EDS/SOC 126 Classroom Socialization and Inequality

EDS/SOC 126
Week 4, Wednesday
1
Reminders/Announcements
Investigative Assignment #2 due next Wednesday. Bring a copy
to class (electronic or hard copy)
I’ll post and discuss instructions for the midterm next week;
you’ll have to compare functionalist theory and conflict theory.
2
Economic Approach to Explain Inequality
FUNCTIONALIST THEORISTS
Necessary for society to fill economic positions with qualified
individuals.
Serves the “greater good;” natural part of the world.
Schools socialize students to aspire to unequal positions
through a selective reward system (moral & cognitive
achievement).
Unequal reward system is justified because ability is innate, so
schools must gear children toward economic positions that “fit”
their ability.

Schools help reproduce economic and class inequality across
generations.
CONFLICT THEORISTS
Serves the interests of those who benefit the most (those w/
status and power)
Reward system in schools is justified by the façade of the
meritocratic ideology
Non-cognitive aspect of achievement and rewards are often
more important than the cognitive.
Intelligence, knowledge, and skills alone don’t determine how
teachers reward students; beliefs about students’ futures based
on their economic background.
Schools socialize students by mirroring hierarchical workplace
relationships.
generations.
3
Wilcox reading, Differential Socialization in the Classroom:
Implications for Equal Opportunity
Wilcox, like Lareau, is a researcher who acknowledges
inequality exists in society and that education plays an
important role
Detailed research on what classroom socialization looks like
using two elementary school classrooms – upper-middle class
and lower-middle class neighborhoods

Challenges the idea of teacher neutrality in the functionalists’
arguments – that teachers objectively and fairly assess students’
capabilities and learning; teachers are cultural beings shaped by
their social context (their upbringing, education, and the school,
school district, state contexts)
4
Tests out some of Bowles and Gintis’s ideas that schools
socialize children from different class groups to be prepared to
take jobs similar to their parents.
Focuses on classroom socialization in terms of the cognitive
skills students are exposed to and skills in self-presentation.
Classroom observations looked at: 1) the discipline and values
taught in the way the teacher controlled the classroom (external
vs. internal motivation), 2) the role of the student in the
classroom in terms of participation and self-presentation, and
3) how the teacher presented academic material.
5
Smith Elementary (lower-middle class) and Huntington

Elementary (upper-middle class)
Smith: the classroom was largely “freeform” – children moving
all over the room, doing different activities fun and academic.
There was a high level of noise. Class time varied between
group work and individual work at tables. Children had lots of
free time to play in class.
Huntington: the classroom was quiet and orderly with
traditional rows of individual desks. Students mostly worked
individually on academic work. Student-to-student interaction
was rare. The teacher stated interaction prevents students from
producing high-quality work.
6
Smith: external mode of control was most dominant. The
teacher is the sole authority. Students follow rules on what to
do and how to behave set by the teacher.
One common teacher strategy was using commands: “I want that
done now” or “You have an assignment; sit down and get busy.”
Second common strategy was using statements of praise or
blame: “That’s good” or “No, that’s not right.”
The teacher only used internal control to encourage students to
work out conflicts among peers: “You two will have to decide
that by yourselves.”

7
Huntington: internal mode of control was most dominant. The
teacher emphasizes students’ responsibility for their academic
work and learning.
One common teacher strategy was to point out the academic
implications of behavior. The teacher offered reasons for why
their behavior was inappropriate or appropriate leading children
to reflect on what they were doing:
“If you’re talking to your neighbor, you’re probably not
looking at the clues and remembering what the answers are.”
Other internal control commands: “use your time wisely,” “use
good judgment”
Rules for external control were academically oriented (e.g.,
think for yourself, listen to directions) and the teacher gave
reasons why the rules were important to their education
8
What’s significant about the differences in the control schemes
of Smith and Huntington?
teacher is the sole authority
teacher emphasizes students’ responsibility for themselves

9
Self-presentation skills through the “show and tell” activity
Smith: Teacher decided when to have the activity. She saw the
activity as fun for the kids, not academic. She rarely made
comments or gave instructions on how to present. The activity
did not help develop students’ verbal skills.
Huntington: Every day began with the activity. The teacher saw
the activity as purely academic and an opportunity to review
academic material in the follow up questions she asked
students. She also provided feedback about how to give a
presentation.
10
Future vs. present orientation –
Smith: Children were socialized to focus on the present. The
teacher had a “let kids be kids” attitude and focused on letting
them be first graders. References to second grade were
negative: “We’re not getting ready for second grade. This was
homework.” “In second grade they don’t teach you printing.
That’s why you have to know it now.”
Huntington: Children were socialized to look to the future in

