Ethnicity Education Internal factors

Question 1

Internal factors

Answer 1

What is going on inside the school or college What is going on inside the classroom

Question 2

Labelling and teacher racism

Answer 2

Black pupils are often seen (labelled) as aggressive
Asian pupils are often seen (labelled) as passive

Gillborn and Youdell study 2000 :
Teachers are quicker to discipline black pupils Teachers have ‘racialised expectations’ (they expect BAME pupils to act differently in certain ways) Black pupils in turn feel that teachers underestimate them and pick on them - This is stemming from teacher racism rather than pupil behaviour

Bourne study 1994 and Osler study 2001 :
Black pupils are more likely to - Be sent out of class Placed in PRUs (Pupil Referral Units) Be excluded Be expelled
A-C economy and educational triage : If you are achieving As you will be ignored as you are seen to have it all together and be achieving without needing help, If you are getting Ds and Es you will be ignored as you are seen to be a failure and have no hope, If you are getting Bs and Cs you will get the most help as you are seen as the pupil with the most potential to get As with support
Black pupils are more likely to be placed in the lowest streams due to teacher labelling and racism

Foster study 1990 :
Found that black pupils were in lower sets because of perceived behaviour rather than academic ability

Cecile Wright study 1992 Asian pupils :
Found teachers held ethnocentric views - They saw British culture and standard English as superior The teachers tended to assume that Asian pupils had poor English, this was wrong as many had proficient English. The Asian pupils felt isolated if/when the teachers showed disapproval for their customs or mispronounced their names This affected their self-esteem and prevented them from engaging fully This is not for me The teacher doesnt care about me = affecting educational achievement

Heidi Safia Mirza study 1992 Teacher racism :
Argued there are three types of racist teacher
1. Colour-blind teacher - Teachers who believe all students are equal but does not challenge racism he/she witnesses
2. Liberal chauvinist teacher - Teachers who believe black pupils are culturally deprived and therefore have low expectations of them
3. Overt racist teacher - Teachers who believe black pupils are inferior and actively discriminate against them

Question 3

Pupil identities

Answer 3

Archer study 2008 :
Found teachers construct three student identities according to ethnicity
1. Ideal pupil (White M/c ‘Normal’ sexuality Achieves the ‘right way’)
2. Pathologised pupil (Asian ‘Deserving poor’ Asexual The plodding conformist)
3. Demonised pupil (Black/white W/c Hypersexualised Unintelligent Culturally deprived)
Teachers place BAME pupils in identities 2 or 3 - See Black pupils as Loud Challenging Excessively sexualised See Asian pupils as Docile Passive Quiet

Question 4

Pupil responses and subcultures

Answer 4

Mary Fuller study 1984 : Black girls in London comprehensive school :
The Black girls in the London comprehensive school showed untypical behaviour in contrast with stereotypes
They were untypically high achievers in high streams Whereas most black girls were in low streams in this school and most other schools
- Instead of internalising negative stereotypes They channeled their anger about teacher racism and labelling into their work = educational success
- They did not seek approval of teachers They saw them as racist (Mirza)
- They maintained relationships with pupils in lower streams
- They only conformed to school work But not school rules
- They relied on their own efforts and abilities to pass exams
Fuller say that the girls did these untypical behaviours as a way of coping with demands of White British M/c (ethnocentric M/c habitus) education system Whilst also avoiding ridicule of black boys and maintaining relationships with black girls from lower streams

Tony Sewell study 1992 : Response of black boys to teacher racism :
Four responses
The rebels - Small minority Reject goals and rules Anti-authority ‘Black macho lad’ Identify with hegemonic masculinity
The conformists - Largest group Accept goals and rules Keen to succeed Wish to avoid stereotype
The retreatists - Tiny minority Isolated individuals Disconnected from school and subcultures Despised by the rebels
The innovators - Second largest group Pro-education but anti-school Only conform to schoolwork Friendly with the rebels

Question 5

Institutional racism

Answer 5

Institutional racism : Discrimination is ‘built in’ to the way that institutions E.g. schools and colleges operate
Vs
Individual racism : Results from prejudiced views of one individual
Arguably the British education system is institutionally racist The policies and personnel actively discriminate against BAME people

Unintentional racism is also a feature of many schools E.g.
Lack of BAME role models in education
BAME pupils more negative criticism than white pupils

Question 6

Curriculum bias and ethnocentrism

Answer 6

Ethnocentrism : Describes an attitude or policy that gives priority to the culture and viewpoint of one particular ethnic group while disregarding others
British education system is ethnocentric - Pale Male Stale Focus is on activities and histories of white European, Christian peoples
History, activities, culture of BAME peoples is often left out of education - This can have a demotivating effect on BAME students They may feel Education is not for me It does not talk about my history or culture