Parental beliefs about school learning and children's educational attainment: evidence from rural China

Abstract

This study investigated Chinese parents' beliefs about school learning and how they were reflected in rural family settings. Participants were 13 families, with eight high- and five low-achieving children enrolled in Primary 3. Home observations and interviews were conducted on three separate occasions. Findings indicated that all parents focused on the pragmatic value of school learning and equated schooling with language and literacy acquisition. They believed that effort was important for explaining children's academic performance but recognized the limits placed by innate ability and environmental conditions. There were no consistent differences in parental beliefs based on children's level of attainment, but parents of high-achieving children tended to be better educated and more knowledgeable about their children's performance and provided more educationally supportive home environments than other parents. Parents had different expectations of boys and girls, reflecting traditional gender stereotypes. Contextual influences on parental beliefs about education are discussed.