Head Start Parents' Beliefs about Their Children's Abilities, Task Values, and Performances on Different Activities

Abstract

As part of larger intervention study designed to facilitate the transition of Head Start children into kindergarten and the early elementary grades, we assessed parents beliefs about former Head start children's abilities and values in several activity domains-academics, sports, and social skills-during the children's kindergarten ten year. Parents' expectations for their children's future also were examined. One hundred and twenty-four parents and 155 children participated; all children had attended Head Start, and the sample is ethnically and racially diverse. One group of children and parents received the additional services, and a second group did not. Parents, were quit optimistic about their children's prospects for the future. There were ethnic differences in parents were quit optimistic about their children's prospects for the future. There were ethnic differences in parents' beliefs about children's abilities and future prospects in different areas. Parents beliefs related both to children's attitudes toward school and to their performance on mathematical and reading achievement tests.

Early math interest and the development of math skills.

“…Additionally, because parents' beliefs regarding their children's academic interest and ability have shown relationships to children's later school attitudes and performance (Aunóla, Nurmi, Lerkkanen, & Rasku-Puttonen, 2003;Baker & Scher, 2002;Galper, Wigfield, & Seefeldt, 1997;Morrow & Young, 1997), including parent report could inform interest measurement as well as parenting effects.…”

“…Additionally, catching children early, before they experience multiple frustrations and negative attitudes due to lack of skills (Smiley & Dweck, 1994;Wigfield et al, 1997), could make a significant impact on later math disenfranchisement. On the other hand, these results indicate that the cycle between skills and interest may have already begun prior to any formal schooling and that children with low ability are already becoming disinterested in math.…”

Exploring a Model for Integrating Child Development Accounts with Social Services for Vulnerable Families

“…Financially disadvantaged families—for instance, those living with low income, receiving public assistance, or enrolling their children in a Head Start program—confront numerous challenges that can adversely influence children's social‐development outcomes. Parents with low income generally express positive expectations for their children's future education but, compared with advantaged counterparts, are less confident about the ability to find resources and maintain optimism concerning their children's prospects (e.g., Galper, Wigfield, and Seefeldt ). In addition, evidence suggests that the financial stress of parenting with constrained financial resources tends to increase a mother's depression and poor parenting practices (Kiernan and Huerta ; Love et al ).…”

Perceived parental beliefs about the causes of success in sport: relationship to athletes' achievement goals and personal beliefs

“…Parents' perceptions of children's academic abilities were significantly related to children's achievement within the domains of math and reading. In a related study (Galper et al, 1997), parents' beliefs about how well their children were doing were related to children's beliefs and attitudes toward school. Furthermore, parents' beliefs were a significant predictor of children's reading and mathematics achievement.…”