Do all girls succeed?

Question 1

W/C Girls’ Underachievement

Answer 1

Not all girls are successful in education.
Class also plays a factor and w/c girls tend to underachieve.
They do better than w/c boys, but worse than m/c girls and m/c boys.

Question 2

Archer et Al 1

Answer 2

W/C girls underachieve because of the conflict between their w/c feminine identity and the school’s values. Leads to educational underachievement.
When experiencing symbolic violence from teachers, they gain symbolic capital from their peers and create a sense of self

Question 3

How do w/c girls gain symbolic capital [Archer et Al]

Answer 3

Adopting a hyper-heterosexual feminine identity – Investing time, effort and money into their appearance, hairstyles and make up. Achieve status from their peers. Brings them into conflict with the school as it often breaks the rules. Rule breaking leads school to see them as incapable of educational success. Girls experience symbolic violence.

Having boyfriends – Symbolic capital from their peers. Distracts them from their studies and lowers their aspirations [focused on settling down and having children, work locally in feminine jobs]. Lose interest in going to university or studying sciences and developing careers.

Being ‘loud’ – By being outspoken, independent and assertive. Leads to conflict as teachers perceive the girls’ assertiveness as aggression.

Leading to Underachievement

Question 4

Archer et Al 2

Answer 4

They either gain respect from their peers [but that leads them to underachieve] or they abandon their w/c habitus and conform to the school’s rules [they’ll do well at school].
They have to give up something – respect from peers for success in edu or they give up the chance of success in edu for their peers’ respect.
Some w/c girls cope with this by defining themselves as ‘good underneath’
Teachers see and treat them as if they were bad, but they try to believe they are good to give themselves a sense of worth when school makes them feel worthless.

Question 5

Evans 1

Answer 5

Studied 21 high achieving 6th Form w/c girls to show some do well.
Found they wanted to go to university to increase their earning power so they can help their families. They were not pursuing university for themselves, but for their families’ benefit.

Question 6

Evans 2

Answer 6

Girls’ motivation to go to university is a reflection of their w/c feminine identity as ‘caring’ is a crucial part of that identity.
Also wanted to stay living at home while studying so they can be around to help their families.
Living at home limited the choice of university for the girls and the market value of their degree.
Would have limited their future career opportunities.
The girls self-excluded from top universities by choosing to live at home.
Even the high achieving w/c girls are disadvantaged by their w/c feminine identity, even though they do not see it that way.