positive and hopeful ways.: “You’re thinking like a
mathematician. You’ll be a good scientist.” “By Friday you’ll
get it without looking.” “Say to yourself, ‘I’m a good reader,
because this is a second-grade book.’” The teacher often made
references to what will be expected of them the following year
in second grade. Students learned to think about future
consequences of present actions, and they learned to think of
themselves as professional adults.
11
What messages are students learning in Smith and Huntington
about their self-image?
12
Lareau, Unequal ChildhoodsConcerted
CultivationAccomplishment of Natural GrowthKey
ElementsParent actively fosters and assesses child’s talents,
opinions, and skillsParent cares for child and allows child to
growOrganization of Daily LifeMultiple child leisure activities
orchestrated by adultsFree time, “hanging out,” particularly
with family and extended familyLanguage
UseReasoning/directives
Child contestations of adult statements
Extended negotiations between parents and childDirectives
Rare questioning or challenging of adults by child
General acceptance by child of adult directivesInterventions in
InstitutionsCriticisms and interventions on behalf of child
Training of child to take on this roleDependence on institutions
Sense of powerlessness and frustration

Conflict between child-rearing practices at home and at school
13
Organization of Daily Life
Middle class kids (Garrett, Alexander)
Mentally tough
Self-confidence
Team player
Comfortable interacting with different adults
Maturity, poise
Discipline
Performing in public
How to win and lose
Working class & poor kids (Tyrec, Harold)
Negotiating relationships with other peers, younger and older
Conflict mediation among peers
Personal responsibility
Independence
Freedom to be creative
Resourcefulness
14
Language Use
Middle class kids (Alexander)
Mom’s everyday conversations develop Alexander’s verbal
skills – summarizing, highlight important details, clarify

information
Using reasoning to negotiate parents’ rules or requests
Working class & poor kids (Harold)
Conversations among the family are not as frequent and are
typically shorter than in middle class homes
No “word play” with parents or negotiating
Language is free-flowing with peers
15
EDS/SOC 126
Week 5, Monday
1
Announcements/Reminders
Grading takes about 7-10 days
Investigative Assignment #2 due this Wednesday. Upload the
assignment to TritonEd by 4pm and bring a copy to class
(electronic or hard copy)
Midterm instructions Wednesday

2
Longstanding Conversation in Social Science:
What Determines Our Life Pathway?
Institutions in society
Life
Family
Self
Neighborhood
Friends
School
Peers
Church
Etc.
Individual choice, free will, human agency
Economic
Health
Education
Social
Legal
Political
Religious
Etc.

3
Functionalist Theorists
individuals.
achievement).
their ability.
generations.
Conflict Theorists
status and power)

relationships.
generations.
4
5
The economic structure of society
Individual free will, human agency
Weaknesses in both functionalist theory and conflict theory
Overly deterministic about the influence of economic structures
on peoples’ lives and on the causes of inequality. What about
gender/sexuality, race/ethnicity, culture, language, immigration
status?
Both theories portray individuals as passive in shaping their

lives. Only dominant groups or high status groups have power
to influence their lives? Not true.
Free will or human agency seems impossible under the weight
of societal structures (e.g., generational transmission of
inequality in schools and in society)
6
A Cultural Approach to Explaining Inequality in Schools and in
Society
An economic approach narrowly looks at the ways inequality in
the economy is mirrored in schools (social reproduction)
A cultural approach looks more broadly at the way schools
mirror the culture of dominant class groups (cultural
reproduction ).
7
Structure – Culture - Agency

8
Societal Structures
Culture
Agency
Pierre Bourdieu
Cultural Reproduction Theory
Bourdieu is also concerned about economic inequality in society
The concept of culture, and not social class, is more
comprehensive in helping us understand the relationship
between inequality in schools and inequality in society.

Social class groups have distinct cultures that are passed down
through generations.
9
Pierre Bourdieu
How do schools exercise power? By promoting the values,
beliefs, attitudes and preferences of the dominant (i.e., high
status) groups in society.
The culture of middle class and upper class families is mirrored
in the culture of schools. Schools reinforce values, attitudes,
preferences, and beliefs that are dominant in middle and upper
classes. (Lareau and Wilcox readings)
Similar to conflict theorists, American ideas about individual
merit mask the power that schools exercise (individuals are
blamed for failure and not schools)
10
Pierre Bourdieu
“Capital” metaphor illustrates how schools privilege
middle/upper class culture and devalue the cultures of working

class and poor groups.
Capital is currency; it can be exchanged or traded. Successfully
activating (or spending) one’s capital brings “social profits.”
School programs, rules, policies, curriculum, instruction,
relationships and rewards reflect dominant or high status
cultural capital.
It’s not differences in natural ability that rank individuals from
various class backgrounds, it’s cultural differences with
dominant cultural capital ranked highest.
11
Bourdieu’s concept of “capital”
Capital offers advantage; it can be used to advance in life –
financially, educationally, socially.
Economic Capital – income, property, financial assets
Social Capital – social contacts, social connections and social
networks
Cultural Capital (Lamont & Lareau reading) – institutionalized,
i.e., widely shared , high status cultural signals (attitudes,
preferences, formal knowledge, behaviors, goods, and

