...decades of comprehensive education, that family wealth is the single best predictor of success in the school system. Of course some children from well-off homes don’t do well at school and some children from poor backgrounds succeed, but the overall pattern is clear: social class, defined in terms of socio-economic status, correlates closely with attainment at school.” (Cole, Mike. (2006). Social class and schooling. In: Education, equality and human rights. Taylor and Francis. 202.) This extract shows that social class defines how good or how bad a student will perform in their educational years therefore it can be linked into what Gaine says “Many working class parents will want a wider range of opportunities for their children than to what they have experienced […] many will socialise their children into the world they know” (Gaine, Dr.Chris, George, Ms Rosalyn (30 Nov 1998). Gender, 'Race' and Class in schooling: A new introduction. 3rd ed. l: Taylor and Francis. 35.) Although parents would want their kids to have high aspirations they know that because of the social injustice and because they belong to working class families that’s all they’ll be aspirations. Furthermore such decisions as to what the child receives in terms of education wise and career wise all depends on the students willingness and those that don’t have the determination and for some the ones that come from lower classes it is a constant circle for them of dropping out of education and living on government...
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...Correlation between Social Class & Education Today, criticism exists between the correlation between social class division and linguistics which suggest to a reflection of United States’ educational system. Presently in the U.S. the controversy lies between society, where a fine line that divides and correlates education and social class. Samuel Bowles and Herbert Gintis, a group of scholar researchers, concluded in their article Bowles and Gintis on Schooling in the United States that being born into a specific social class could potentially determine the future of a person’s academic potential, life goal achievements, and more specifically their respective social class. In my opinion, however, education and linguistics do not adhere to predictive social classes. Education and more specifically linguistics are being suggested as an inferiority of our school system. What is known as Ebonics or AAE (African American English) is widely used though out the modern United States; not only AAE is used today but other forms of slang like those used in Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and other social media. Geneva Smitherman and others also suggest certain dialects such as AAE do not reflect nor lack control over education, but it is rather an enriched language of diverse cultures. Moreover Bowles and Gintis argue that students’ “lack of control over his or her education” reflect their respective social class. According to Basil Bernstein, another scholarly source, education is closely related...
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...How does social class affect education? Education is available to all people from different social class background, but not everyone is able to accomplish high level of education. The level of education an individual acquires is based on an individual’s position in the social class hierarchy. Depending on which social class a person falls in affects person’s education level and quality of education. An individual from higher social class spectrum will be more likely to have a better education than an individual from lower social class spectrum. A person’s home background, resources available, and access to take advantage of opportunities tells whether or not a person is capable of getting good education. An individual that has ability to...
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...Education and differences in educational achievement- past questions and mark schemes (CLASS, GENDER and ETHNICITY) January 2006 (a) Explain what is meant by cultural capital. (Item 1A, line 8). (2 marks) Two marks for an appropriate explanation or definition, such as the values, knowledge, attitudes, skills, tastes etc. possessed by the upper/middle class, or the values, knowledge etc. that give one class an educational advantage. (c) Identify three features of the restricted speech code (Item 1A, lines 10-11). (6 marks) Two marks for each of three appropriate features identified, such as: • used by the working class; • short/incomplete sentences; • often reduced to gestures; • context-bound/particularistic meanings/speaker assumes audience shares same frame of reference; • not used in education; • a product of repetitive, unskilled work; • a product of positional/rigid family structures. (e) Examine the reasons why females now tend to achieve more than males in the education system. (20 marks) Candidates will consider a range of reasons, such as the impact of feminism, equal opportunities policies, role models, changes in the family and work, changes in the curriculum and assessment, changes in girls aspirations, teacher attention and classroom interaction, selection, league tables etc. Concepts and issues such as meritocracy, patriarchy, pupil subcultures, labelling, de-industrialisation, marketisation, the hidden curriculum...
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...Pearce, Down and Moore (2008) argue that in a postmodern world, concept of the social class has become ever more complex and inconsistent. For this reason, has been a swing away from using class as a theoretical framework among researchers. However, in American higher education system we still witness a hidden influence of social class, specifically among elite universities. According to Martin (2012), students from well-off and well-connected families have advantage during the admissions process at highly selective colleges and universities. Despite all this, there are community colleges and many other universities for many reasons such as financial needs, have more open doors for students from diverse socioeconomic and cultural families....
