RESEARCH
PROJECTS + PUBLICATIONS + PRESENTATIONS
Homeschooling and Mental Health: Understanding Differences Between Homeschooling Mothers
Since the 1980s, the number of families choosing to educate their children at home has increased exponentially and its demographics are shifting. However, the who does the labor seems to remain unchanged and highly gendered. Homeschooling is primarily done by mothers and is an extension of hegemonic mothering ideologies which have been linked to negative mental health outcomes. Teacher-mothers may be at higher risk for these mental health effects. These women face unique stressors that may increase their already high level of stress such as increased workload, role insecurity, role captivity, and lack of instrumental and perceived support. Due to the gendered nature of homeschooling and the unequal division of labor at home, it is crucial to explore how the constant, extra, potentially intense, mental and emotional labor of homeschooling may affect teacher-mothers’ mental health. As such, this study aims to explore how teacher-mothers experience homeschooling, intensive mothering, and mental health focusing on the unique facets of homeschooling that can cause psychological distress.
Articles and Book Chapters
Baker, Erin E. (2019) “Homeschooling, Intensive Mothering, and Maternal Mental Health.” Sociology Compass. 13(9). DOI: 10.1111/soc4.12725
Merolla, David, and Erin Baker. “University Racial Composition and Self-Esteem: Commitment, Self Views and Reflected Appraisals.” Identities and Symbolic Interaction: Deepening Foundations: Building Bridges. Edited by Richard T. Serpe, Robyn Stryker and Brian Powell. New York: Springer.
Baker, Erin E. and David M. Merolla. “Unrealized Potential: Are Teachers Less Likely to Encourage Low SES Students to Apply for College?” Paper looks are teacher perceptions of low socioeconomic status students and how it affects their likeliness to encourage those students to pursue higher education.
Publications
Baker, Erin E. (2019) “Homeschooling, Intensive Mothering, and Maternal Mental Health.” Sociology Compass. 13(9). DOI: 10.1111/soc4.12725
Merolla, David, and Erin Baker. “University Racial Composition and Self-Esteem: Commitment, Self Views and Reflected Appraisals.” Identities and Symbolic Interaction: Deepening Foundations: Building Bridges. Edited by Richard T. Serpe, Robyn Stryker and Brian Powell. New York: Springer.
Baker, Erin E. and David M. Merolla. “Unrealized Potential: Are Teachers Less Likely to Encourage Low SES Students to Apply for College?” Paper looks are teacher perceptions of low socioeconomic status students and how it affects their likeliness to encourage those students to pursue higher education.
Selected Presentations, Workshops, Panels, and Talks
- “AKD Graduate Student Teaching and Learning Workshop”
Co-facilitor of workshop held at the Midwest Sociological Society Annual Meeting. Minneapolis, MN March 23, 2023.
- “Transformative Teaching in Sociology”
Panelist at the Midwest Sociological Society Annual Meeting. Minneapolis, MN March 25, 2023.
- “Using Podcasts Effectively in the Classroom”
Panelist at the Sociologists for Women in Society Annual Winter Meeting. New Orleans, LA. January, 2030.
- “Presentation of Self Onilne: A Look at Twitter Biographies.” Research accepted for North Central Sociological Association Annual Meeting. Cancelled due to pandemic.
- “Exploring the Online Stress Narrative of Homeschooling Mothers.”
Research presented at Sociologists for Women in Society Annual Winter Meeting. San Diego, CA. February 1, 2020.
- “Exploring the Stress Narrative of Christian and Secular Homeschooling Mothers.” Research presented at Michigan Sociological Association Conference. Detroit, MI. October 19th, 2019.
Research presented at North Central Sociological Association Annual Meeting. Cincinnati, OH. March 29th, 2019.