credentials) used for social and cultural exclusion
12
Family socialization and upbringing pass on cultural capital to
children
Cultural capital are embodied in us, imprinted on us as “ways of
being”
Knowledge – formal and informal information
beliefs, attitudes, values
credentials (symbols of knowledge)
widely valued information (e.g., opportunities)
Behavior - ways of talking, walking, eating, gesturing,
interacting, etc.
Tastes – hobbies, interests, forms of self-expression (e.g., art,
music, film, museums, books, theatre, material goods,
technology, etc.)
Cultural Capital in Dominant/High Status Groups
13
Examples of Cultural Capital - Concerted Cultivation in Middle
Class Families
Stacey Marshall

“Ms. Marshall is a conscious role model for Stacey, deliberately
teaching her daughter strategies for managing organizational
matters. Although it is hard to know how much Stacey absorbs
her mother’s lessons in how to deal effectively with people in
positions of power in organizations, or how much she might
draw on those lessons in the future, exposure to such learning as
a child has the potential to be a tremendous lifelong asset.”
14
Class Families
Learning social skills and cultural knowledge:
When Stacey’s gymnastics instructor is critical of her, Stacey’s
mom coaches her on what kind of behavior and comments are
appropriate from the instructor, and she encourages Stacey to
respond directly to the instructor.
Stacey learns that she has a right to expect certain treatment by
her coaches, even though they are authority figures. She also
learns that she has choices, and she does not have to accept
unfair treatment.
15

Class Families
Learning social skills and cultural knowledge:
Stacey accompanied her mom as she looked for the right
gymnastics program and learned the criteria to evaluate
programs and a specific vocabulary to express her opinion.
Stacey (at 10 years old) says, “It saves like six feet of where it
is now, so it’s in closer…So that way they can pull out the rest
of the floor…We’re gonna end up having a longer vaulting
runway…”
Stacey meets with the coach of the program and easily describes
her skill level. She confidently interacts with adults and expects
to have her opinion considered.
16
Successfully Activating Cultural Capital
Middle-class parents in the Lareau book “routinely scanned the
horizon for opportunities to activate their cultural and social
capital on behalf of their children.”
Access to the best teachers and best programs gave middle-class
children immediate advantages. The long-term advantages
include lifelong skills for negotiating with professionals in
institutions in self-beneficial ways.
Due to Ms. Marshall’s intervening, researching, and criticizing,
Stacey was enrolled in a gifted program, advanced beginner

gymnastics class with extra support, and the best gymnastic and
horseback riding camps.
17
Melanie Handlon - concerted cultivation gone awry
Melanie Handlon – frequently sick and misses school; ongoing
academic problems
Melanie’s mom was not as good at activating her capital to get
advantages for her daughter.
Melani’e s mom uses her social capital through parent networks
and Girl Scout networks to help her decide what demands she’s
entitled to place on the teachers.
Teachers perceived the problems to be the mom and that
Melanie needed testing for a learning disability.
18
Lacking middle-class cultural capital has educational
consequences
Wendy Driver – underdeveloped language skills could lead to
literacy challenges and learning delays.

“Wendy’s teachers uniformly praise her mother as
‘supportive’ and describe her as ‘very loving,’ but they
are disappointed in Ms. Driver’s failure to take a more
active, interventionist role in Wendy’s education,
especially given the formidable nature of her daughter’s
learning problems. From Ms. Driver’s perspective,
however, being actively supportive means doing
whatever the teachers tell her to do.”
19
Wendy’s teachers blamed her mom for not being more actively
involved in monitoring her education.
“Mr. Tier, Wendy’s fourth-grade teacher, expresses
outrage that she has made it to fourth grade without
knowing how to read. He urges Ms. Driver to be more
demanding with him and other school personnel, telling Ms.
Driver in a parent-teacher conference: ‘If our roles were
reversed – I’d be beating me on the head.’”
20
Wendy’s mom is lost on what to do and feels she has no choice
but to do what the school tells her to do.

