More than one way to grow up: An interview with Annette Lareau

Abstract

Kappan editor Rafael Heller interviews Annette Lareau about her research into different experiences of childhood and family life. In her observations of families of different social classes, she learned that upper-middle-class families approach parenting as an act of “concerted cultivation” requiring ongoing attention, making them more likely to become active participants in their children’s education. Working-class and poor parents, in contrast, focus on “natural growth” and are more likely to defer to teachers’ expertise. Lareau contends that both parenting strategies have advantages and disadvantages.