Author : Evangelina M. Cantu
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781303136108
Total Pages : 200 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (361 download)
Book Synopsis The Voices of Latino Parents by : Evangelina M. Cantu
Download or read book The Voices of Latino Parents written by Evangelina M. Cantu and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Significant evidence suggests that parent participation and involvement are beneficial for student success. Latino parents, however, have historically been portrayed negatively in their role in their children's education. Deficit thinking paradigms have framed much of the negative depictions about Latino parents. This study proposes that the negative portrayals of Latino parents may in part be a result of how parent involvement has been traditionally defined. Schools define parent involvement in ways that Latino parents may not conform to. As a result, schools label parents as non-involved. In an effort to demystify the myth that Latino parents do not value nor care for their children's education, this study set out to examine Latino parents' perceptions about parent involvement as well as how they involve themselves in their children's education. The findings suggest that Latino parents define and perceive parent involvement in ways that differ significantly from the way schools have defined it. Furthermore, parents' perceptions of their roles, the role of the school and the teachers point to a need to examine how these perceptions intersect with the perceptions of the school and the teachers. This study presents an alternative way to view parent involvement. It is concluded that the negative depiction of Latino parents is due in part to the fact that schools are expecting them to conform to practices and engage in activities that are not necessarily what they view as important in their children's education. Further research that provides a more inclusive definition and expands the discourse about Latino parent involvement is suggested.