Social Class and Education Essay

Social Class and Education Essay Education is a significant institution in our society as it serves to fulfil many functions and provide opportunities for children. One important role that education plays is carrying out the process of secondary socialization where the education system teaches children the norms and values of society in a way that the family cannot. Education performs certain functions such as providing children with skills needed for work, learning about religious and moral beliefs, national languages and also about the history of the nation. Therefore it can be seen that education performs an important role in childrens lives by socializing them into the future members of society and teaching them about the values of success and achievement which enables them to be open to many opportunities in society (Fulcher Scott, 2007). However education combined with social class can create inequalities for children in their lives and this study of inequality within education remains a key area of study in the sociology of education and is also of great importance in shaping educational policies in Britain. Research has shown that inequalities in the education system do still exist in Britain where it has been shown that the higher a persons social class the higher the levels of achievement an individual is more likely to achieve. It is these types of findings which have led to a large array of study about educational inequalities and why they still persist in Britains education system. These inequalities can affect children from lower classes and their life chances through a variety of ways such as through micro and macro causes in society which will be analysed in turn (Haralambos Holborn, 2007) Macro Causes We will first look at the various macro causes in the wider structures of society which causes educational inequalities for children. These include material deprivation. 1. Material Deprivation This theory highlights the importance of material goods and resources needed for educational achievement. Material deprivation has been defined as including ‘poverty, overcrowding, ill health in parents,child neglect and lack of basic amenities in the home and neighbourhood (Silver,1980,p40). It is these factors which seem to affect children from working class backgrounds due to low incomes in the family which prevents them from achieving at school as they lack the basic resources such as books, correct diet and study space in the home needed to succeed in their studies. Also as many of these lower working class families are seen to be in poverty as evidence shows that a high percentage of children participate in part time employment after school hours to improve their situation at home and to relieve some of the financial pressure off their parents . This leads to children aiming to cope with earning money through paid work but also finding the time to study for their school w ork and gain qualifications (Heaton Lawson,1996). Furthermore Halsey Heath and Ridge (1980)examined reasons for inequalities existing in education for the working class and found that middle class children were more likely to go to school and continue on to higher education than the working class and this was partly due to lack of money and income in these households causing differential educational achievement compared to children from affluent backgrounds. However they did argue that material factors was not the only primary factor causing underachievement as children from materially deprived backgrounds have succeeded, they believed that cultural factors such as parental attitudes and encouragement played a key role in childrens educational attainment at school ( Abercombie, Warde Deem,2001). We will now look at how cultural factors can have an impact in creating inequalities for children. 2. Cultural Deprivation Cultural deprivation has been defined ‘as a situation in which parents provide a child with little in the way of linguistic stimulation and take minimal interest in their education and when they have limited opportunity for play or other experiences which are helpful to their intellectual development- in short when their environment is barren and unstimulating ( Silver,1980,p40). This theory recognises that instead of material factors causing inequalities it is the cultural factors in fact that causes working class children to perform differently in schools compared to their middle class peers. It is argued that working class children are disadvantaged because working class subculture fails to transmit the correct norms, values and skills needed for high achievement in education (Fulcher Scott,2007,p323). Also low value is placed is placed on educational achievement and working class subculture focuses on immediate gratification where they are encouraged to leave school early and earn money rather than opting for deferred gratification which middle class adopt where education is seen as a path for success later on in life where they can enjoy the benefits of having a high paid job and high statuses (Henslin, 1996,p 190). J W B Douglas study of ‘ The home and the school (1962) supports the cultural deprivation theory. Douglas conducted a longitudinal study in 1962 of 5,362 British children and followed their educational careers up to the age of 16. He divided the students into different social class groupings and found that there was different variations in educational achievement between students who had similar academic ability but came from different social classes. He found that within the ‘high ability group the majority of the lower working class children left school in the fifth year compared to only 10 percent from the upper middle class. Douglas argued that the single most important factor causing these differences in achievement between middle and working class children is the level of parental interest and encouragement for their childrens education. He argues that working class parents showed little interest in childrens progress at school whereas middleclass parents encouraged children to do well at school, continue in further education and also paid more attention to their childrens progress through frequent meeting s with teachers. However overall although we can see that parental interest can effect childrens attainment it cannot be viewed as the only factor in explaining class differences in educational achievement. Blackstone Mortimore (1994) argued that working class parents were unable to attend parents meetings due to demands of their manual jobs and also working class parents try to encourage their children in education but they lack the certain social skills that middle class parents occupy in order for their children to gain advantages from the school system. So therefore it is important to note that many other factors play a role in creating inequalities for working class children and also that many culturally deprived behaviours could also be due to a lack of money (Haralambos Holborn, 2006, p737-739).

