Chapter 8: Problems in Education “At the present time, public education is in peril. Efforts to reform public education are, ironically, diminishing its quality and endangering its very survival.” -- Diane Ravitch, educational historian and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education

What is Education? Education is the process by which a society transmits knowledge, values, and expectations to its members so they can function in society.

What is Education? (cont ’ d) Schooling serves a number of important functions for society: –The transmission of knowledge –Learning to follow society ’ s rules and to respect authority –Being socialized to develop other qualities that will eventually make us efficient and obedient workers

What is Education? (cont ’ d) Educational institutions also help to reproduce the inequality seen in society. The hidden curriculum describes the values and behaviors that students learn indirectly over the course of their schooling because of the educational system ’ s structure and teaching methods.

What is Education? (cont ’ d) The Pygmalion Effect: the idea that teachers ’ attitudes about their students unintentionally influences their academic performance.

What is Education? (cont ’ d) Kozol ’ s ethnography, Savage Inequalities, contends that because schools are funded by local property taxes, children in poor neighborhoods are trapped in poor schools, which reinforces inequality.

What is Education? (cont ’ d) Many believe that America ’ s educational system is in crisis, though there is little agreement on how to fix the problem. Some attempts have included: 

What is Education? (cont ’ d) Early college high schools: institutions that blend high school and college into a coherent educational program in which students earn both a high school diploma and two years of college credit toward a bachelor ’ s degree.

What is Education? (cont ’ d) Homeschooling: involves the education of children by their parents, at home.

What is Education? (cont ’ d) School vouchers are payments from the government to parents whose children attend failing public schools to help parents pay for private school tuition.

What is Education? (cont ’ d) Charter schools: public schools run by private entities to give parents greater control over their children ’ s education.

What is Education? (cont ’ d) Distance learning includes any educational course or program in which the teacher and students do not meet together in the classroom, a situation increasingly available over the Internet.

Sociological Theories of Education Structural-Functional Perspective Education serves 4 important functions: –Instruction –Socialization –Sorting individuals into various statuses –Custodial care

Multicultural Education: Education that includes all racial and ethnic groups in the school curriculum thereby promoting awareness and appreciation for cultural diversity. FAIR Education Act Sociological Theories of Education Structural-Functional Perspective

Sociological Theories of Education Conflict Perspective Educational institution solidifies class positions and allows the elite to control the masses. Quality education and educational opportunities are not equally distributed. Education perpetuates racial inequality: Gross inequalities between poor districts and middle-and upper-class districts. Schools in poor districts have inadequate facilities, materials, and personnel.

Sociological Theories of Education Conflict Perspective

Sociological Theories of Education Symbolic Interactionist Perspective Concerned with the individual and small- group issues in education: –Teacher-student interactions –Student self-esteem –Self-fulfilling prophecy - Occurs when people act in a manner consistent with the expectations of others.

The Inequality of Educational Attainment Social Class and Family Background One of the best predictors of educational success and attainment is socioeconomic status. On standardized tests such as the SAT and the ACT, “children from the lowest-income families have the lowest average test scores.” Families with low incomes have fewer resources to commit to educational purposes.

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