Comparing Expectations of Mexican-Immigrant Mothers and School Staff for Student Success

by Pitts, Robert Christopher.

This qualitative study compared the expectations and aspirations held by Mexican-immigrant mothers for their children with the expectations and aspirations held by staff at the neighborhood school. The study involved interviewing four Mexican-immigrant mothers and five staff members from the school. The interviews for mothers asked about educational history and family background, as well as about their thoughts about the neighborhood school and their expectations for the students’ academic success. Teachers were asked about potential barriers to the academic success of Mexican-immigrant students. Salient themes that emerged from the data indicate that communication and connecting with the community are a focus of all the staff and mothers value communication at the school. However, teachers do not communicate with parents about the concerns for students in middle and high school and the importance or performing well on state and district assessments. 11