Parents’ Beliefs and Goals in Early Childhood

Abstract

There is growing awareness about the home environment’s contribution to educational inequalities, even from the earliest ages. However, very little research has been conducted on parental beliefs about involvement in their children’s early learning. This study asks: (1) How do parents from different American socioeconomic backgrounds describe their role in their child’s early education? (2) What messages do parents report receiving about their role in their young child’s education? By gaining a better understanding of these beliefs it may be possible to better prepare tomorrow’s early childhood caregivers and to design more effective interventions, especially for children from disadvantaged communities.