ABSTRACT
Parents being the educators of children play a key role in their learning. Children’s learning from their parents not only forms the foundation of future learning but also has a great influence on their performance. Even though parental involvement in children’s learning has been associated with high levels of achievement. Mother’s involvement is not as anticipated. This has be attributed to emerging issues that include economic inflation, HIV and AIDS and change in family systems that has led to single parenthood as a result of teenage pregnancies and divorce. Maternal characteristics that influence children’s learning is even triggered by the emerging issues. The main purpose of this study therefore was to investigate the influence of maternal involvement in learning and other maternal characteristics (age, and level of education) on academic performance of lower primary pupils aged eight years in Kosirai division Nandi County. The study was guided Epstein’s conceptual model. Descriptive survey design was used for the study. The subjects of the study were 264 respondents. These included 120 pupils, 120 parents and 24 teachers. All of them were from twelve public schools. Data were obtained using questionnaires for teachers and parents. The study applied purposive sampling techniques to sample out respondents. A pilot study was carried out to help identify any weakness in the tools. Reliability of the instruments was established through comparison of consistence in the developed themes which were triangulated to form justification. Data were analyzed quantitatively guided by research objectives and hypotheses. Chi-square test was then used to determine the relationship between children’s academic performance and maternal characteristics. The findings displayed positive relationship between maternal characteristics and children’s performance, except for the academic levels. The results indicated that there was a significant relationship between mothers’ involvement in children’s learning and children’s performance at lower primary school, there was a significant relationship on mothers’ involvement in children’s learning and their age and occupation. While as there was no significant relationship between mothers’ involvement in children’s learning and their academic level.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Introduction
This chapter entails background to the study, statement of the problem, purpose, objectives, research questions, significance, limitations and delimitations, assumptions, theoretical and conceptual framework and operational definition of terms.
Background to the Study
Parents have been educators since time in memorial. Children learn how to talk, and walk from their parents. The learning of children from parents is very vital because it is perceived as the foundation of future learning. In addition, they have a great influence on children’s overall performance. In the literature, parental involvement is defined in a multiplicity ways (Epstein, 1986; Fan & Chen, 2001). Even though involvement is an intricate process that habitually surpasses geographic borders, researchers have frequently divide involvement into two groups, that is, home-based and school-based. Parental effort is constantly linked to advanced levels of achievement, and the extent of the effect of parental effort is considerable. Parents’ cognitions based on their role have been recognized as a main contributor to their enthusiasm to engage in compassionate parenting.
Epstein (1986), Epstein & Salinas, (1993) and Garcia, (2004) in their studies found out extra ample measures of involvement activities, which are quite helpful for diverse purposes. However, this study presents an assessment of a targeted array of involvement activities regularly employed by parents with their eight year olds. Home-based
characteristics are commonly defined as interactions outside school, between the child and parents (Hoover-Dempsey & Sandler, 2005). These parental characteristics usually hub on the person’s maternal age, maternal level of education, maternal occupation and maternal involvement like assisting with homework, reviewing for an examination, and monitoring academic progress of a child.
Proper practices of parents have been revealed to raise positive learner results throughout children’s education, as well as the high-school years (Bogenschneider, 1997; Dornbusch, Ritter, Leiderman, Roberts, & Fraleigh, 1987; Fehrmann, Keith & Reimers, 1987; Hill & Taylor, 2004; Lamborn, Mounts, Steinberg & Dornbusch, 1991; Steinberg, Elman, & Mounts, 1989). Even with the number of studies that have established the sustained affirmative influence of developmentally proper parental practices on children’s achievements in academic, little studies have been documented on the influence of the mothers’ in their children’s academic performance. In a cross-sectional assessment of parenting approach and homework assistance, Cooper, Lindsey and Nye (2000) found out that even though mothers were not much directly implicated with assisting in homework of high-schoolers, they were more involved with the progress of children in elementary school.
In the United States and other Western countries, a huge deal of studies support the belief that parental characteristics such as level of education and parental involvement usually have an affirmative outcome on academic achievement of children. Based on a study of Demmary and Malecki, (2002, cited by Ngigi, 2014), children’s improved attitudes to school, better academic outcomes and emotional adjustment are linked to parents
educational aspirations. This suggests that families and parents should work in harmony
in order to optimize children’s performance. In addition, Hill & Taylor, (2004) concluded that parents become knowledgeable about school goals and procedures when they are more involved with their children’s schooling. Further, Lareau,(2000) also noted that such parents communicate the significance of education to children, assist children gain knowledge of strategies to improve their perceptions of capability and have power over achievement outcomes (Grolnick & Slowiaczek, 1994), and configure learning practices that result in development of skills (Keith et al., 1993).
Confirmation based on parental involvement in societies is significantly scarce. This is likely attributed to drastic change experienced in family systems. Globally the rates of divorce have risen. This has led to single parenthood whereby mothers are becoming victims. They have assumed men roles and are now bread winners. They focus on providing to their children hence disregards academics. In the 1980s, numerous studies wrapped up that mothers from Japan, were extremely involved in education of their children and were also influential in upholding student achievement compared to mothers in the United States (Stevenson & Stigler, 1992).
