Investigating Relationships Between Students Attitudes Toward Mathematics

Students’ and Parents’ Attitudes About Math

Investigating Relationships Between Students’ Attitudes Toward Mathematics, Perceived Parental Attitudes, Demographics, and Achievement in Algebra

Stella Erbes, Ph.D. Humanities and Teacher Education Division Pepperdine University

Sarah Hough, Ph.D. Researcher, Gevirtz Graduate School of Education University of California, Santa Barbara

Kendra Killpatrick, Ph.D. Mathematics Department Pepperdine University

Please send all correspondences to: Dr. Stella Erbes c/o Pepperdine University Humanities and Teacher Education Division 24255 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, CA 90265 (310) 506-4271 Fax (310) 506-7307 [email protected]

1 Students’ and Parents’ Attitudes About Math

Abstract:

The purpose of this study was to discover the relationships among 1) student achievement in middle school Algebra I courses, 2) students’ perceptions of their parents’ attitudes towards mathematics, 3) socioeconomic status, 4) gender, and 5) students’ own perceptions of mathematics. Data were collected during spring 2004 from 204 seventh and eighth grade students who were enrolled in one of eight Algebra I classes. The classes were purposefully selected from three public schools in southern California representing different socio-economic levels (three upper, three middle, two lower groups). Students’ attitudes and perceived parental attitudes toward mathematics were measured using the researcher designed “Attitudes Toward

Mathematics Questionnaire”. Exploratory factor analyses revealed three latent variables relating to student achievement in mathematics: Confidence, Importance, and Frustration. Subsequent multivariate analyses found a relationship between student achievement and student perception of mathematics that was mediated by sex and SES. The achievement of boys in Algebra I classes correlated positively with the Importance factor, while the achievement of girls in

Algebra I classes correlated positively with the Frustration factor and the Confidence factor. No statistically significant results were found between students' perceptions of their parents' attitudes about math and their achievement in Algebra.

Keywords:

Algebra achievement; gender differences; girls’ attitudes; math; math achievement; math education; parents’ attitudes; parents’ beliefs

1. Introduction

To maintain international leadership in the advancement of technology, the United States needs to develop a workforce that is mathematically skilled and scientifically literate. There has been considerable concern about student achievement in mathematics in the United States since the 1960’s and concerns have only increased as the world grows more dependent on technology.

Results from the 2003 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) have shown that 8th graders in the United States lag behind their peers in 19 other countries in mathematics ability, ranking 20th out of 45 countries participating in the study. Major international studies like the TIMSS give a global perspective on student achievement in mathematics and provide a measure of accountability for all involved in the educational community. The findings from these studies motivate educators, researchers, and policymakers in each country to determine what factors are affecting student achievement and what can be done to improve student performance.

Results from standardized mathematics testing in the United States clearly demonstrate that the United States is not performing at a proficient level. Despite the role of the United

States as a global leader in economics and technology, results of the 1995 TIMSS (which included 12 grade students) show that American high school seniors ranked 19th out of 21 countries in both math and science general knowledge. In addition, the National Assessment of

Educational Progress (NAEP) reported in 2000 that the average math scores of 4th, 8th and 12th graders have shown minimal improvement on standardized testing since 1996, with only one- fourth of 4th and 8th graders performing at or above proficient levels in mathematics. In hope of directly addressing this problem, the recent No Child Left Behind Act in the United States makes

American students’ math and science achievement a primary aim. The NCLB document claims

3 Students’ and Parents’ Attitudes About Math that the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education will provide an estimated $1 billion over five years for results-oriented partnerships between local districts, universities, and communities that improve math achievement. Efforts are clearly being made to raise awareness and promote action to improve math excellence in our nation.

