Parental Ethno theories of two groups of Chinese immigrants: a perspective from migration

This paper argues against the stereotypical image of the Chinese parent by studying how two groups of Chinese immigrant mothers, economic and knowledge immigrants, rebuilt their parenting ethnotheories after migration to the Netherlands. The results show that economic immigrants believe in natural growth and direct their children through authoritarian relationships, while knowledge immigrants see parenting as a task which demands much personal effort and an equal, transparent and close parent–child relationship. These differences are explained through a focus on both their pre-migration histories and how these are reinterpreted in the migration context

Can we de-pedagogicise society?

In this chapter I will address and analyse claims that argue that we need to turn to what has been lost through pedagogicisation, and that we need to de-pedagogicise society. I will discuss the limitations and the potential of going native in an apparently over-pedagogicised society, through reflecting on the questions: How do we understand pedagogicisation in relationship to learning? Is pedagogy, or teaching as a separate register unique? How do we understand a teaching register, and (why) do we need it? Can we speak at all of a “natural” way of learning removed from communities of practice

How Moroccan‐Dutch parents learn in communities of practice: Evaluating a bottom‐up parenting programme

Research shows that top‐down‐designed parenting programmes do not always meet the needs of postmigration parents. Bottom‐up programmes by migrant organizations hold a promise to fill this gap; however, research about these programmes and appropriate evaluation methodologies is scarce. Drawing upon Wenger's (2010) “communities of practice,” this paper explores an alternative perspective on parenting programme evaluation. Findings are presented from a study looking into social learning processes of postmigration parents who participated in a bottom‐up programme about raising teenagers in urban areas. Using an ethnographically inspired method combined with a preprogramme and postprogramme design, 115 Moroccan‐Dutch mothers and fathers from 15 programme groups participated. Results show that the programme provided a social learning space in which parents used themselves as resources to learn collectively about parenting. Moreover, parents consciously engaged in learning interactions across learning spaces stretched into their social networks. These analyses showed how parents' development of “learning citizenship” (Wenger, 2009) provides us with insight in collective learning dimensions present in a bottom‐up parenting programme, which is often not included in evaluation studies. Implications for practitioners as facilitators of parents' collective learning are presented

‘I Want Good Children, Also for this Country’: How Dutch Minority Muslim Parents’ Experience and Negotiate Parenting, Parenthood and Citizenship

This article investigates how minority Muslim parents experience and negotiate parenting, parenthood and citizenship in a context of increasing sociopolitical tensions. Drawing upon both parenting and parenthood as well as minority citizenship studies, it conceptualises parenthood as a domain for experiences of in- and exclusion of belonging to society. Based on an ethnographic study with self-organizing Moroccan-Dutch parent groups, analyses show that political discourses contesting migrants’ belonging to society as well as disqualifications of minority parenting in parenting discourses and social services enter these families’ domestic lives in pervasive ways. As parents engage in sociopolitical dynamics in public spheres, they ground themselves in migratory, classed, historical, religious and globalized perspectives to express, counter and co-build parenthood and citizenship notions. As such, this study sheds light on how parents affirm their civic contribution to society as a parent, as well as on the civic nature of parenthood. Translating the findings to practice, this article draws attention to minority Muslim families’ diverse stances as child rearing citizens

Overseas Chinese Educational Strategies and Its Policy Implications

This paper assesses whether China’s policies for providing educational support to overseas Chinese match the educational needs of current Chinese immigrants around the world. Firstly, the paper presents the different migration backgrounds of four waves of Chinese global migration in contemporary history: labor immigrants to the Global North, international students in the G lobal North, businessmen in the Global South and the new rich investors in the Global North. Using the concept of intergenerational contract, we found the four waves have distinct parental investment strategies in relation to their migration background, which comes along with their different educational needs. After carefully reviewing China’s policies in overseas education in terms of the assumptions, purpose and background of their implementation, we argue that these policies are outdated and serve the needs of only a limited number of Chinese immigrants due to their ignoring the variety of certain intergenerational contracts. Lastly, some specific suggestions for policy makers are given