More lately, however, downbeat portraits of Japanese mothers came into view. Some researchers within Japan typify mothers as being excessively focused on achievements in academics and neglect the support on social and emotional development, while others condemn them for inconsiderately overlooking their children’s schooling and their development while flattering their own self-indulgent craving for leisure or employment (Holloway, 2000, Inoue & Ehara, 1995). Without a doubt, parenting that is permissive or neglectful has been cited as the origin of current problems in the schools that includes
bullying, absenteeism, and disruptive behavior in the classroom (Okano & Tsuchiya,
1999).
The American Education Act of 1994 projected that by 2000, every school will promote partnership that will increase involvement and participation of parents in enhancing children’s social, emotional, and academic growth. This focused on the establishment of programs to increase parent’s involvement to engage in supporting academic work at home and shared decision making at school. Muola (1990) study noted that a child from a home with adequate learning facilities has an advantage over a child from a home with inadequate learning facilities. Lack of facilities like books may hinder a child from doing homework appropriately. The lack of facilities among children may be attributed to many emerging issues like divorce, children being orphaned as a result of chronic illness like HIV; these have led to families experienced tough economic times hence do not meet education needs.
Further studies carried out in African countries have shown direct link between mothers’ level of education and children’s performance. A research carried out by Women Education Researchers of Kenya (WERK, 2004) in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda concluded that there is a direct relationship between mother level of education and performance of children. However we cannot underestimate the effects of employment that has led to working mothers. Children have been left under the custody house girls hence the impact of mothers on children’s learning is not significant. In addition, WERK researchers found that children whose mothers have never been to school are more likely to be out of school or perform poorly than those whose mothers have completed at least primary school.
There is a need to actively involve parents in children’s education. According to a
comprehensive study of Kenya by Muola (1990), parents can be supportive in curriculum implementation, discussing school events and activities with their children, helping their children with class or program selection, attending school meetings and assisting children in homework. However, from a survey study carried out in Uganda, 4 out of 10 Ugandans never check their children’s work while more than half of the parents talk to teachers about children’s learning (Uwezo Report, 2014). In Kenyan schools, head teachers organize open days where parents consult with teachers on the progress of their children in various subjects. The role of parents is projected as important in helping children to learn (Muola, 1990). However the turn up of such meetings has low and this can be attributed to factors like working mothers and single parenthood.
A single explanation for this noticeable paradox that concern mothers’ role in the support of their children’s schooling is that preceding work has depended much on mothers’ role and thus the majority of the studies did not take into account the fathers’ role in academic achievement of their children. Parent’s involvement has become a major point of focus. A mothers’ influence is more profound than that of the school or the father. A study conducted in USA by the Education Department (1996) revealed that the success of children in school is high when mothers set high realistic goals. Children tend to respond positively by trying to achieve them. In addition, it revealed that encouragements by parents enhanced good results and monitoring their children’s homework led to increased academic achievement. Mothers contribute significantly in creating an environment that is nurturing and stimulating in which children may grow in as well as learn. Hence maternal involvement enhances morale, attitudes and academic achievement of children across every subject area.
Statement of the Problem
Education has become a propelling force for achieving better standards of living for individuals. In Kenya, education has a role to play in defining the future for individual children. As a result, it is worthwhile to note that school alone cannot do much without parents’ involvement. While a lot of research has documented how parental involvement influences their children’s academic performance, little is known about the influence of maternal characteristics like education level and occupation on the same. From a casual observation, the common practice today is that children are sent to school and it is the role of the teacher to ensure that children acquire relevant knowledge and skills. However Bali, (1984) states that mentor of the family especially the mother have a vital role to play in their children’s education. Many mothers are currently neglecting their role in children’s learning. This can be attributed to economic inflation and change in family systems. As a result, working mothers and single parenthood are in the rise. Also HIV infections among other chronic illness have been in the rise hence has diverted parent’s energies from education.
Maternal involvement in children’s learning can be also hindered by factors such as age, occupation, and education level. Mother’s involvement in school activities is crucial to children’s success in both school and future life. A number of studies that concern parental involvement have been carried out worldwide. However, Kenya research does not tell us much on maternal characteristics (that are some of the factors that hinder parent’s involvement) and their influence in academic performance of their children. In addition, there are very few studies on how mothers are involved in their academic performance of their children in Kosirai Division, Nandi County in Kenya.
Parental involvement has been extensively associated with a variety of enhanced school results for elementary, middle and high school students, including diverse indicators of attainment and the development of student characteristics that enhance achievement. Even though parental involvement is a vital provider of children’s affirmative school results, not all mothers are keen to their children’s learning. This may be attributed to the emerging issues that have led to economic inflation. The working mothers who are educated have left their children’s learning to house girls. The change in family structure that has led to single parenthood has left mothers struggling to provide basic needs underrating education needs. For example in Kosirai Division most mothers are single and have fled to nearby estates to earn a living. This study therefore investigated the influence of maternal characteristics (like education level, age, and occupation) on academic success, not underestimating the effects of emerging issues that have affected parental involvement in learning. Consequently, the main objective of this study was to investigate the influence of maternal age, level of education, occupation, and maternal involvement in children’s school activities influence academic success of their children aged eight years in lower primary schools in Kosirai Division, Nandi County, Kenya.
