Relationships and children\u27s schooling in rural northwest China: Teachers\u27, mothers\u27, and children\u27s perspectives

Previous research on educational stratification in rural China has focused mostly on barriers to children\u27s access to schooling. However, we have limited knowledge about many aspects of children\u27s relationships with teachers and parents, and how these relationships may impact children\u27s school achievement and attainment. With almost universal enrollment at the basic education level in China, it has become increasingly important to explore how the interpersonal aspects of children\u27s schooling may lead to disparities in educational outcomes. This dissertation analyzes the Gansu Survey of Children and Families, a longitudinal dataset from northwest China. The focus of this study is to examine children\u27s relationships with teachers and mothers, through the perspectives of each group. The first essay focuses on the influence of children\u27s family background on teachers\u27 expectations for children\u27s future education. Analysis reveals that teachers\u27 evaluative opinions of parents\u27 ability and willingness to facilitate children\u27s schooling, above and beyond family socioeconomic status measures, are associated with teachers\u27 evaluations of children\u27s learning capacity and behavior at school, and teachers\u27 educational expectations for children. The second essay tests whether there is disagreement between mothers and children in their expectations of children\u27s future education, and in their interpretations of children\u27s schooling. Results show that there is much discrepancy between mothers\u27 and children\u27s educational expectations, and between mothers\u27 and children\u27s evaluations of children\u27s engagement in school and academic achievement. Both mothers and children\u27s high educational expectations are closely associated with children\u27s subsequent school persistence. The last essay investigates relationships among teachers\u27 and children\u27s educational expectations and children\u27s school achievement. Results show that there is much instability in children\u27s expectations and achievement over time. Results also indicate that teachers\u27 early expectations and evaluations of children have some lagged impact on children\u27s later school achievement. These findings suggest that in rural Gansu, where economic and human resources available to children are still limited, supportive relationships with teachers and close connections with parents are important for children\u27s school achievement and school persistence. Family background may have an indirect impact on children\u27s schooling through influencing children\u27s relationships with teachers and parents