Class: In school factors Flashcards
What are the 4 in school factors?
- Labelling and SFP
- Setting and streaming
- Subcultures
- Streaming and the A-C economy
What did Howard Becker find regarding teachers’ perceptions of students? ( Labelling)
Teachers classified and evaluated students in terms of the ‘ideal pupil’, perceiving students from non-manual (MC) backgrounds as closest to this ideal and those from lower WC backgrounds as furthest from it.
What was the ideal pupil concept in Aspen Primary School according to Hempel-Jorgensen (2009)?
The ideal pupil was defined as quiet, passive, and obedient due to the school’s largely WC environment where discipline was a huge problem.
What was the main aim of Rosenthal and Jacobson’s (1968) study, ‘Pygmalion in the Classroom’?
To study labelling in an elementary school and its effects on student performance.
What method did Rosenthal and Jacobson use in their study?
They conducted a field experiment in a natural environment, testing all pupils for IQ and selecting a random sample to label as ‘spurters’.
What were the results of Rosenthal and Jacobson’s study after one year?
The students labelled as ‘spurters’ showed greater gains in IQ and were perceived by teachers as having made greater advances in reading skills.
How did Rosenthal and Jacobson suggest teachers’ expectations influenced students?
Teachers communicated their belief in the potential of the ‘spurters’ through their manners, facial expressions, and encouragement, leading to improved student performance.
What evaluation point is made regarding Rosenthal and Jacobson’s study?
They did not observe classroom interactions, which may undermine their conclusion that teacher expectations caused the self-fulfilling prophecy.
Who is Margaret Fuller and what did she find in her study?
Margaret Fuller studied a group of black girls who resisted their negative label and devoted themselves to study to prove teachers wrong.
Who examined a comprehensive school in relation to setting and streaming?
Stephen Ball
How were pupils placed into bands according to Ball’s study?
Based on information from primary schools
What non-academic factors influenced the banding of pupils? (Ball’s study)
Father’s occupation
What was the relationship between pupils’ fathers’ occupations and their band placement?
Pupils whose fathers were non-manual workers had more chance of being placed in the top band
What did different teacher expectations lead to in terms of teaching methods?
Bands were taught in different ways and encouraged to follow different paths
What strong relationship did Ball note regarding banding?
Between banding and educational performance
What disadvantage did the working class (WC) face according to Ball?
Put at a disadvantage by setting and streaming
What question does the evaluation raise regarding current educational practices?
Do schools still put students into sets based on father’s occupation?
What are pupil subcultures?
Groups of pupils who share similar values and behaviour patterns
What often leads to the emergence of pupil subcultures?
A response to the way pupils have been labelled, particularly a reaction to streaming
What are the two types of pupil subcultures?
- Pro-school subcultures
- Anti-school subcultures
What was the focus of Willis’ study in the 1970s?
The experience of schooling from the perspective of 12 WC boys
What research methods did Willis use?
- Group interviews
- Non-participant observation
What term did Willis use to describe the group of boys he studied?
The lads
What is a counter-school culture?
An anti-school subculture characterized by shared attitudes against school
What behaviors did ‘the lads’ exhibit in school?
- Did not go to lessons
- Did little work
- Entertained themselves by ‘having a laff’
What values did ‘the lads’ attach to academic work?
Little or no value and had little interest in gaining qualifications
What type of work did ‘the lads’ prize above academic work?
Manual labour
What similarities did Willis find between shop floor culture and anti-school culture?
- Both were racist and sexist
- Both had no respect for authority
- Both cultures dealt with boredom and oppression in capitalist society
What conclusion did Willis reach about the education system?
It was failing to produce ideal compliant workers for the capitalist system
What is mentioned as a comparison to Willis’ study?
Margaret Fuller’s study - black girls in a London comprehensive found that instead of accepting negative labels such as being loud and aggressive, these girls took on a “I’m going to prove you wrong” mentality and worked hard to achieve academic excellence.
What do Gillborn and Youdell link streaming to?
The policy of publishing exam league tables
Why do schools need to achieve a good league table position?
To attract pupils and funding
What is created by publishing league tables?
An A-to-C economy in schools - Schools focus their resources on students who can achieve five grade Cs
What is the educational triage?
A categorization of pupils into three types
How are WC students labelled in the educational triage?
As ‘hopeless cases’ - They are often placed in bottom sets, which impacts their chances of success
What do marketisation policies like league tables drive?
Educational triages that disadvantage WC students
