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77106203.Pdf I EARLY LITERACY BEGINS WITH ... WHOM? AN EXPLORATION OF MOTHERING WORK AS A COMPONENT IN STUDENTS' EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS JESSICA RIZK A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THEFACULTYOFGRADUATESTUDIBS IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF EDUCATION GRADUATE PROGRAM IN EDUCATION YORK UNIVERSITY TORONTO, ONTARIO September 2013 ©Jessica Rizk, 2013 ABSTRACT Much research has examined the benefits of family literacy programs, but only few have taken up the embedded gendered and class dynamics found in many early literacy frameworks such as storytime programs. The purpose of this thesis then is to investigate the kinds of gendered and class based assumptions involved in early literacy work. Data collection was comprised of observations from storytime programs held at a local library; in-depth interviews with librarian programmers and mother attendees; and a content analysis of read and recommended literature. The major findings from this research suggest that: a) There are specific expectations regarding "appropriate" literacy work; b) It is assumed that mothers will carry out such prescribed work; and ·c) Gender was not an important consideration when selecting stories, as it was expected that authors and publishers take up such issues beforehand. These results have implications for future research on mothering discourses and early literacy work. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS "Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light" - Albert Schweitzer It is with great pleasure that.I acknowledge the many important individuals who have, in one way or another, guided me through this long and exciting process. I would like to express my sincere and deepest appreciation to ... my wonderful supervisor, Dr. Alison Griffith, for igniting my interest in this topic through her course, EDUC 5480: Families and Schools. I have greatly benefited from your insightful comments, stimulating advice, and constant engagement during this thesis writing process. You have allowed me to grow as a researcher, and this thesis would not have been completed without you . professor Joy Mannette, for your caring and compassionate nature. Many thanks for the support and push you gave us to take our research out into the world and make our voices heard. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to co.llaborate with a bunch of talented individuals on the CIP project. ... my exceptional mentor, Peter Landstreet. I am indebted to you for all your wisdom and guidance that you have shared with me. Thanks for always taking the time to give me outstanding advice over long conversations and coffee breaks. iii ... the librarians and mothers who took the time out of their busy schedules to participate in my study. Thank you for sharing your experiences . .my deeply supporting and loving parents, Diana and Doumit Rizk. It is through your encouragement, patience, and unequivocal support that I was able to complete this major milestone in my life, and move forward in my career. You have molded me into the person I am today and I carry you both wherever I go and in whatever I do . my two younger brothers, Marlon and Jason Rizk. Thank you silly stooges for all the smiles, laughs, and distractions when I needed them the most. ... my caring friends who have made this experience much more enjoyable. My deepest heartfelt appreciation goes to Ephrem Chemali for constantly guiding me back on track after falling off the path countless times. Without his constant reinforcement, inspiration, and encouragement, I would most likely still be in the early stages of my work. Special thanks go out to my fellow graduate students, Anton Birioukov, and Mateen Khalid, for lending me an ear when I needed to talk. I am grateful for all our talks, laughs, and adventures as we tackled this thesis-writing process together. I would also like to express thanks to Marcelo Lorenzo for always cracking jokes to brighten up my days, and reminding me that taking breaks are essential to productivity. iv Lastly, I would also like to express my gratitude to York University and SSHRC for their financial support. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................................... ii A CKN 0 WLEDG MENTS ............................................................................................... iii CH.APTER I: INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................... 1 Main Argument ............................................................................................................. 1 Goal of Research ............................................................................................................ 1 Statement of the Problem .............................................................................................. 2 The Selection Criteria of Children's Literature .......................................................... .4 Conceptual Framework ................................................................................................ 5 The Mothering Discourse ............................................................................................ 5 Culture Capital, Institutional Ethnography, and Early Literacy Work ........................ 8 Moving Towards Intuitional Ethnography and Ruling Relations ............................. 11 Significance of This Research ..................................................................................... 14 Outline of Thesis .......................................................................................................... 15 CH.~PTER II: METHODOLOGY ................................................................................ 19 I11 trod uction ................................................................................................................. 19 Background .................................................................................................................. 19 Site Selection ................................................................................................................ 20 Shift of Research .......................................................................................................... 22 Methods of Data Collection ........................................................................................ 23 Methodology Rationale ............................................................................................... 25 Selection of Participants .............................................................................................. 28 a. Selection of Librarians ........................................................................................... 28 b. Selection of Mothers .............................................................................................. 29 c. Selection of books .................................................................................................. 30 Participant Characteristics ......................................................................................... 30 a. Librarians ............................................................................................................ 30 b. Mothers ............................................................................................................... 31 The Interview Schedule and Process ......................................................................... 33 Insider/Outsider Conflict ........................................................................................... 37 Execution of Research ............................................................................................... 38 Data Analysis Plan: Understanding Librarians and Mothers Experiences ........... 39 Summary ...................................................................................................................... 41 CHAPTER III: LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................... 42 In.troduction ................................................................................................................. 42 I. Family Literacy Programs ...................................................................................... 43 Connections between Family Literacy Programs to "Parents" and the Home ......... .44 Whose Literacy is Valued? ....................................................................................... .46 The Relationship between Literacy Acquisition and Cultural Capital ..................... .46 School Based Literacy ............................................................................................... 47 vi Class Differences ....................................................................................................... 48 Deficit Approach to Learning ................................................................................... .49 Culture, Community, and Family Literacy Programs ............................................... 52 II. Mothering, Parenting, and Early Literacy Work ............................................... 54 The Gendered Nature of Family Literacy Programs ................................................. 54 Mothering Work ........................................................................- ................................ 56 Moving Towards a Parental Discourse ...................................................................... 60 Where
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