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...Social Class in Modern British Education For this assignment I have been asked to write about a current issue in Further\Higher Education. I have chosen to discuss some of the issues of social class as they relate to education policy in modern Britain. Following the right to vote, the right to education is a freedom which people throughout history and around the world have struggled to achieve. “There is a sense in which social class has been at the core of British sociology of education throughout the existence of the field, even when it has not been high on education policy agendas.” (Whitty, 2001, p.287) While issues and effects of social class exist in all countries, the English experience is particularly problematic. (Goldthorpe, 1996) In the United Kingdom at the turn of the 19th century a university education was a privilege enjoyed by the sons of the wealthy and influential. Although members of the social elite “passed through the universities, they rarely completed their degrees. The subsidiary mission of the pre-industrial universities was to complete the socialisation of future elites, social and political”. (Scott, 1995, p.12) The last two decades have witnessed a considerable amount of rhetoric with regard to improving this situation; with access and inclusion being the keystones of nearly every government policy issued. New Labour went so far as to announce in its election manifesto an explicit aim of increasing participation in higher education to 50 per cent...
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...Causing Social Class Differences in Education Achievement. working-class students have usually underachieved in school, in contrast to middle-class students, this is due to external and internal factors. External cultural factors are claimed to be a key cause of social class differences in educational achievement according to various sociologist. These factors consist of Cultural deprivation, cultural capital and material deprivation. working class students' backgrounds are often linked with poverty more than any other class, this explains to material deprivation which these pupils are going through, as the students cannot afford money to buy all the equipment that they need for education, tanner et al found that the cost of items such as transport, uniform, books, coputer, calculater and sports equipment places a very heavy burden on poorer families . To support this claim sociologist Flaherty also states that having money problems in the family were a significant factor in younger children’s low attendance at school, which links to under achievements at school. The idea that children from working class backgrounds is also supported by sociologist Howard. Her claim is that children from poorer homes tend to have lower intakes of energy, vitamins and minerals. This will ten result in absences from school which is proven to have a big impact on education achievement. In addition to this Wilkinson has studied a series of ten year olds, the lower the social background...
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...that are in a working-class have the tendency to underachieve in school, in contrast to those students that are middle-class, this is due to external and internal factors. External cultural factors are claimed to be a key cause of social class differences in educational achievement according to various sociologist. These factors consist of Cultural deprivation, cultural capital and material deprivation. Students from working class backgrounds often experience economic problems (poverty) more so than any other class; this is linked to material deprivation which these pupils are exposed to throughout their time. Being in poverty could entail the students not having enough money to buy all the essential equipment that they will need for educational attainment, supported by sociologist - Bull. This is closely linked to educational under achievement for example in 2006 33% of children on pupil premium (free school meals) achieved 5 A* to C grades in comparison to 61% not on pupil premium. However, statistics cannot prove that material deprivation is the cause of under achievement as the government doesn’t always collect statistics that is supporting the claim 100%, therefore the claim cannot generalise. To support this claim sociologist Flaherty also states that having money problems in the family were a significant factor in younger children’s low attendance at school, which links to under achievements at school. The idea that children from working class backgrounds is also...
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...In all social groups class plays a major role in the attainment of children in education. At all age groups in the education system it is apparent that working class children achieve lower attainment than children from a middle class background. It is suggested that the system is biased and designed for white, middle class children disregarding the needs of the working class and ethnic minority children. However most researchers believe that there is a similar ‘range of ability’ in every social class which could mean that class differences in educational achievement are not due to class differences in intelligence but more to do with other factors in society such as low expectations and low aspirations, lack of deferred gratification and economical issues all of which are more apparent in the working class. Children from working class backgrounds tend to experience economical hardship more so than any other class; this is often linked to material deprivation which these children are exposed to throughout their life. Material deprivation in social class five has been closely linked to the underachievement of working class pupils in schools since the 1960s when sociologists claimed that a child’s attainment could be linked to a lack of something which was then found to be a kind of deprivation. A lack of money and the things that money could buy combined with a lack of skills and the absence of a good attitude contributed to a child’s achievement in school. These children are...
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...actions, our behavior, and our lifestyle. Another aspect that strongly influences our lives is social class. Social class is the rank that an individual holds, with present rights, duties, and lifestyle, in a social hierarchy based upon honour or fame. Status may be ascribed, which is assigned to individuals at birth without reference to any innate abilities—or achieved, requiring special qualities and gained through competition and individual effort. There are many effects of social class and can be felt anywhere. Almost every aspect of society is influenced in some manner by social class. School, work, religion, and home lives are also linked to the influence of social classes. “A Devoted Son”, by Anita Desai is a moving story about a father-son relationship which strongly reflects on the effects of social class. It shows how people’s attitudes vary in different circumstances. Social status can affect an individual in society by gaining or losing the respect of a person. It can allow a person to be recognized and, yet, unrecognized. It depends on the status. Social status can be developed or achieved by education, family, or fame and fortune. In the story “A Devoted Son” by Anita Desai, the author uses education, family, and fame and fortune for a way to develop and achieve social status. Education can greatly impact the individual’s development as a social being. Having a good education means being more knowledgeable and respected among people in society. It allows a person to...