“I wouldn’t even know where to start going. On the
radio there was something for children having
problems reading and this and that, call. And I
suggested it to a couple different people, and they were
like wait a second, it’s only to get you there and you’ll end up
paying an arm and leg. So I said to my mom, ‘No, I’m going to
wait until the first report card and go up and talk to them up
there.’”
21
Billy Yanelli – Good student (“B” average) but a behavior
problem in class. He uses physical force rather than reasoning
and negotiating to solve conflicts with peers.
“Ms. Yanelli felt her lower social status, as she
expressed after a parent-teacher conference with Mr.
Tier, Billy’s fourth-grade teacher: ‘I wanted to ask why he
pulls Billy’s hair. Why does he pick up Billy’s book and throw
it across the classroom and say, ‘You’re too slow…’ I didn’t
get to talk about the things that I wanted to talk
about…I’m not very professional. I can’t use the words I
want to use. Just because they are professional doesn’t mean
that they are so smart.’”
Lacking middle-class cultural capital has educational
consequences

22
Lareau’s Implications For Families and Schools
Middle/upper class families need to slow down on the Race to
Nowhere
Students need interventions that give them an institutional
advantage
Working class and poor families need schools to offer
educational programs to teach the cultural capital valued in
education
23
Non-Dominant Groups’ Cultural Capital
Recall Functionalists’ ideas about the inner conflict youth from
working class and low-income backgrounds experience as they
climb educational and economic ladders.
Research and scholarship on using the concept of cultural
capital to challenge Functionalist views that devalue, dismiss
and overlook the positive assets of working class and low-
income groups.
There are many cases where students who are not middle/upper
class acquire cultural capital that schools value and reward.
All groups possess important cultural capital. The trick is to
get schools to use non-dominant groups’ cultural capital as
assets in the classroom.

24
The concept of cultural capital helps us understand…
Cultural capital shows how inequality can be perpetuated
through beliefs and perceptions about what counts as valid or
legitimate knowledge, whose knowledge is more valuable, and
what forms of expressing knowledge are judged as best.
25
EDS/SOC 126
Week 4, Monday
1
Reminders
Investigative Assignment #1 due this Wednesday on TritonEd
via Turnitin by 4pm.
Bring a copy to class (electronic or hard copy)

2
Review: Functionalist Theory
Functionalist theory on the role of education in society.
Also called:
Technical theory
Structural-functional theory
Technical-meritocratic theory
BOWLES AND GINTIS CALL THE THEORY TECHNICAL-
MERITOCRATIC
3
Functionalists’ Theoretical Claims
Societies with class systems have dominant cultural norms
about accepted modes of upward mobility
Primary function of schools is to perpetuate these dominant
cultural norms and prepare children for adult work roles in an
economically stratified society
U.S. dominant cultural norm? Contest mobility – an open
contest in which people compete for a few prizes (dominant
status symbols – money, fame, material objects, credentials)
The contest is fair in that personal motivation and effort are the
keys to winning and not favoritism or special treatment
Societal norms shape education; education is framed as an

opportunity equally available to all
Yet, success depends on students’ motivation and effort (goes
back to function of schools)
Schools sort students according to differences in school
performance
Differences in ability/intelligence are correlated with economic
background, which explains differences in student achievement.
Intelligence is inherited and generationally passed down
4
Functionalists’ Theoretical Claims
How do schools sort students through their performance?
Socialization in classrooms: 1) teaches children to commit to
the values of society and 2) motivates children to aspire to
certain positions in society.
Children are socialized through a system of rewards and
punishments for their academic performance and behavior (e.g.,
grades, praise, special treatment, taking away privileges, public
criticism or humiliation).
Components of achievement: 1) cognitive – skills, information,
knowledge, 2) moral – character, citizenship, deportment,
demeanor, behavior, work habits.
Teachers’ reward systems can blur the boundaries between
cognitive and moral aspects of achievement, e.g., a “good” or
“smart” student is also seen as well-behaved.

5
Functionalists’ Logic on Inequality in Society
Natural born talent/ability or intellect is always unevenly
distributed across society
Because economic success is correlated with intellect, economic
inequality is natural in society
Society needs structures or institutions that can accommodate
all levels of ability
6
Functionalists’ Logic on Inequality in Society
The structure of education must prepare all individuals for a
position in society that fits their intellect
Sorting students into different kinds of education (academic vs
vocational) is providing equal opportunity
Given the above, it’s not surprising that low-income students
tend to perform below middle class students

7
Carol Dweck, “Fixed Mindsets vs. Growth Mindsets”
Professor of Psychology at Stanford University
She has studied why students succeed in school and how to
foster their success by focusing on the mindsets of students
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X0mgOOSpLU
8
Conflict Theorists on the Role of Education in Society: Bowles
& Gintis reading
Samuel Bowles and Herbert Gintis are economists in the
Marxist tradition; groundbreaking work in the sociology of
education
Dominant cultural norms about individual ability and success
unfairly influence education to protect the interests of the elite
or dominant groups
The primary function of education is to legitimize economic
inequality among groups (“normalize” inequality)
9