The contribution of executive functions in predicting mathematic creativity in typical elementary school classes: A twofold role for updating

The goal of the current study was to investigate the role of executive functions in mathematical creativity. The sample included 278 primary school children (ages 8–13). Two models were compared: the starting model tested whether executive functions (shifting, updating, and inhibition), domain-general creativity, and mathematical ability directly predicted mathematical creativity. The second model, which fitted the data best, included the additional assumption that updating influences mathematical creativity indirectly through mathematical ability and domain-general creativity. Updating was positively related to mathematical creativity. Additionally, updating was positively related to mathematical ability and domain-general creativity. Inhibition, shifting, domain-general creativity and mathematical ability did not have a significant contribution to either model but did positively correlate with mathematical creativity. This study reports the first empirical evidence that updating is a predictor of mathematical creativity in primary school children and demonstrates that creativity is a higher order cognitive process, activating a variety of cognitive abilities

Reshaping parental ethnotheories of Dutch-Moroccan immigrant parents in the Netherlands: Networking in multiple worlds

Ethnotheories of immigrant parents residing in the Netherlands are reshaped in response to the multiple and diverse educational practices they come in contact with after migration. Network analyses of “parenting relationships” of first generation Dutch-Moroccan parents living in the Netherlands show that they borrow from diverse resources including professionals and non-professionals in their construction of new ethnotheories. Through media as well as through interacting with family in their country of origin, with same-generation peers in the Netherlands, and with Dutch professionals and neighbors, these mothers develop “modern” notions of parenting such as stimulating child independence, while also using building blocks from traditional practices such as respect for the elderly. Individual variability is evident in parents’ processes of adaptation, with some parents seeming stuck between these alternative and seemingly contradictory practices and ideas while others learn to use them to position themselves optimally in their multi-ethnic environment. The paper argues that recognizing these parents as creative producers of their own solutions, and becoming conscious of their self-made support networks and the resources they provide, can offer professionals and policy makers a new paradigm for the design of social services and support for immigrant parents

Two Cultural Models on Infant Motor Development: Middle Class Parents in Israel and the Netherlands

Culture influences the way parents shape children’s environment. Two studies examined cross-cultural differences in parental practices related to motor development in Israel and the Netherlands. In the first study, 198 Dutch and 206 Israeli parents of infants aged 1–7.5 months completed questionnaires measuring parental practices and beliefs regarding motor development. In the second study, 30 Dutch and 30 Israeli parents completed the same questionnaires when their children were 2 and 10 months old. While similarities were found across the cultures, Israeli parents practiced infant prone positioning more. Additionally, Dutch infants spent substantial more time in the playpen. Furthermore, beliefs stressing stimulation and stimulating practices (both more frequent within Israeli parents) predicted better prone skills, shown by the Israeli infants. Findings highlight the diversity of parental practices related to infant motor development

Sex differences in the association of math achievement with visual-spatial and verbal working memory: Does the type of math test matter?

Previous research on sex differences in mathematical achievement shows mixed findings, which have been argued to depend on types of math tests used and the type of solution strategies (i.e., verbal versus visual-spatial) these tests evoke. The current study evaluated sex differences in (a) performance (development) on two types of math tests in primary schools and (b) the predictive value of verbal and visual-spatial working memory on math achievement. Children (N = 3175) from grades 2 through five participated. Visual-spatial and verbal working memory were assessed using online computerized tasks. Math performance was assessed five times during two school years using a speeded arithmetic test (math fluency) and a word problem test (math problem solving). Results from Multilevel Multigroup Latent Growth Modeling, showed that sex differences in level and growth of math performance were mixed and very small. Sex differences in the predictive value of verbal and visual-spatial working memory for math performance suggested that boys seemed to rely more on verbal strategies than girls. Explanations focus on cognitive and emotional factors and how these may interact to possibly amplify sex differences as children grow older