UNIT 4 THE SCHOOL AS A SOCIAL SYSTEM

Objectives of this Unit: General: to widen perspectives in order to accomplish teacher’s responsibilities as a professional. Specific: to enable students to explain ... 1. school as a social system, 2. the aim of social system, 3. school as a bureaucracy, and 4. school as a means of social mobility.

The School as a Social System To understand the behavior of teachers and educational administrators, it is helpful to use certain sociological concepts. The school is basically a social organization characterized by structure and by norms. Structure refers to the relative rankings, both formal and informal, of positions and individuals within the school. Norms refer to standards for behavior within the system.

The school is a social group or institution which has its own culture. There is an interaction between different cultures (ethnic, social status, religious, etc.) There are a social system and sub-systems in school which are interdependent. Each element has its own objective, but all elements are integrated into the school objective.

The school is characterized by few or by many groupings, depending on the size of the school faculty and its homogeneity. Teacher groupings are related to various factors: age, length of service at the school, grade levels taught, attitude on special teachers, the principal, and parent-teacher relations. Teacher attitudes on pupil control may lead to conflict between teacher groups, especially when teachers are split between liberal and conservative viewpoints.

Concern on pupil control may become a focal point for teacher resistance to liberalizing changes in schools. Administrators are frequently evaluated by teachers in terms of whether or not the are perceived as “backing teachers” in matters of pupil control and in disputes with parents.

Formal education is a integral part of modern societies as a result of innovation: - the introduction of new technology, and - the acceptance of that technology in social life. The effect of modern development on the role of formal education : as societies become more modern, literacy rates and the educational level of the population rise.

So, the relationship between modernization and education is the dependence of technological development on the social institution of formal education. For the students, they need to adjust to the social orientation in order to achieve successful performance as an adult in a rapidly modernizing society.

Objectives of School System System: a unity of all interrelated elements and has a particular objective. The system includes the input, the process and the output. Objective of the school system: to satisfy the community’s hopes in keeping with the objectives of the Law of the National System of Education and the State Principles.

The objectives of the School: To give awareness of the importance of life-long learning. To upgrade student’s learning ability. To broaden scientific perspectives. To make relevant lessons at school with life experiences.

Implications for the school principal: The function of the principal should be to accomplish the school’s goals and to achieve educational ideals. Accurate perceptions concerning social structure within the school and norms that govern teacher behavior is crucial.

Using his/her authority to cope with the problem between the idealistic and liberal newer teachers against the dominant older teachers is his/her concern. In carrying out the administrative function, the principal’s behavior should be open and genuine, based on the strong commitment to the achievement of educational goals.

School as Bureaucracy Bureaucracy is an efficient and rational arrangement in which each of its member is responsible for his duty and able to implement it (Bahar, 1989). There is a negative impression on bureaucracy when its management is not correctly done.

According to Webb, the characteristics of bureaucracy are: Separate organization, full-time staff Orderly and stable hierarchy Fixed jurisdiction Status competence Formal communication Objective and rational

Why are we talking about bureaucracy? According to Hurn, “Schools are distinctive because they are expected to transmit values, ideals, and shared knowledge; build faster cognitive and emotional growth; and sort and select students into groups by grades or performance on examination.”

According to Weber, the ideal characteristics of an ideal organization are: Division of labor, recruitment, and promotion policies Hierarchical system of authority Rules and procedures Formal, effective and neutral relationship Rationality of total organization Positions that belong to organization

School as a Means of Social Mobility Social mobility is a social movement---vertical and horizontal---as a result of changes in the society. According to Reid, there are 3 types of social mobility:

Horizontal: changes of place and time of the same work/job, such as movement of a job to another place.

2. Intra-generational is a dramatic change, i. e 2. Intra-generational is a dramatic change, i.e., promotion: or demotion of a job:

3. Inter-generational: a change of a career or promotion as a result of familial relationship or authority.

Thus, there is a relationship between education and social mobility, as forwarded by Robert G. Burgess, that it is the educational system that becomes the cause for social mobility. Ivan Reid: education plays an important role in social mobility although it is not directed to a particular job.

SELESAI