Subcultures Keywords D P A S P S I R

Class Identity in Education The BIG Idea Class Identity in Education To examine ways in which pupils experiences in school help to construct and reinforce their class identities. (Page 32-34) We are Learning to... SPEC: Different sociological explanations of social class differences in educational achievement in relation to internal factors and processes within schools, e.g. pupils’ class identities. In today’s lesson... GOOD Learning...D/C Be able to describe a one or two possible explanations for ways schools reinforce class identity, with one brief reference to a study. GREAT Learning...C/B Be able to describe two or three possible explanations for ways schools reinforce class identity, with a clear description of one or two sociological studies. EVEN BETTER...B/A Be able to describe three or four possible explanations for ways schools reinforce class identity, with a clear description of three or more sociological studies, with some points of evaluation.

Habitus - Bordieu A brief introduction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEXfFjjoDyE Middle class has the power to define its habitus as superior and impose it on the education system. As a result, the school puts a higher value on middle class tastes, preferences etc… This is linked to Cultural Capital.

Symbolic Capital & Symbolic Violence Tastes & Lifestyles – Middle or Working Class? Darts Sports Direct clothing Cars Primark clothing Golf Museum visits Queens English Football Dyed Hair Suits Rugby Union Motorbikes Designer labels Athletics Mini-skirts Regional dialect ‘Jack Wills’ Boxing Netto / Lidl / Aldi Fairground visits MC get ‘Symbolic Capital’ (worth/value) in school. / WC habitus is seen as worthless and tasteless. Symbolic Violence – WC tastes and lifestyles inferior, reproduces class structure and keeps WC in their place. Because of WC/MC habitus clash, education is alien and unnatrual to WC. Archer – for WC to achieve they have to ‘loose themselves’ e.g. change way they talk/dress, leading to feeling alienated from MC spaces such as university and professional jobs.

‘Nike’ Identities WC led to creating status & value – meaningful class identities, investing heavily in ‘styles’ (clothing & looks) These are policed by peer groups – failure = social suicide. Right style = symbolic capital, approval from peers, safety from bullying. Conflict with school dress code, which represents MC habitus – teachers oppose ‘street’ styles, could lead to labelling. The schools MC habitus stigmatises WC identities. Higher Education seen by WC as unrealistic (unaffordable, not for the likes of us) and undesirable (would not suit their lifestyle or habitus – struggling for money to form their styles) In school, these identities cause educational marginalisation, WC choose self-exclusion from education. Not only do they ‘get the message’ that education is not for the likes of them, they actively choose to reject it as it does not fit in with their identity.

Working-class identity & educational success - Ingram Why don’t WC succeed at better schools? Two similar sets of students in Belfast: some went to grammar school, some went to local secondary school. Those that went to MC grammar found it extremely hard to fit in, as clash of WC / MC habitus. Talk about personal experience here. (RL, Football, Clothes, Accent, Area of Residence, Hobbies) The ‘working-class cultural capital of my childhood counted for nothing when I went to private school’.

Class identity & Self-exclusion More WC students go to university than ever before (success of government policies!) However… the habitus of HE is a barrier. EVANS (2009) – Students at comprehensive schools reluctant to apply to Oxbridge / Russell Group universities. BORDIEU (1984) – Oxbridge not for the likes of us. ‘What opportunities are really available for us? And will I fit in?’ They exclude themselves from applying. EVANS – WC students have strong affinities to their local communities (MC more transient & individualist), and less likely to move away from home to study. Limits their success. All this shows MC education system devaluing experiences and choices of WC as worthless or inappropriate. They are forced to choose WC identities or abandon them and conform to MC Habitus of education in order to succeed.

Demonstrate your understanding Outline and explain two ways in which class identity is reinforced in education (10 marks) Discuss study / key concepts (A01) Class identity is reinforced by…. / It reinforces class identity by… (A02)

Evaluation Masterclass – Linking Internal & External Factors Labelled as less able, self fulfilling prophecy WC Habitus formed out of school Labelling & streaming Poverty Bullying / Stigma by Peers Restricted Speech Code Teachers assumptions of WC backgrounds WC Home Backgrounds Schools MC Habitus Government Policies (A-C Economy) MATCH UP THE CORRECT LINKS

Evaluation Masterclass – Linking Internal & External Factors affecting achievement Schools MC Habitus WC Habitus formed out of school Labelled as less able, self fulfilling prophecy Restricted Speech Code Teachers assumptions of WC backgrounds WC Home Backgrounds Bullying / Stigma by Peers Poverty Labelling & streaming Government Policies (A-C Economy) TASK – Create more of your own