Research studies in mathematics education have attempted to determine what factors influence math achievement of American students. Socioeconomic status (SES), gender differences, and parental influences are important factors to consider when analyzing student achievement in math classes. Studies investigating the relationship between SES and math achievement have revealed that students from lower SES groups demonstrate significantly lower levels of math achievement (Signer, et al., 1996; Simich-Dudgeon, 1996). Gender differences have also been studied as a factor that affects mathematics achievement (Fennema, et. al., 1990;

Bastick, 2002; Tapia & Marsh, 2001). Results in this area are inconclusive and indicate that while small gender differences in achievement may exist, these differences are minimal when compared to variation within each gender and are decreasing over time (Linn and Hyde, 1989).

In addition, studies which have asked parents directly about their attitudes or beliefs regarding mathematics are prevalent. These studies relate parental attitudes and beliefs to student career choices, student attitudes and beliefs about their math abilities, and gender differences in mathematics achievement (Jacobs, 1982; Wigfield, 1983; Holloway, 1986; Miller, et. al., 1987).

Therefore, it is evident that the heightened awareness of student math achievement has been and continues to be an interesting topic which is studied in educational research.

2. Purpose

This study continues the quest to understand better what factors affect student achievement in mathematics. More specifically, we began to look again at the relationship of parents’ and students’ attitudes about mathematics and student achievement in a new light. In reviewing the research literature about mathematics, it appeared that studies which uncover what students perceive their parents’ beliefs about mathematics to be remained scarce. Furthermore, the relationship between students’ perceptions of their parents’ attitudes about mathematics and students’ achievement in math classes has not been explored in depth. The purpose of this study was to discover the relationships among 1) student achievement in middle school Algebra I courses, 2) students’ perceptions of their parents’ attitudes towards mathematics, 3) socioeconomic status, 4) gender and 5) students’ own perceptions of mathematics. The central research question addressed in this study was:

1) Is there a relationship between student achievement in Algebra I classes and students'

perceptions of their parents' attitudes towards mathematics?

In addition to this central question, this study also explored the following questions:

2) Is there a relationship between student achievement in Algebra I classes and socio-

economic status (SES)?

3) Is there a relationship between student achievement in Algebra I classes and sex?

4) Is there a relationship between student achievement in Algebra I classes and students’

attitudes towards mathematics?

3. Theoretical Framework

In the field of teaching and learning, issues that deal with how student achievement can be improved are frequently investigated. Factors that contribute to student achievement in core subject areas like mathematics are commonly analyzed in order to uncover how student achievement can be influenced or improved. This area of mathematics research has had an international, as well as demographic scope, as studies like the Trends in International

Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) (NCES, 2001) and the Benbow and Stanley report

(Jacobs, 1982) have investigated student performance, studied gender differences in math, and explored multiple variables that have affected student achievement in mathematics in different countries as well as within different socioeconomic groups. Our study has accepted the premise that parents’ attitudes about mathematics affects achievement and attempts to build upon the existing research by focusing on the students’ perceptions of their parents’ attitudes about math.

For this study, Algebra I classes were selected to evaluate student achievement because they introduce students to abstract thinking processes which involve theoretical ideas and conceptual problem solving. Students in Algebra I are required to move beyond the simple computations commonly found in introductory math courses and must begin to understand how to apply abstract ideas to a wide range of problems. Instead of simply applying procedural knowledge, students begin to develop conceptual knowledge.

In reviewing the studies that have been completed regarding parents’ attitudes and mathematics achievement, it is clear that parent influences affect student achievement. Parents can influence their children directly through sharing their beliefs about mathematics and through their involvement in educational activities. Wang, Wildman, and Calhoun (1996) have linked parental education and encouragement with improved student achievement in math. Further

6 Students’ and Parents’ Attitudes About Math studies have also investigated the relationships between parents’ self-reported beliefs, students’ sex differences, and student performance in mathematics (Wigfield, 1983; Holloway, 1986;

Gutbezahl, 1995). In the studies reviewed, parents have typically reported their own beliefs about mathematics and this data has then been correlated with gender differences and students’ attitudes toward and performance in mathematics. Building upon this literature, our study set out to uncover how students perceive their parents’ beliefs and related this data with other important factors connected to student achievement in mathematics.

