| dc.description.abstract | This research study was conducted as a qualitative case study of six middle class
African American mothers living in a suburban community. Their children attended a
predominantly White suburban junior high school in their community. The study was
designed to hear the voices of the six mothers and their perceptions of their children’s
experiences in suburban schools. The intent of this study was to broaden the limited
research base relating to the academic achievement of African American students from
the mothers’ perspective. Specifically, this study investigated the African American
mothers’ perception of their children’s interactions with their White teachers and the
difficulties their children faced in advanced placement courses.
This study used the specific words of the mothers to share their narratives. Data
were collected through open-ended, semi-structured individual interviews followed by
focus group sessions. Data collection and analysis occurred simultaneously from the interviews, focus group sessions, and field notes. From the analysis, themes emerged
and were formulated into categories.
The results revealed that mothers perceived: (a) teachers as holding a lack of
cultural appreciation for their children’s culture, (b) low expectations held by the
teachers (students constantly had to prove their ability), (c) a lack of communication
from the teacher to the mother, (d) the teachers’ lack of understanding of the mothers’
preparation of the success of their children, (e) the need to maintain a role of advocacy,
(f) the need to maintain a role of visibility, and (g) the need to maintain a role of
proactive parenting. | en |