Conflict Theorists’ Critique of Functionalists’ Claims (Bowles
& Gintis)
Economic inequality is not necessary or natural; it does not
serve the greater good of society
Inequality maintains relations of power for a subgroup of
society; inequality preserves status, privilege, wealth of
dominant groups
The “egalitarian objectives” of education are in conflict with its
integrative function in society (preparing children to take on
adult roles)
10
Conflict Theorists’ Critique of Functionalists’ Claims (Bowles
& Gintis)
Schools do socialize children and achievement is a key part of
socialization as the functionalists claim
Schools prepare children for an unequal workforce by mirroring
the power relationships in the work place
“Correspondence principle” – the idea that relationships in
schools and classrooms directly correspond or mirror
relationships in the work place (boss/worker = teacher/student)
11
Conflict Theorists’ Critique of Functionalists’ Claims

Socialization in classrooms uses the meritocratic ideology to
justify differences in achievement
Ideology as values, attitudes, beliefs used to justify the current
state of things, to make the current state of affairs seem natural
Meritocratic ideology says that individuals regardless of ability
have an equal chance to compete for rewards in school and in
life. Results of competition due to innate talent and motivation.
Façade of merit – rewards in school, such as grades, teacher
praise or special treatment are not solely based on intelligence
or cognitive skills and internal motivation that functionalists
talk about as the main indicators of educational success and
economic success
12
Conflict Theorists’ Critique of Functionalists’ Views
Rewards in schools are largely based on beliefs about students’
economic futures:
Wilcox research showed the connection between teachers’
values and behaviors and the expectations of employers in
different work settings. For example:
Huntington Elementary (upper-middle class) emphasized
student reasoning, negotiation, self-reflection, self-
management, problem-solving, and independence
Smith Elementary (lower-middle class) emphasized student
obedience to authority, acceptance of directives, compliance to
commands, relying on others for decision-making

13
Bowles & Gintis are not dismissing the cognitive aspects of
preparing youth for the work world. Yes, schools are
responsible for teaching knowledge, skills and information.
The problem is that Functionalists minimize the importance of
the “moral components” of achievement. Functionalist views
on innate talent hide the fact that economic success is not solely
determined by individual ability and motivation.
14
They discuss studies (in great detail):
showing little to no significant relationship between
intelligence (IQ) and economic success
showing the benefits of education for everyone across IQ in
terms of increasing knowledge and skills
They conclude - education is a better predictor of economic
success and not IQ
15

Conflict Theorists: The Role of Schools
Economic success is also determined by “non-cognitive”
characteristics – personality traits and general attitudes such as
motivation, orientation toward authority, discipline, work ethic.
Schools have a social function for society and the economy –
producing youth with certain “non-cognitive” characteristics
that fit what employers look for in job applicants.
Socialization in schools and classrooms produces a generalized
class consciousness for each generation of working class and
poor students; this consciousness prevents any critique or
resistance to society in order to transform existing conditions.
16
Conflict Theorists: The Role of Schools
Schools:
socialize students with certain knowledge, attitudes and
behaviors to smoothly integrate into the workforce
use the façade of a meritocratic reward system to socialize
students to believe that they are solely responsible for their
successes and failures
Bowles and Gintis write, “The predatory, competitive, and
personally destructive way in which intellectual achievement is
rewarded in U.S. schools and colleges is a monument not to
creative rationality, but to the need of a privileged class to
justify an irrational, exploitive, and undemocratic system,” (pg.
108)

17
Functionalist Theorists
individuals.
achievement).
their ability.
generations.
Conflict Theorists
status and power)

relationships.
generations.
18
Wilcox, like Lareau, is a researcher who acknowledges
inequality exists in society and that education plays an
important role
Detailed research on what classroom socialization looks like
using two elementary school classrooms – upper-middle class
and lower-middle class neighborhoods
Challenges the idea of teacher neutrality in the functionalists’
arguments – that teachers objectively and fairly assess students’
capabilities and learning; teachers are cultural beings shaped by
their social context (their upbringing, education, and the school,
school district, state contexts)
19
Tests out some of Bowles and Gintis’s ideas that schools
socialize children from different class groups to be prepared to
take jobs similar to their parents.

Focuses on classroom socialization in terms of the cognitive
skills students are exposed to and skills in self-presentation.
Classroom observations looked at: 1) the discipline and values
taught in the way the teacher controlled the classroom (external
vs. internal motivation), 2) the role of the student in the
classroom in terms of participation and self-presentation, and
3) how the teacher presented academic material.
20
Smith Elementary (lower-middle class) and Huntington
Elementary (upper-middle class)
Smith: the classroom was largely “freeform” – children moving
all over the room, doing different activities fun and academic.
There was a high level of noise. Class time varied between
group work and individual work at tables. Children had lots of
free time to play in class
Huntington: the classroom was quiet and orderly with
traditional rows of individual desks. Students mostly worked
individually on academic work. Student to student interaction
was rare. The teacher stated interaction prevents students from
producing high-quality work.

