Record: Andrea Beláňová, Katerina Machovcová, Yvona Kostelecká, & Marta McCabe, “Justifying homeschooling in Czech Republic: How “good parents” and their children use their time,” in Childhood, vol. 25, no. 4 (2018), pp. 530-543. [available here]
Summary: Beláňová, Machovcová, Kostelecká, and McCabe of Charles University in the Czech Republic sought to understand how time management can make homeschooling parents be viewed as “good parents” and how this affects the ways in which the children respond to life situations. Though the researchers used the term “parents,” they clarified in the introduction that this term in the study would refer to mothers.
Kostelecká has done previous research concerning the legality and process of homeschooling in the Czech Republic and other post-communistic societies. It is worth noting that homeschooling is still a relatively new practice in these countries. Because of this and other cultural influences, homeschoolers are often discriminated against within Czech society.
The data were collected through semi-structured interviews as well as two focus groups. There were 50 participants in the study. Of the 50 participants, 30 were currently practicing homeschooling, 10 were formerly homeschooled students, and 10 were the parents of these students.
One aspect that Beláňová et al. focused on was how homeschooling parents combined the time commitment of homeschooling with employment. From the research, they found two main scenarios: the traditional breadwinner (father) and homemaker (mother) model, and parents adopting flexible working styles (working from home, etc.). The most common scenario, however, was the traditional model.
Many of the mothers who followed the traditional model mentioned the concept of sacrifice. This word was used in reference to careers, hobbies, and time. In situations where the mother would continue with a hobby, it was not for the benefit of herself, but of her child. One mother mentioned her desire to take piano lessons, but she sacrificed this desire so that her daughter could get piano lessons instead. This idea of sacrifice was noted by the researchers as an element of “good motherhood.”
Another element of the research was how parents use their time outside of homeschooling. For some mothers, time away from the children and the family can be beneficial. One mother mentioned her goal in teaching her children to be independent and self-sufficient in their schooling so that she could go to work and have her space. Most mothers reported that most of their non-instructional time was still dedicated to their children. Whether it be setting time aside for the children’s extracurricular activities, continuing her own education to be a better teacher, or being the homemaker, the mothers from this study were motivated by the well-being of their children. This motivation was another element of “good motherhood.”
Children who participated in this study mentioned the benefits of homeschooling for teaching skills of quality time use. The day is set at the pace of the child, so there is little stress related to time. In addition to this, students need to stay on pace with their school curriculum, which gives them the motivation to use their time effectively. The time management skills associated with homeschooling were also linked by the participants to a sense of responsibility and preparedness for life.
Appraisal: Beláňová et al. gathered compelling data as to what makes a “good parent” in a homeschooling setting. I would be interested to see how these elements of “good parenthood” compared with elements perceived by non-homeschooling parents. Are these the same perceived elements, or are homeschoolers unique? In the United States the notion of “intensive mothering” has been widely discussed and debated for decades without much reference to homeschooling. This Czech version articulated by homeschooling mothers seems very similar to the more mainstream version articulated by many middle class American women. Is it representative of broader trends in Czech society as well?
Marissa Donlevie, Messiah College