In addition to direct parental influences, we believe that parents affect children indirectly through their personal experiences, expressions, and attitudes. For instance, if parents share a negative experience or impression of mathematics, but at the same time express a belief in the importance of studying mathematics, then one is left to wonder what impression is left upon the student. Questions also arise as to how this impression translates to the student’s attitude towards mathematics and to the student’s performance in math classes. It seems reasonable to assume that if students’ perceptions of their parents’ attitudes towards mathematics are positive, then the students’ achievement should then be enhanced by this perception. Testing this hypothesis brings two benefits to the research community: 1) the use of educational research implemented to shed light on a commonly held belief and, 2) the exploration of other variables should develop a better understanding of the factors which influence student achievement in mathematics.

Demographics and socioeconomic status are also considered to be important factors when trying to understand better the complex interaction between mathematics achievement, perceived parental attitudes, and students’ attitudes toward mathematics. Studies which have investigated socioeconomic status (SES) and math achievement have revealed that students from lower SES

7 Students’ and Parents’ Attitudes About Math groups demonstrate significantly lower levels of math achievement (Signer, et al., 1996; Simich-

Dudgeon, 1996; Tapia & Marsh, 2001). Given that data were collected from three distinct socioeconomic groups for this study, it was clear that the demographics of these areas were unique to the socioeconomic groups that were represented. The upper class group was found in an elite beachfront community, the middle class was encountered in a clean, safe, suburban area, and the lower class group was located in an agricultural work setting. Understanding the relationship between the role of these demographics, the socioeconomic levels of these areas, and student achievement in specific areas like mathematics is an area that can be further developed in educational research. Therefore, our study has analyzed how students’ perceptions of their parents’ attitudes toward mathematics as well as their own attitudes toward mathematics interact with sex and SES in order to reveal how these social factors affect the teaching-learning process in mathematics.

4. Data Collection

Data were collected during spring 2004 from 204 seventh and eighth grade students who were enrolled in one of eight Algebra I classes. The classes were purposefully selected from three public schools in southern California representing differing socio-economic levels (three upper, three middle, two lower groups), as represented by the percentage of students at those schools receiving free or reduced price lunch. At the schools sampled, 9%, 26% and 78% of students qualified for free or reduced price lunch, respectively. A total of 114 females, 79 males and one unreported respondent participated in the study. In the upper SES school, 32 males and

46 females completed the questionnaire (10 7th grade males, 14 7th grade females, 22 8th grade males, 32 8th grade females, and one unreported 8th grader). At the middle SES school, 47

8 Students’ and Parents’ Attitudes About Math females (1 7th grader, 46 8th graders) and 30 8th grade males participated in the study. At the lower SES school, 31 8th grade females and 17 8th grade males.

Student attitudes and perceived parental attitudes toward mathematics were measured using the researcher designed “Attitudes Toward Mathematics Questionnaire”. The questionnaire consisted of four sections. The first section consisted of 20 graded response items regarding the importance, value, and efficacy in doing mathematics, to which students were asked to indicate the response they believed their father would give. In response to the importance question, “My father thinks it is important to do well in mathematics”, for instance, the student would respond with a “5” to indicate agreement down to a “1” to indicate disagreement with that question. In the second part of the questionnaire, the same questions were used to assess the students’ perceptions of their mothers’ attitudes about math. For example, if the question on the questionnaire read, “I believe mathematics is useful,” then the student would respond with an answer that indicated the student’s perception of their mother’s level of agreement or disagreement with the statement. The third section of the questionnaire questioned the student about his or her own attitude about mathematics. The fourth section of the questionnaire asks students to choose 5 words from a list of 30 that they would use to describe math. This qualitative section will be analyzed in a follow-up study. In addition to the questionnaires, students’ first semester Algebra I grades were collected.

