How a Parent's Attitude Affects a Student's Perception of Math

  

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Most educators recognize the tremendous influence that parents have on their children’s education. From my experience, however, few parents have a strong understanding of the ways in which students’ perception of math is shaped by the ideas of their elders. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard parents say something like “I don’t expect my child to be good at math. I never liked it and I’m not good at it either.” The parents don’t mean any harm, of course. However, it pains me to know how comments like this affect young children. Kids emulate their parents; they adopt their parents’ beliefs; they often want to be just like their parents. So, imagine the ideas that students develop about math when their parents don’t have respect for the power of mathematics.

Recently, a group of researchers completed a study aimed at examining the mathematical interactions between children and parents. According to the study, child/parent communication involving numbers is likely have a positive influence on later student achievement. Studies such as this one demonstrate a direct correlation between parent/child interaction and student achievement. Previous research has shown how early math achievement is a strong indicator of future success, but this study indicates how critical a parent’s role is in this early achievement. It is important that all students enter school with a strong mathematical foundation and disposition. As their children’s first teachers, parents are given this tremendous responsibility.

I don’t fault parents for negatively influencing their students’ perception of math; I just don’t think they recognize the educational impact they have on their children. To many, education officially starts on the first day of Kindergarten. As teachers, we know this isn’t the case. Therefore, we must help parents understand the importance of the foundation they set, as well as the need for them to communicate positively about the importance of math education.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/petebackwards/ / CC BY 2.0