Gender, ethnicity, and bilingual gifted education: A qualitative study of supportive Mexican-American families in Chicago

A qualitative micro-ethnographic method of study was used to explore gender differences in parental expectations of Mexican-American children participating in a bilingual gifted program at a public school in Chicago.; Twelve gifted children and their families were selected from among 5th and 7th grade students enrolled in the bilingual gifted program. This study of Mexican-American students at the Orozco Bilingual Gifted Program (OBGP) focused upon parent perceptions and support of their children's exceptional learning abilities and their efforts with school officials to insure the children's success in the program. The study also provided a brief history of Mexican-American immigration to Chicago and a description of the development of bilingual education in general and in the Chicago Public Schools in particular.; Data were analyzed along the following dimensions: parental involvement in the admission process to the bilingual gifted program, parental perceptions of student abilities, parental expectations influenced by gender differences, and community involvement of the parents.; Findings showed that Mexican-American families viewed education as a means of professional advancement for their children. The parents exhibited differences in their levels of involvement with their children's schooling. Mothers expressed a greater tendency toward involvement in both the admission process and participation in school activities. Fathers maintained a degree of decision-making control in keeping with the traditional framework of the Mexican-American family structure. Parents, however, expected both female and male children to acquire a college degree prior to marriage.