The chapter, Theories in the Sociology of Education, was quite a dense read. That being said, there were many valuable
approaches to sift through and consider in terms of preparing for the
classroom. It is interesting to look at
social systems and classes, and then determine where I myself as an individual
fit into the various structures. The
discussion surrounding “whiteness”, on page 49, is relevant to me since I am a
white female and have probably not experienced any cultural hindrance due to
this. On top of that, it is important
for me to stay aware and aim to build a classroom environment that embodies
equality and deemphasizes traditional social class stereotypes. Touching on Putnam’s theory of bridging capital, found on page 39, I
would hope that I am able to create a classroom that is inclusive and nurtures
the needs, desires, and potential of each student by encouraging cultural
diffusion and community.
One theory I found to be intriguing was the
concept of social mobility. In the text, it is defined as “to the ability
of individuals to move from one social class to another” (p.40). The text also stated that while anyone has
the ability to move up in social class if they so desires to, people tend to
stay within the class they are familiar with (p. 42). I suppose this is the case because there are
likely a series of barriers to overcome in order to “move up”. It also got me thinking that a transition by
one individual in a particular social class could lead to a dislike or shunning
of the individual by other members of the same social group. Ultimately, I remain amazed that people
choose to accept the barriers societal structures place on them and are
compliant and reluctant to persevere and overcome the social constraints being
applied.
Discussion Question: Since we are a group of university students,
what barriers or social constraints have you faced throughout your university career?
How have they affected your view of
university or post-secondary education institutions and what would you change
about these social structures?
L.
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