The researchers administered the questionnaires to the middle school students during their Algebra I class. The data collected were recorded in such a manner that the student’s name, questionnaire, and course grade could never be linked together. To maintain confidentiality, each student was assigned a number code and was referred to throughout the study by that number.

5. Analyses

Before addressing specific research questions, SPSS was used to run a series of

Maximum Likelihood Exploratory Factor Analyses on each of the three questionnaire subscales.

Identical, three-factor solutions were found for each of the following: the Father Subscale, the

Mother Subscale, and the Student Subscale. Items 2, 4, 11, 12, 15, 17, and 18 of the questionnaire loaded on the first factor, which we labeled the ‘Confidence’ factor (see Appendix for actual questionnaire). Items 7, 8, 9, 14, and 16 loaded on the second factor, which we called the ‘Importance’ factor. Items 5, 13 and 19 loaded on the third factor which is labeled the

‘Frustration’ factor. Tables 1, 2, and 3 illustrate these factor loadings for each of the subscales.

Table 1. Rotated Factor Matrix on Items from Part One of the Questionnaire: The Father Subscale Item (# on Questionnaire) Factor Confidence Importance Frustration He thinks it is fun to do math problems. (17) .831 He sometimes tells me that math is fun. (11) .763 He seems confident about helping me with my math homework. (12) .710 .264 -.325 He likes to help me with my math homework. (18) .703 .231 I think he enjoyed his high school math classes. (2) .670 -.237 He sometimes tells me that math is useful. (4) .486 .421 Math is part of our household on a daily basis. (15) .364 .331 He thinks it is important to do well in math. (16) .863 He thinks it is important for me to take math classes. (14) .777 He encourages me to get good grades in math class. (8) .601 He encourages me to take math classes beyond what is required. (7) .254 .561 He thinks math is necessary for getting a job. (9) .288 .510 I think he is easily frustrated with math. (5) -.390 .832 He sometimes tells me that math is frustrating. (13) .545 He gets frustrated when he cannot help me with a math problem. (19) .201 1. Loadings less than .2 were suppressed for readability 2. These 3 correlated factors accounted for 53 % of the variation (Confidence-33%, Importance-12%, and Frustration-8%)

Table 2. Rotated Factor Matrix on Items from Part Two of the Questionnaire: The Mother Subscale Item (# on Questionnaire) Factor Confidence Importance Frustration She seems confident about helping me with my math homework. (12) .990 She likes to help me with my math homework. (18) .776 .271 She thinks it is fun to do math problems. (17) .615 -.285 I think she enjoyed her math classes. (2) .477 .240 -.302 She sometimes tells me that math is fun. (11) .423 .363 Math is part of our household on a daily basis. (15) .325 She sometimes tells me that math is useful. (4) .286 . She thinks it is important to do well in math. (16) .879 She thinks it is important for me to take math classes. (14) .788 She encourages me to get good grades in math class. (8) .778 She encourages me to take math classes beyond what is required. (7) .601 She thinks math is necessary for getting a job. (9) .532 She sometimes tells me that math is frustrating. (13) -.574 .367 I think she is easily frustrated with math. (5) .410 She gets frustrated when she cannot help me with a math problem. (19) .133 1. Loadings less than .2 were suppressed for readability 2. These 3 correlated factors accounted for 62 % of the variation (Importance-37%, Confidence-15%, Frustration-10%)