21
teacher is the sole authority. Students follow rules on what to
do and how to behave set by the teacher.
One common teacher strategy was using commands: “I want that
done now” or “You have an assignment; sit down and get busy.”
Second common strategy was using statements of praise or
blame: “That’s good” or “No, that’s not right.”
The teacher only used internal control to encourage students to
work out conflicts among peers: “You two will have to decide
that by yourselves.”
22
teacher emphasizes students’ responsibility for their academic
work and learning.
One common teacher strategy was to point out the academic
implications of behavior. The teacher offered reasons for why
their behavior was inappropriate or appropriate leading children
to reflect on what they were doing:
“If you’re talking to your neighbor, you’re probably not
looking at the clues and remembering what the answers are.”
Other internal control commands: “use your time wisely,” “use

good judgment”
Rules for external control were academically oriented (e.g.,
think for yourself, listen to directions) and the teacher gave
reasons why the rules were important to their education
23
Self-presentation skills through the “show and tell” activity
Smith: Teacher decided when to have the activity. She saw the
activity as fun for the kids, not academic. She rarely made
comments or gave instructions on how to present. The activity
did not help develop students’ verbal skills.
Huntington: Every day began with the activity. The teacher saw
the activity as purely academic and an opportunity to review
academic material in the follow up questions she asked
students. She also provided feedback about how to give a
presentation.
24
Future vs. present orientation –
Smith: Children were socialized to focus on the present. The
teacher had a “let kids be kids” attitude and focused on letting
them be first graders. References to second grade were

negative: “We’re not getting ready for second grade. This was
homework.” “In second grade they don’t teach you printing.
That’s why you have to know it now.”
Huntington: Children were socialized to look to the future in
positive and hopeful ways.: “You’re thinking like a
mathematician. You’ll be a good scientist.” “By Friday you’ll
get it without looking.” “Say to yourself, ‘I’m a good reader,
because this is a second-grade book.’” The teacher often made
references to what will be expected of them the following year
in second grade. Students learned to think about future
consequences of present actions, and they learned to think of
themselves as professional adults.
25
Yiling Zhang
EDS 126
Professor Jones
7 February 2018
Education and Culture
Culture not only influences our lives but also influence the
education. Culture plays an important role in education, so these
two terms are interdependent. People who come from different
cultures tend to have distinctive ways of learning and education.
In this instance considering the curriculum of schools, formal
relationship along with the extracurricular activities the cultures
are given importance that is majorly valued by people.
However, culture mainly develops values, perception, ethics,
and ideologies of people and they do not compromise on their
culture while doing anything or even while getting an

education. In this assessment, three people are interviewed, and
their perspectives about culture and education are recorded that
has given a chance to understand what different individuals
think about these two terminologies and correlation in culture
and education.
I have interviewed my best friend and asked her views on
culture and education. She thinks people can have more than
one culture. Culture can come from their family or friends. It is
like a lens that one uses to view the world in. For example, in
some culture, marriage to multiple people is acceptable, but in
other cultures, it might not be a good one. It all depends on
what is viewed as the norm in that culture. Culture could be
viewed as a set of moral rules that one lives their life by. She
believes that there could be a connection between culture and
educational success. If someone grew up in a culture that sees
education as something important, then one’s mindset could be
set on working hard in school. The same goes with economic
success. If one grew up in a culture that values hard work and a
successful career, then one might be more likely to succeed if
they are true to their culture. She also mentioned, there is
school culture, and it might influence whether one is successful
or not. If one goes to a school where the students do not care as
much, then one might adopt that culture to fit in and not do so
well. However, if one goes to a school where everyone is hard
working, then they might adopt that mindset and work hard as
well.
Secondly, I interviewed my peer; he is an international student
who comes from China. He thinks culture mean the background
and the values of people. The kind of culture one accepts on the
growth environment. He mentioned that he has grown up in a
wealthy family, and accept bilingual education by going to
private international school all along. Education helped him
adopt the culture from both sides so that he did not feel any
uncomfortable when he studies abroad here in America at first.
He agrees with the point that there is a culture in school and he
also believes that school culture can influence students’

