AH-600 Parenting, Schools, and Achievement
Nancy E. Hill
Children learn from a variety of sources, including parents, schools, teachers, and peers. In this course, we will study the contexts and factors that enhance and diminish children's and adolescents’ school achievement. Particular attention will be given to children’s first and primary teachers--their parents and other family members--especially the influences of parental expectations and involvement in school and the family’s role in creating a learning environment at home. In addition, the role of schools, classrooms, teachers, and peers will be studied as they interact, collaborate, and sometimes compete with parents’ academic goals and expectations. Etiologies of achievement gaps based on ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status as they relate to family and school factors will be discussed. Existing data sets will be used to illustrate points raised in class. In addition to classroom discussion, students will select a topic and conduct a more extensive study of the research literature, develop research questions, and use existing data sets to further their knowledge on the topic.
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