Table 3. Rotated Factor Matrix on Items from Part Three of the Questionnaire: The Student Subscale Item (# on Questionnaire) Factor Confidence Importance Frustration I think it is fun to do math problems. (17) .878 I think math is fun. (11) .876 I like to do my math homework. (18) .722 I enjoy my high school math classes. (2) .705 .396 I am confident in my math class. (12) .456 -.402 Math is part of our household on a daily basis. (15) .319 .366 I think math is useful. (4) .394 .658 I think it is important for me to take math classes. (14) .773 I think that math is necessary for getting a job. (9) .684 I want to get good grades in math class. (8) .644 I think it is important to do well in math classes. (16) .551 I want to take math classes beyond what is required. (7) .334 .451 -.311 I am easily frustrated with math. (5) .848 I think math is frustrating. (13) .821 I get frustrated when I can’t do a math problem. (19) .590 1. Loadings less than .2 were suppressed for readability 2. These 3 correlated factors accounted for 64 % of the variation (Confidence-40%, Importance-14%, and Frustration 10%)

To answer each research question, we first ran bivariate correlations between the student achievement variable and the respective latent (as obtained from the factor analyses), or measured variable of interest (confidence, importance, frustration, ses, sex). We then ran

11 Students’ and Parents’ Attitudes About Math univariate ANOVA using the student achievement variable as dependent variable and each variable as an independent factor, respectively.

6. Results

Research question 1: Is there a relationship between student achievement in Algebra I classes and students’ perceptions of their parent’s attitudes toward mathematics?

Finding: There is no relationship between student achievement in Algebra I classes and students’ perceptions of their parent’s attitudes toward mathematics.

 None of the mother or father latent variables are correlated with student achievement.

Achievement and Mom’s Frustration (r=.010, p=.89)

Achievement and Mom’s Confidence (r=.006, p=.940)

Achievement and Mom’s Importance (r=.043, p=.574)

Achievement and Dad’s Frustration (r=.093, p=.230)

Achievement and Dad’s Confidence (r=.143, p=.066)

Achievement and Dad’s Importance (r=.062, p=.424)

Research Question 2: Is there a relationship between student achievement in Algebra I classes

and SES?

Finding: There is a relationship between student achievement in Algebra I classes and SES.

 Student achievement and SES are correlated (r=.22, p=.003).

14.0% 12.0% 10.0% 8.0% Low SES

% o S u d e n s Middle SES 6.0% High SES 4.0% 2.0% 0.0% F D+ C- C C+ B- B B+ A- A Grade

Figure 1. Student Achievement in Algebra I Classes by SES Level

Table 4. Student Achievement Across SES Levels Number of responses Mean Median Low SES 49 3.10 3.3 Middle SES 76 3.40 3.3 High SES 79 3.53 3.7

 An ANOVA, run in SPSS with student achievement in Algebra I classes as the dependent

variable and SES as the independent variable, showed statistically significant differences

(F=4.9, p=.01). Post hoc tests showed that the differences occurred between the low and

middle and low and high groups only, that is a typical student with low SES achieved a

lower grade in Algebra I than her high and middle SES peers. We found no statistically

significant difference between the middle and high SES groups.

Research Question 3: Is there a relationship between student achievement in Algebra I classes

and sex?

Finding: There is a relationship between student achievement in Algebra I class and sex.

 Student achievement and sex are correlated (r=.168, p=.028). From the bar graph in

Figure 2 below, it is apparent that females do better than males in Algebra I classes. In

particular, more females than males get high grades, and more males than females get

low grades.

30.0% s t

n 25.0% e d u

t 20.0% S

f Male o 15.0% e Female g a t 10.0% n e c r

e 5.0% P 0.0% F D+ C- C C+ B- B B+ A- A Grade

Figure 2. Student Achievement in Algebra I class by SEX.

Table 5. Student Achievement Across Sex. SEX Number of responses Mean Median Male 68 3.2 3.3 Female 109 3.5 3.7

An ANOVA, run in SPSS, with student achievement as the dependent variable and SEX as the independent variable, showed that the differences in mean achievement between males and females were statistically significant (F=4.9, p=.03). The interaction of SEX and SES had no statistically significant effect on student achievement.

Research Question 4: Is there a relationship between student achievement in Algebra I classes and students’ attitudes toward mathematics?

Finding: There is a relationship between student achievement in Algebra I classes and students’ attitudes toward mathematics.

