EDUCATION: Ethnicity and education - Internal factors (Pupil responses and subcultures)

Question 1

What are the 3 responses

Answer 1

a) rejecting negative labels
b) failed strategies for avoiding racism
c) Variety of boys’ responses

Question 2

a) 
Fuller
- What did he find in his study 
- How did the pupils respond 
- In what ways did they do this 
- What does Fuller conclude from this

Answer 2

WHAT: Untypical high achievers of Black girls who were usually placed in low streams
RESPONSE: Instead of internalising negative stereotypes, they channeled their anger to educational success and didnt seek approval of teachers
HOW: Were also able to maintain relationships with those in lower streams
- Only conformed to school work, not rules - relied on their ability and effort
- Able to avoid the ridiculing of anti-school boys too
CONCLUSION: Pupils may still succeed even if they refuse to conform.
- Negative labelling does not always lead to low attainment either - was no self-fulfilling prophecy here

Question 3

a) 
Mac an Ghail 
- Where was his study from 
- What did he find 
- What were the pupils responses 
- For example, what was the response from girls attending an all girls school 
- What was concluded from this

Answer 3

STUDY: Did a study of Black and Asian A level students at sixth form
WHAT: Students who believed teachers labelled them didnt always accept it
RESPONSE: Depended on factors of their ethnic group and gender and nature of former schools

GIRLS: attending an all girls school gave them greater academic commitment that helped them overcome the negative labels

CONCLUSION: Shows a label does not inevitably produce a self-fulfilling prophecy

Question 4

b)
Mirza
- What did she find teachers did
- What types of racism are there for teachers to commit
- How did students avoid this
- What effect did this have on the students however

Answer 4

WHAT: Racist teachers discouraged ambitious black girls from professional careers through the advice they gave
TYPES:
- Colour blind: teachers who believe pupils are equal but allow racism to go unchallenged
- Liberal Chauvinists: believe black pupils are culturally deprived and have low expectations for them
- Overt racists: Believe blacks are inferior and actively discriminate against them
HOW: Spent avoiding negative stereotypes - selectively choosing which staff to ask for help from, getting on with their own work in lessons without taking part
EFFECT: Limited their opportunities despite them having high self-esteem and succeeding

Question 5

c)
Sewell
- What are the 4 types of boys responses

Answer 5

Rebels: Small minority, rejected goals + rules, anti-authority, black macho lad, hegemonic masculinity
Conformists: Largest group, accepted goals + rules, keen to succeed, wished to avoid stereotype
Retreatists: Tiny minority, isolated individuals, disconnected from schools + subcultures, despised by rebels
Innovators: 2nd largest group, pro-education, anti-school, only conform to school work, friendly with rebels

Question 6

Fordham and Ogbu

Answer 6

• argue that notions of ‘acting White’ or ‘acting Black’ become identified in opposition to one another. Hence because acting White includes doing well at school, acting Black necessarily implies not doing well in school.

Question 7

The organisation of teacher learning

- Gillborn + Youdell

Answer 7

Banding and Streaming disadvantages the working classes and some minority groups -Gilborn and Youdell point out that Black Caribbean children are overrepresented in the lower sets and talk of how those in the lower sets get ‘written off’ because they have not hope of achieving A-Cs