WHAT IS APPROPRIATE-PRACTICE AT HOME AND IN CHILD-CARE - LOW-INCOME MOTHERS VIEWS ON PREPARING THEIR CHILDREN FOR SCHOOL

In this qualitative, longitudinal study, multiple interviews were cond ucted over 3 years with 14 low-income single mothers (4 White, 6 Black , and 4 Latino). The women talked about socialization goals for their preschool-aged children as well as their views concerning the role of mother and the role of child care providers in attaining those goals. A central objective for all mothers was preparing their children to su cceed in school. Most of the women expected their child's provider to engage in didactic lessons aimed at teaching basic literacy and numera cy skills. However, they all viewed other teacher-structured activitie s as important (e.g., art, music, cooking, field trips, and book readi ng). Most did not see play as being related to learning, although they acknowledged the emotional and physical benefits of play. These women 's views of learning were not entirely congruent with the constructivi st position of many early childhood educators, nor were they narrowly defined solely in terms of academic skills. They were receptive to inf ormation from child care professionals and other ''experts'' when thes e perspectives furthered their own goals for their children. Their vie ws about preschool learning were linked to other cultural models of ch ildrearing including respecting authority, contributing to one's famil y or community, and differentially allocating responsibility for teach ing to parents or to teachers.