 Student achievement is negatively correlated to student Frustration (r=-.21, p<.01)

Table 6. Comparison of student achievement mean scores across students’ Frustration categories.

Student's Frustration Category (H, M, L) N Mean Std. Dev. Low (less than 2.67) 59 3.5 .87 Medium (between 2.67 and 3.67) 69 3.5 .67 High (greater or equal to 3.67) 76 3.1 .61

A one-way ANOVA, run in SPSS, with student achievement as the dependent variable and student Frustration categories as the independent factor, showed a statistically significant difference on the student Frustration factor (F=5.59 , p<.01). Subsequent LSD multiple comparisons showed that differences on the student Frustration factor occurred between the medium and high and the low and high categories (p=.01), indicating that students who had a high frustration level when doing mathematics achieved significantly lower than those students who had medium or low frustration levels when doing mathematics.

 Student achievement is not positively correlated to student Confidence (r=.20, p<.01)

Table 7. Comparison of student achievement mean scores across students’ Confidence categories .

Student's confidence category (H, M. L) N Mean Std. Dev. Low [less than 3] 69 3.2 .82 Medium (between 3 and 3.57) 51 3.4 .72 High (greater than or equal to 3.57) 84 3.5 .63

A one-way ANOVA, run in SPSS with student achievement as the dependent variable and student Confidence categories as the independent factor, showed no statistically significant differences.

 Student achievement is positively correlated to student Importance (r=-.209, p<.01)

Table 8. Comparison of student achievement mean scores across student Importance categories.

Student's Importance category (H, M. L) N Mean Std. Dev. Low [less than 4.4] 59 3.1 .79 Medium (between 4.4 and 4.8) 69 3.3 .66 High (greater than or equal to 4.8) 76 3.5 .66

A one-way ANOVA, run in SPSS, with student achievement as the dependent variable and student Importance categories as the independent factor, showed a statistically significant difference on the student Importance factor ( F=7.38 , p=.04 ). Subsequent LSD multiple comparisons showed that differences on the student Importance factor occurred between the medium and high and the low and high categories (p<.01), indicating that students giving mathematics the highest importance achieved significantly higher than those students who rated math of medium or low importance.

Finding: The relationship between student achievement and student attitudes toward

mathematics differs by SEX.

 Boy’s achievement in Algebra I classes is positively correlated to student Importance

(r=.316, p<.01) and not correlated with the other two latent variables.

 Girls achievement in Algebra I classes is negatively correlated to student Frustration

(r=-.269, p<.01), positively correlated to student Confidence (r=.218, p=.02) and not

correlated to student Importance.

7. Conclusion

Surprisingly, though we expected to find a relationship between student achievement in

Algebra I classes, as determined by grade, and students’ perceptions of their parents’ attitudes toward math, we found no statistically significant correlation. This is a key finding of the study since the literature reviewed indicates that parental attitudes toward mathematics have a significant effect upon high school students’ performance in math classes. Our research attempted to build upon this literature by exploring whether eighth grade Algebra I students’ perceptions of their parents’ attitudes would similarly be associated with their own performance, yet we found no such direct association. This result is good news for parents who did not excel in mathematics classes or who did not enjoy math classes, as the data indicate that other factors and mediating influences are affecting student achievement in mathematics. When considering our finding in light of previous research that shows parental influence does affect student performance in math classes, it appears that the important factor is not what experience parents had in math classes but what message is being given to the child about studying mathematics. In other words, whether or not a student believes their parents have positive or negative attitudes

17 Students’ and Parents’ Attitudes About Math toward mathematics, the critical factor affecting student performance in math class is what parents are saying directly to their children about math classes.

Our second finding that there is a relationship between student achievement in Algebra I classes and socioeconomic status is not a surprise. Across the nation results on standardized testing show that students in lower SES schools generally achieve lower mathematics results than students in higher SES schools. This result indicates a continued need for equitable funding to schools at low SES levels to provide opportunities to promote mathematics activities and learning opportunities. In light of the available research and our own findings, one can hypothesize that limited resources in these demographic areas leads to inequitable results.

