Parental support for mathematical problem solving: Proximal and distal influences within the religious practice of tithing

Abstract

This study examined the relation of mathematical learning and problem-solving to influences close to the child (proximal) and social structures more removed (distal). A socio-ecological lens enables examination of multi-level influences within the religious practice of tithing (giving 10% of one’s earnings to the church). Distal influences (e.g., tax law) and proximal influences (e.g., norms for payment, parental practices) are investigated to explain the emergence of mathematical problems during the practice of tithing. Exploration of children’s success and strategy use as a function of problem context found differential success and strategy use when children solved problems of tithing, as compared to a mathematically similar school context. This research demonstrates how proximal and distal factors can illuminate the contours of everyday mathematical performance.