success. He shared his experience, he usually hangs out with his
cousin, he was a top student, but his family did not have enough
condition for him to go to a good high school, under the bad
study environment and with lots of hooligans in school, he has
given up study. They used to make a wish to go to the same
university. Unfortunately, his cousin did not get into university.
Lastly, the person who I interviewed was my friend. She
was standing on the angle of the employee. The first time she
heard the word culture is when she was little. Her grandfather
read her one Chinese poem and told her how proud he felt for
Chinese traditional culture. She has grown up in China and
married an American citizen who made she moved toward here.
The first time she has experienced culture was hanging out with
his husband and his friends for dinner. This was the first time
she has found the difference in the dining etiquette. She
believes that there is a connection between culture and
educational success and economic success; she also thinks there
is a culture in school as well. Under her culture environment, a
good grade is important and is the only thing matters in school
and her family. Her parents gave her high expectations by going
to the prestigious university and get a good job; they believe the
only way to reach the goal is the good grade. She does not like
the culture in schools, but it indeed helped her success either in
school and career.
The people I talked my friends and peer and from them I got a
chance to learn the wider perspectives of culture all of them
have the same views about culture as all think that culture of a
place and education are the variable directly interlinked with
each other. All of them were n the view that the places where
one belongs to come with different sort of cultures and values
that tends to affect the working conditions, so one has to adjust
into the cultures provided by the place. Now moving forward
toward my thinking on culture and education I can say that the
first time I have heard the word culture was in elementary
school. There was a group of students from England came to my
school for visiting. I got lucky by chosen from school became a

homestay family. One of the girls stayed in my home for a
week. We had conversations about our educational experience
and background.
I still remember how she describes her education experience,
she mentioned that they have lots of clubs; they can join and
enjoy any club as they want to base on their hobbies. On the
other side, we go back home right the way to school and doing
our homework. Also, my family requires me to read books for
hours after school, and I am not allowed to watch TV, but she
can do whatever she wants after school. That’s something
clicked my mind about the differences that exist in the culture
of different people, and this was the time I first realized that the
atmosphere and the surrounding conditions considering the
family background matter a lot one spend a life. It was the very
first time I genuinely thought about the value of the culture of
the place.
Based on our culture, my parents wish me to study the
traditional literature; they think it is not only can develop my
literature accomplishment but also can learn the Chinese
traditional culture. I must put there that everyone has culture
either same to some perspectives or different in others, but
culture is a thing that cannot be denied. In addition to it, culture
is the background somebody comes from. It made us different
while making us unique from each other. Knowing other culture
can broaden my view sight and as per my perspectives a little
adjustment while spending life in different places is mainly
needed to move forward without any disturbances.
I do believe that there is a connection between culture and
educational success and economic success. Education is the
inheritance of religion; culture is the object of education.
Education and culture impact each other. The culture influences
the purpose of education, affect the choice of the educational
content and also influence the teaching methods. Education can
be used to filtrate, transmit and preserve the culture. Education
not only can spread and interflow the culture but also can
update and create culture. So as per my understanding, both

culture and education are strongly correlated with other and
synchronization is only possible when the culture and education
go hand in hand at any place.
Yiling Zhang
EDS 126
Professor Jones
28 January 2018
Education and Economic Success
Education and economic success are indivisible. Education
is associated with long-term improvement economically. Family
is the child’s first “school”, family members are their first
“teacher”, they subtle influence the moral trait, awareness of
law and philosophy of the child.
The first person who I interviewed was a friend of mine.
She mentioned that the education plays the important role in
someone’s life, especially parents are the first ones that can get
their children educated before entering school. As we discussed
in class, human experiences are not isolated from social life.
Just as Professor Jones said in class, we all wear the glasses
with lenses that shape our life. The communication that we
made with our family members could affect our behavior. I then
asked my friend how she thinks about the role that family play
in someone’s economic success. She believes, it is the most
determinants period of time that help their children to pursue
their life goals. According to the course material, “School
achievement is a basis of selection for future status in society”.
People who have higher degree likely to earn more money
because it is certain that the higher degree requires more
knowledge and effort to accomplish. In addition, she does not
think education can prevent success, or interfere with students
being successful. It might interfere because all the workload can
keep them busy in a short period of time, but in the long run,

education can only help them to gain more knowledge, and they
can apply this knowledge in daily lives.
I then interviewed another person who was my friend since
high school. She thinks the most important factors that
influences someone’s economic success are connections, work
ethic, and education. If you know the right people, then you are
more likely to get a job that you want. If you work hard and
have a positive attitude, it will show in your work and your
bosses will take that into account. If you have taken the right
courses for the job that you want, then it will be easier to get
the job. She said that family can have either a negative or
positive role. If they are supportive and understanding of your
job, then it will help you succeed because you know that you
have their support. You will also be more motivated to provide
for them. If they are not supportive and understanding, it could
cause a bad relationship within the family. You might be
required to put in a lot of hours for your job, so your partner
might complained that you work too much. This could cause
you to become distracted and lower your work ethic. She also
believe that education plays a huge role in economic success
because you have to know more than your competition. If you
have more knowledge on the subject and have a better
understanding than your competition, you will be able to get the
job that you want and keep it.
Lastly, I interviewed my mom. In her opinion, the
economic success is related to the education and the social
network. Getting into a prestigious university and at least get
the master degree would be the first step of success. Social
network also important, within those helpful resources, it is
easier to get the job that you want. She also thinks family plays
the important role in people’s life, especially supervision.
Lacking of self control is the common issues for child. Under
the supervision by the family member, child can realize how
important the education is. In addition, family sometimes can
offer you the good environment for education, such as hire
tutor, pay to go a good school. She then said that education is