The third finding of our study indicates that student achievement in Algebra I classes is correlated to sex, with girls outperforming boys at a statistically significant level. Research on the effect of gender on mathematics performance has been inconclusive with results varying in different studies. Some studies seem to indicate that while girls do not perceive themselves to be as talented at mathematics as boys, they perform equally well or better in high school mathematics classes. Our study clearly shows that at the Algebra I level, girls are earning better grades than their male peers. As a follow-up study, one could track whether this achievement gap continues through high school or if the difference lessens as the students grow older.

Perhaps the most interesting result of our study was the finding that a relationship exists between student achievement in Algebra I classes and students’ attitudes toward mathematics.

More importantly, our study indicates significant gender differences in the way that student achievement in Algebra I classes relates to students’ attitudes toward math. The achievement of boys in Algebra I classes correlated positively with the Importance factor, while the achievement of girls in Algebra I classes correlated positively with the Frustration factor and the Confidence

18 Students’ and Parents’ Attitudes About Math factor. Interestingly, there was no correlation between the achievement of boys and the

Frustration or Confidence factor and no correlation between the achievement of girls and the

Importance factor. These results indicate that for boys to perform well in Algebra I classes it is important for teachers to motivate the material. In other words, boys will perform well in class if they believe that math is important and that it is important for them to do well in math classes.

This may explain the gender differences that exist in achievement in Algebra I classes as it can be difficult to explain the importance and usefulness of abstract variables to 8th and 9th grade math students. On the other hand, for girls to perform well in math classes it is important for teachers to make sure that they feel confident in their abilities and that they are not frustrated by the material or by homework problems. It appears that girls will succeed if they feel good about the class and about their mathematical abilities, regardless of whether or not they believe the class is important. These results present Algebra I teachers with an interesting challenge, since boys and girls have different sets of needs at this level of mathematics.

8. Educational Importance of the Study

This study provided a valuable opportunity to test the reasonable hypothesis that students’ perceptions of their parents’ attitudes towards math directly affects their achievement in eighth grade Algebra I classes. This research also offers the chance to study other factors that influence student achievement in math and provides further insight into the teaching and learning process of mathematics. Reviewing and researching the data gathered from the demographic samples, we were able to see differences in the distinct socioeconomic and gender groups.

Taking into consideration these demographic factors allows us to provide a wider context to understand the implications of our results within the educational community. Knowing what

19 Students’ and Parents’ Attitudes About Math factors may influence student achievement in the classroom and students’ attitudes toward mathematics are valuable for educational practitioners, parents, and students, particularly when these factors show clear differences in the gender groups and the SES groups. Understanding that achievement in mathematics influences girls in an affective manner while achievement in mathematics affects boys in a consequential manner will help math teachers understand better students’ responses to their achievement in a math class. Research such as the work presented here will continue to assist in the understanding of student achievement in mathematics, and will help shed light on the various factors like gender, SES, and parental influences that should be considered when investigating this complex topic.

Appendix

APPENDIX A: MATH SURVEY

Please answer the following questions to the best of your ability: 1. Grade: _____ 2. Gender: M F 3. Age: _____

You are going to be asked several questions about your father (or your male guardian). What is his occupation? ______Please fill in one of the circles to describe his education:  He did not graduate from high school.  He earned a high school diploma, but did not go to college.  He earned a high school diploma and went to college, but did not finish college.  He earned a high school diploma and a college degree.  He earned a high school diploma, a college degree, and additional degrees after college (like a graduate school, law school or medical school degree).  I don’t know.

On a scale from  to , please indicate whether or not you agree with the following sentences. Mark  if you Strongly Disagree. Mark  if you Disagree. Mark  if you do not Agree or Disagree. Mark  if you Agree. Mark  if you Strongly Agree.

