The Impact of Working-class Mothers on the Educational Success of their Adolescent Daughters at a Time of Social Change
Title:
The Impact of Working-class Mothers on the Educational Success of their Adolescent Daughters at a Time of Social Change
Author:
Mann, Chris
Appeared in:
British journal of sociology of education
Paging:
Volume 19 (1998) nr. 2 pages 211-226
Year:
1998-06
Contents:
Current unprecedented levels of academic achievement among girls from all classes raise questions about the contemporary experience of girls in general and, in particular, working-class girls who, historically, perform less well. As the relatively low achievement of working-class girls has been associated with family culture and influence, this, in turn, raises questions about girls' experience in the contemporary family. This paper draws on findings from a recent research project and focuses on the contribution of working-class mothers to girls' achievement. Working-class families were defined as either traditional (retaining traditional gender relations) or transitional (challenging traditional gender relations). Factors which were identified as contributing to a 'transitional' life trajectory for a working-class mother might include: the impact of employment, adult education, the women's movement, and/or the experiences of divorce and lone parenting. The author concludes that while neither traditional nor transitional working-class mothers might become greatly involved informal aspects of schooling, it is clear that their relationships with their daughters strongly influence their academic experience. Mother-daughter relationship seemed to favour girls' educational achievement in three main and interconnected ways: (a) by emphasising independence, (b) by providing emotional support, and (c) by influencing girls' values in the light of current social change.
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