important and it directly relate to the success. If you are
competing with others for a job position, if you graduated from
a prestigious university with higher degree, you are most likely
got the job. She does not believe that education can prevent
success. Education can only take you to the higher level and
offer you more opportunities in order to lead you to success.
As far as I concerned, the most important factors that
influence someone’s economic success are family education,
opportunities, hard working and social network, either category
can lead you to success, but combion all of them can help you
be more successful. Parents are the mirror reflect the child’s
behavior. Parents are the assistant and advisor who can help
child toward success, they should not only attach importance to
the mental development, but also should attach great important
to the cultivation of the various aspects ability. Helping them
success in school, and teach them how to become a person with
high moral qualities at the same time. Opportunity favors only
the prepared mind. Only those people can seize the moment
while they got the chance. A lot of people think that once you
got the opportunity, it means successful. The opportunity is just
the first step to success, trials and difficulties are waiting
behind. In fact, hard working can offer you high level
education, under that condition, you can extending the network
with those talented people, meanwhile, your network could offer
you more opportunities. Family education can help you
establish the sense of value and philosophy, so you can get
people to trust you.
In my opinion, family play the important role in our life.
Family can economically support you by provide a favorable
learning condition. For example, America has the top education
system in the world. Lots of parents sending their child study
abroad. According to my own experience, my parents offer me
the opportunity to study in America since high school.
Compared with my friends in China, I have broaden my horizon
and also learned their culture. In addition, family’s
understanding and support is powerful. I was a top student all

along, I was once upset with my test score back in middle
school, my parents did not blame on me, they were comforted
me and cheered me up.
Education is the main factor that influence someone’s
success. Parents’ behavior affects their children. My parents
taught me to be polite to others and take every effort to help
others since I was little. They also set me a good example.
There is one night that we were heading back home from
traveling. We saw a lady lying on the ground and bleeding, my
parents took her to the hospital and accompany her until her
family member showed up. My parents’ behavior has influenced
me since that. They guided me to become the good person, so I
can be who I am, a good student who teachers and classmates
liked.
Lastly, I think education could only prevent the success if
you only take what is given to you. In some countries, they do
not give you the whole story in school. Like in China, some
people do not know about Tiananmen Square movement and that
is because the government tried to erase it from public
knowledge. This is why you have to seek out some information
on your own. If you only learn what is taught to you in school,
then you will be on the same level as everyone else. You have
to go above and beyond to get to where you want economically.
In sum, education and family influence is important for
economic success. A successful person usually grew up under a
good education environment. It is not related with your parents’
education level but it matters with their behaviors.
EDS/SOC 126 MIDTERM PAPER
JONES
Due on TritonEd via Turnitin no later than Friday, Feb. 16 by
11:59PM
Do NOT wait until the last minute to submit
Write a 4-5 page, double-spaced paper, with 1-inch margins, in

response to the following prompt. This is an essay which means
you should NOT number your responses. A bibliography is not
necessary. But make sure it’s clear which sources you are using
in your paper. Do not use material or sources outside of class.
Discuss the Functionalists’ arguments for: 1) explaining why
there is economic inequality in society, and 2) the function of
education in society.
Then, critique the Functionalists’ arguments using Conflict
Theory. Include: 1) the ways in which Conflict Theorists’
explanations for economic inequality differ from the
Functionalists, and 2) the ways in which the Conflict Theorists’
arguments about the role of education in society differ from the
Functionalists.
Be sure to use examples to help you explain both theories. Your
paper must have a total of four sources that you’re using as
examples (see below).
· You must use the Wilcox article and Lareau book as two
sources for examples. Be specific in your discussion of the
research by Wilcox and Lareau, which means both summarizing
their work and using direct quotes. For all direct quotes, you
must explain the meaning in your own words (do not assume we
know how you’re using the quotes). Proper citation rules apply
for direct quotes – in parentheses (author’s last name, page
number)
· You must also use examples from two additional sources. You
can draw from examples given in lecture, your investigative
assignments, your peers’ investigative assignments, videos
shown in class, other class readings, and your own personal
experiences.
An “A” paper is one that accurately discusses all main points by

the Functionalists and Conflict Theorists in response to the
above prompt, uses appropriate examples from four sources to
support the discussion of both theories, and that is clear and
coherent. If you are concerned about your writing, please go to
OASIS before submitting your paper.

EDS/SOC 126 Classroom Socialization and Inequality

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to EDS/SOC 126 Classroom Socialization and Inequality

Similar to EDS/SOC 126 Classroom Socialization and Inequality (18)

More from SALU18

More from SALU18 (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

EDS/SOC 126 Classroom Socialization and Inequality