Precarious Assumptions :: Research Essays Term Papers

Precarious Assumptions It is easy to look back on an event and judge people's motives and consequential actions, deciding or at least speculating about whether or not they acted reasonably. But, few people can step back and examine their impulse while making a decision. On January 13, 1898, French writer Emile Zola attempted this when he interrupted the cry "Death to the Jews!" sounding from mobs of Frenchmen, and wrote the famous expository article, "J'Accuse" (Burns 104). The letter addressed to the President of the French Republic, foretold that a scandal the government left unsettled, The Alfred Dreyfus Affair, would haunt France as one of the most shameful events in its history. His motivation, he wrote, had "but one goal: that light be shed, in the name of mankind which has suffered so much as has the right to happiness" (Burns 102). The outright accusations Zola publicized assured him a cell in jail, but only for a short time for his candor also exposed the fiasco to the previously naÃÆ'Â ¯ve publ ic. Despite his immediate influence on the events of the republic, it was not until 1998, that a French president formally acknowledged Zola's courage and insight. On the centenary of "J'Accuse," President Jacques Chirac wrote his own letter thanking the man who "rose up against the lie, the baseness, and the cowardice. Shocked at the injustice against Captain Dreyfus, whose only crime was to be Jewish, [he] launched his famous cry. . .that. . . struck like lightning and, in a few hours, changed the destiny of the Affair. Truth was on the march" (Burns 191). Even the words of the trusted French author Emile Zola obliged a century of reflection before inspiring the adulation of President Jacques Chirac. Had Zola remained indifferent, another Frenchman may have taken up Dreyfus' cause. But if not, could France have remained shrouded by an injurious lie? What historical price do we pay when fear and prejudice mingle? My heart sank when I received an Instant Message three nights before Halloween from a high school friend who now attends Columbia University: Two Arab men were apprehended yesterday at a Costco in New Jersey after a suspicious employee phoned the police on the men who were attempting to buy $5,000 worth of candy. One of the men escaped, but the one detained was found to be in the country illegally. Josh and I agreed that if it were true, the incident would make it on the news, actually, that a reporter would most likely have made it to the New Jersey Costco before the Police.

Internship Application Essay

I write to apply for a position in this internship program. My strong commitment to my works has been demonstrated to my numerous volunteer experiences in the community and at university. Throughout my degree, I volunteered weekly at local primary schools where I taught grade 4 and 5 mathematics. Seeing the students light up with excitement while participating in a science experiment or the student who has struggled with a mathematical concept finally understand what to do has been immeasurably rewarding for me. Beyond the rewards, these experiences have taught me how to tailor my approach to the students’ needs and effectively communicate concepts to a group, skills I know would serve me well in my future jobs. I have a genuine interest in learning as much as possible about a career in business and finance and would view any task put before me as a positive learning experience. Through my study as a mathematics student, I have proven my ability to maintain high curiosity, learn complicated things and not giving up easily. Proficient in statistical, business data analysis, and excels in collaborative team-based environments, I believe it is a perfect way to utilise my skills to solve business and financial problems. My primary goal in beginning a career in business and finance is to acquire as much experience as possible. Not only I hope to deepen my knowledge in current business and financial worlds, but I would also hope to acquire some of the practical skills that I will need to be better equipped for this field. I believe that working in business and finance, I would have the privilege to appreciate that everything in the world somehow affects my works. I would hope that this internship would provide an opportunity to build a working relationship with leaders in the field from whom I could gain valuable knowledge. I am certain that any experience from this internship would prove to be indispensable to me in accomplishing my future goals.

Reflection - 1650 Words

Ian-Bradley Tancred This essay analyses and describes what reflection is and how it supports your personal and professional learning. It elaborates upon how and why recognizing your strengths and weaknesses are important and how they can enhance lifelong learning. It describes what arguments and assertions are, what the differences are between them and which one is better. Debnath describes reflection as a means of self-examination to learn from knowledge and experiences which will help transform a person s reactions and behaviours to similar events in the future. (Debnath, 2010) Schà ¶n explains reflection can be used at two different times: reflection-in-action and a reflection-on-action. Reflection-in-action is where a person reflects†¦show more content†¦Performing the Insite workbook activities, I analysed and reflected on my personal strengths and weaknesses and drew up a development plan to help me. The reflective models I use most are Gibb s Model of Reflection: Learning by doing (1988) and Rolfe et al. (2001). Gibb’s reflective model is a six-stage cycle analysing an event from what happened to what the action plan is. This allows for a good analysis of the event/problem and what needs to be done to improve. Rolfe’s reflective model is a three-stage model and has been identified as a good toolkit when used in reflective practice. It is also good for both novice and advanced practitioners (Bishop and Blake, 2007). Gibb’s and Rolfe’s models have common insights, namely the description of the event, analysis of what has occurred and the action plan. Rolfe’s three-step model begins with What? This is the entire description of the event occurring., The second step involves the practitioner constructing personal theories and knowledge about the situation by asking So What? 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