 1. I think he earned good grades in math classes in high school.  2. I think he enjoyed his high school math classes.  3. I think he is willing to help me with my math homework.  4. He sometimes tells me that math is useful.  5. I think he is easily frustrated with math.  6. He sometimes discusses math with me.  7. He encourages me to take math classes beyond what is required.  8. He encourages me to get good grades in math class.  9. He thinks that math is necessary for getting a job.  10. He believes that how I do in my math class is directly affected by my math teacher.  11. He sometimes tells me math is fun.  12. He seems confident about helping me with my math homework.  13. He sometimes tells me math is frustrating.  14. He thinks it is important for me to take math classes.  15. Math is a part of our household on a daily basis.  16. He thinks it is important to do well in math classes.  17. He thinks it is fun to do math problems.  18. He likes to help me with my math homework.  19. He gets frustrated when he can’t help me with a math problem.

20. How often does your father or male guardian help you with math homework? (Circle one)

Never Once a month Once a week 2 or 3 times per week More than 4 times per week

You are now going to be asked several questions about your mother (or female guardian).

What is her occupation? ______

Please fill in one of the circles to describe her education:  She did not graduate from high school.  She earned a high school diploma, but did not go to college.  She earned a high school diploma and went to college, but did not finish college.  She earned a high school diploma and a college degree.  She earned a high school diploma, a college degree, and additional degrees after college (like a graduate school, law school or medical school degree).  I don’t know.

 1. I think she earned good grades in math classes in high school.  2. I think she enjoyed her high school math classes.  3. I think she is willing to help me with my math homework.  4. She sometimes tells me that math is useful.  5. I think she is easily frustrated with math.  6. She sometimes discusses math with me.  7. She encourages me to take math classes beyond what is required.  8. She encourages me to get good grades in math class.  9. She thinks that math is necessary for getting a job.  10. She believes that how I do in my math class is directly affected by my math teacher.  11. She sometimes tells me math is fun.  12. She seems confident about helping me with my math homework.  13. She sometimes tells me math is frustrating.  14. She thinks it is important for me to take math classes.  15. Math is a part of our household on a daily basis.  16. She thinks it is important to do well in math classes.  17. She thinks it is fun to do math problems.  18. She likes to help me with my math homework.  19. She gets frustrated when she can’t help me with a math problem.

20. How often does your mother or female guardian help you with math homework? (Circle one)

Never Once a month Once a week 2 or 3 times per week More than 4 times per week

You are now going to be asked several questions about yourself.

No Yes  1. I expect to earn good grades in math classes in high school.  2. I enjoy my high school math classes.  3. I complete most of my math homework.  4. I think math is useful.  5. I am easily frustrated with math.  6. I sometimes discuss math with my family.  7. I want to take math classes beyond what is required.  8. I want to get good grades in math class.  9. I think that math is necessary for getting a job.  10. I believe that how I do in my math class is directly affected by my math teacher.  11. I think math is fun.  12. I am confident in my math class.  13. I think math is frustrating.  14. I think it is important for me to take math classes.  15. Math is a part of our household on a daily basis.  16. I think it is important to do well in math classes.  17. I think it is fun to do math problems.  18. I like to do my math homework.  19. I get frustrated when I can’t do a math problem.

24 Students’ and Parents’ Attitudes About Math analytical logical boring mechanical challenging memorization clear nervous clever open-ended cool practical creative rational detailed reasoning difficult relevant discouraging rules discovery simple exciting stupid flexible thought-provoking formulas tricky interesting useless

Five words I would use to describe math from the list are:

1. ______

2. ______

3. ______

4. ______

5. ______

Please fill in one of the circles to describe how understandable this survey was:  The questions were very hard to understand.  The questions were mostly hard to understand.  I understood a lot of the questions, but there were several questions that were hard to understand.  I understood most of the questions, and only a few were hard to understand.  I understood all of the questions.

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