GASPRO International Journal of Eminent Scholars

Abstract In order to examine parental influences on children's mathematics achievement, a survey participated by 198 students and their parents in fifth-and eighth-grade has been conducted in Hangzhou, China. It was found that parents held very high expectations for their children's education and highly involved themselves in their children's mathematics, irrespective of their educational background and social economic status. Results showed that parental educational expectations for their children and involvement in their children's mathematics learning were two major factors which influence children's educational expectations for themselves, attitudes toward mathematics, and self-confidence in doing mathematics. The research also showed that about 11 % of the variability of mathematics achievement were accounted for by the variability of parental educational expectation for their children, but that parental involvement had less influence on mathematics achievement. Keywords: Educational expectations, Parents, Students’ Attitudes toward Mathematics Learning, Family Factors, children’s mathematics achievement, Family background