, L. |
| Year: | 2002 |
| Resource Type: | Journal Article |
| Publication Information: |
Anthropology and Education Quarterly, 33(1) pp. 31-59 |
| ERIC #: | EJ651500 (click to view this publication's record on the ERIC Web site) |
| Connection: | School-Family |
| Education Level: | Middle |
| Literature type: | Research and Evaluation |
Annotation:
The purpose of this research study is to examine ways in which Latino parents work to foster positive outcomes for their children, in and out of school, while identifying its findings within a broader discussion of changes in cultural models that can inform educational practice. The study compares child-rearing practices and values of immigrants from Mexico raising their children in the United States, with the immigrantsÕ siblings who remain in Mexico and bring a similar set of values to the task of raising their children in home-country settings. Parents in both settings espoused similar values with regard to child rearing. There were differences in the economic and cultural niches in which families lived that resulted in different accommodations on the parts of parents and children. In Mexico, secondary schooling was beyond the means of many families, thus many children stopped their schooling at the end of elementary school. Also, perceptions of safety resulted in parents being stricter and exercising a greater degree of control over girls than boys in both settings. In the area of school involvement, families in both cultural contexts were somewhat involved in school activities and supported schoolwork. In the United States, siblings and fathers were significantly more likely to help with homework because the mothers often did not understand English. This study implies that relevant teaching must be broad enough to include variations in home practices and expectations, home-country experiences, and child outcomes.
Suggested Citation Style:
- Reese, L. (2002). Parental strategies in contrasting cultural settings: Families in Mexico and ÒEl NorteÓ. Anthropology and Education Quarterly, 33(1), 31-59. EJ651500.
