Parents of 198 children in kindergarten and child care center completed a questionnaire on their beliefs about appropriate instructions to teach young children and on the learning-related activities they engaged in with their children at home. Parents...
Parents of 198 children in kindergarten and child care center completed a questionnaire on their beliefs about appropriate instructions to teach young children and on the learning-related activities they engaged in with their children at home. Parents who embraced on didactic, teacher-directed instruction reported to engage in relatively more formal teaching activities (e.g., flashcards, workbooks) with their children at home and less informal activities (e.g., reading to their child) than parents who were in favor of child-centered teaching. Less educated and low income parents evidenced stronger support for basic skills instruction than well-educated and high income parents. The strong relationships between parents' beliefs and learning-related activities at home suggest that parent training would be an effective way to influence the learning environment of young children.