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...analysis of class ⁃ class: people who stand in a common relationship to the means of production. ⁃ means of production: production of material goods is carried in a society on multiple levels. ⁃ The main classes are those who own the means of production, or capitalist- and those who perform labor for a living, the working class. ⁃ Capitalist: those who own companies, land, or stocks and use these to generate economy. ⁃ Marx believed the relationships between the classes are extremely important for societies. III. WEBER: CLASS AND STATUS • The two main differences between Weber’s theory and Marx’s is that Weber believed: class derives from not from control or lack of control of the means of production, but economics differences that doesn’t deal with property. It’s based on qualifications or professional occupations:. • Marketable workers have, degrees, diplomas, and certificates. Blue Collar workers perform the labor jobs and are less qualified than the marketable workers. Davis and Moore: The Function Of Stratification • The Davis and Moore theory suggest that a person’s social position is based on talents and efforts. HOW IS SOCIAL CLASS DEFINED IN THE UNITED STATES? • Davis and Moore’s theory suggest that a person’s social position is based solely on his talents and efforts. • Certain Positions or roles in society, are functionally more important (ex. lawyers, brain surgeons). HOW IS SOCIAL CLASS DEFINED IN...
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...Race and Social Class I don’t believe there is a true relationship between race and social class. I think we need to explore beyond race to find the true relationship to social class. I believe that the relationship we should be focusing on is the one between social class and education. Races and cultures that put a higher value on education tend to produce more members of society that move from a lower social class to a higher social class or retain their social class from one generation to another. Also, I believe that the movement between social classes becomes more available within a society that does not apply a caste system on its members. Ultimately, it is an individual’s personal responsibly to determine their outcome. This goes beyond race, social class, and culture. I believe America has equal opportunity, but not equal outcomes. As Martin Luther King famously said in his “I Have a Dream” speech, “be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” We are unique individuals and have an opportunity to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These rights are natural rights that are given to us by God. Today the President of the United States is of mixed White and Kenyan heritage. Any remnants of a caste system, perhaps from the days of Jim Crow and the laws of “separate, but equal” are but all behind us in America. If you look at the achievement gaps in the Jersey City, NJ public schools, there is a significant gap in the graduation...
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...Names and Education – there will be 4 questions on Education. These are simply names – you do not need to remember them all – you need to choose which ones you want to remember. Cut and paste to reduce. It is vital that you also have a generaloverview of the key ideas so do the same for key concepts / theories 1. Theories of Education – What is the role and purpose of education? |Functionalism | | |E.Durkheim and T.Parsons |Passing on society’s culture: this then unites people together by giving them shared values (value consensus). | | |According to Durkheim schools are societies in miniature - he argues that the key role of education was to teach | | |children moral responsibilities in order to promote social solidarity. Education provides secondary socialisation. | | |(Meaning the teaching of norms and values of society) to add to the primary socialisation provided by the family. | | |Examples of the values that education teaches to children include the importance of achievement, meritocracy and | | |competition. ...
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...Some would argue that the education system mainly exists to select and prepare students for their future work roles and careers. Marxists believe that the education system’s role is the ideological apparatus of the state; it spreads ruling-class ideology and favours the middle class. Marxists such as Althusser, Bowels & Gintus and Bourdieu disagree with this statement as they argue working class children get a second class education compared to middle class and are given an unrealistic expectation for the future. This is further highlighted by Althusser (1971) who believed that educations main function is to reproduce an efficient and obedient workforce, Althusser believes that the education system has taken over from the Church as the main agent of ideological transition. For example, in the past most people accepted their positions in life, no matter how unbearable, because they believed it was Gods will. They were poor because God wished it so, they were hungry because God wished it so, and they were powerless because God wished it so. Such beliefs are now in decline, although many still hold them, much more common is the belief that everything boils down to the God of education. Those who are smart and hardworking do well in education and gain educational qualifications and in turn do well in the world of work. Those who are unemployed and working in low paid jobs did not gain educational qualifications and were probably not academically gifted. This is, however, an ideological...
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...A peer-reviewed academic journal article that is a beneficial resource to our pursuit of seeking how education and social classes intertwine is an article called An Inside Look at Education and Poverty by Carol M. Swain. We will be discussing three key points from this peer-reviewed academic journal article. The first of the three key points that we will be discussing is the black/white achievement gap in educational performance that affects every economic level. The second key point that we will be discussing problems plaguing lower-class Americans. The third and final key point is a list of recommendations presented Carol Swain to improve the K- 12 educational experience for low-income students. The first key point is discussing is the black/white achievement gap in educational performance that affects every economic level. African American children reared in families earning $50,000/year score no better than Caucasian and Asians reared in families earning from $10,000-$20,000/year. These distinct differences in achievement levels grow themselves during the K-12 years. The National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) portrays familiar patterns of African Americans lagging behind other groups. Studies show that African Americans in their senior year of high school function at a skill level of four years behind the levels of Caucasian and Asian students. This information will be beneficial for us to understand...
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