A Qualitative Study of Muslim Mothers’ Perceptions and Motivations to Homeschool

Background: Homeschooling has long been an educational practice in the United States, though much of the research in existence documents the journey and results of non-Hispanic, white families (Mazama & Lundy, 2012). While some motivations run parallel between all communities of homeschoolers, a growing body of research shows racism to be a strong motivation for families from marginalized communities (Ray, 2015). Though Islamophobia continues to permeate traditional schools, particularly after 9/11, little to no research has been done to look specifically at the motivations of Muslim-American families to home educate their children. Purpose: When large numbers of students begin leaving the classroom in favor of alternative forms of education, educators must take notice. But when those swarms come specifically from historically marginalized and more vulnerable communities, the educational community may take greater heed. The purpose of this narrative inquiry study is to qualitatively examine the stories and experiences of Muslim-American mothers concerning traditional schooling and to understand their motivations to home educate their children. Research Question: This study addresses the following research question: What are the perceptions and motivations of Muslim-American mothers regarding homeschooling their children in the United States? Method: This narrative inquiry study explored the stories of homeschooling, Muslim-American families. Participants were chosen from a pool of students taking a home education course taught by the researcher. They must have school age (5+) children and be residing in the United States. A minimum of two semi-structured video interviews were used to collect data, with an optional third interview presented if needed. Member checking was done during the interview process as well as afterwards by email. The researcher checked her understanding of events during interviews, over emails following the interviews, and at times sent participants excerpts of her journal or written analysis in order for participants to check accuracy of understanding. As she goes through her process of burrowing, broadening, and restorying, she rewrote participants’ stories using thick, rich language which participants were invited to give feedback on (Stake, 1995). Transcripts were narratively coded and themes explored. The researcher began restorying after the initial interview, using email to have participants read and offer feedback. Restorying continued throughout the research process. The researcher used journaling to document observations and understanding during the interviews, as well as to write her own reflections afterwards. Journaling was also used to document the researcher’s own story. In addition to the validation strategies above, the researcher worked collaboratively with peers to gain insight and get a better perspective on her research methodology. She used her own journaling as a means of reflecting on her own biases. Results: After researching the motivations of these mothers, it is clear that their reasons for choosing homeschooling were complex and interwoven, but that their identity as a Muslim was a central idea that permeated much of their motivation. Major themes that emerged were: racial and cultural identity, religion and character development, and academic or schooled concerns. Conclusion: While the individual stories of these women varied, it was clear that raising their children with a strong sense of self and identity was a major motivation in rethinking traditional educational paths.