SURVEY OF MOTHERS:
MATERNAL ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS SUPPORTING EDUCATION
SURVEY RESULTS CONDUCTED BY THE DALLAS CHAPTER IN MARCH 2006
Sample size of graduates during past eight years: 124 families surveyed via telephone (including 124 mothers and 152 children total).
Purpose: This survey focused on (1) the education of both the mother and child, (2) maternal school involvement, and (3) maternal reading and writing practices.
Follow-up of Mothers: Here are some of the key summary points from the follow-up survey of mothers:
- 91% rated education from very important to somewhat important with the majority (85%) saying “very important” or “important.”
- 50% of those surveyed used computers
- Mothers read more frequently (daily and weekly) than they wrote (monthly)
- Bilingual readers are more likely to read on a daily and weekly basis than monolingual readers
Follow-up of Children: Grade levels ranged from Pre-Kindergarten to seventh grade, but 75% of students fell within the Pre-K to second grade levels. Here are some of the key summary points from the follow-up survey of children:
- On average, this sample of students spent 54 minutes on their daily homework.
- 91% said their children had a designated area in their home for doing homework.
- parental involvement in child’s education:
- 93% of parents both helped their children with their homework and enjoyed it. And 99% of this sample checked their children’s homework before they turned it in to their teacher.
- 98% discussed their child’s school experiences with them daily.
- Only 6% stated they did not feel comfortable with their schools.
- 93% of parents knew all of their child’s teachers. More than half (54 percent) visited their child’s school on a daily basis, and 18% visited 5-10 times a month.
- One-third of parents participated in the PTA and about one-half volunteered at their child’s school.
- 95% stated that they both played developmental games with their children and read to their children always or sometimes.
- 90% of parents motivated their children to do their best in school.
- 99% believed their AVANCE-Dallas child would graduate from high school and 97% felt college was part of their child’s future.
- All of the parents in this study reported discussing with their children the importance of school and obtaining an education. These parents believed that an education would shape a child’s future.
- Ninety-nine percent of the parents reported that the AVANCE-Dallas Parent-Child Education Program truly influenced their view of the importance of an education for themselves and their children.