Ashley Fredette: Blog 6

This chapter discusses the idea of the school as “socializing agent”, with the objective to “create a desirable student [and citizen]”. It really struck me that the adaptation to school life from a child’s home life is quite a dramatic one. School is the place where children spend 1400 hours of their lives each year – where they learn social skills, how they are expected to behave, what they are to value, and what the social “norms” are. I have taken the whole context of school for granted for so long that I’ve forgotten how drastically different it is. For a child entering school, it is a lot to adjust to, so warmth and support from the early years teacher is critical. (In my own practicum classroom, I have taken notice that my cooperating teacher has gone to great lengths to develop high-quality relationships with each of her students, which really does minimize behavioural issues in the classroom.) The teacher is the authoritative figure in the classroom, but the relationship is not an intimate one (unlike the relationship a child shares with his/her parents). The student must get used to working within a large group. At the same time, the child has to learn how to be academically independent. He/she has to bond with peers, and develop a good work ethic so as to meet the expectations of teachers and improve upon feedback. When I think about all of the rules and expectations that come with simply going to school, it is completely overwhelming. Students must conform behaviourally, morally, and culturally within the school system, and the teacher has a huge role in setting a good example for all of these domains.

In reading about the whole concept of “streaming”, I found myself becoming very upset over the whole stigma towards vocational jobs. First of all, trade work is just as, if not more important than academic work because we need it to live practically each day (what would we do, for example, without plumbers and electricians?). Secondly, I noticed that the text reflects a general overlooking of students within certain social classes or ethnicities; assumptions are made about these students and they are streamed towards applied jobs. I found it ironic, however, that the text book itself refers to where these students are being directed as “bottom groups” and “lower streams”. I get what the author is trying to say, but putting down vocational jobs in this passive way is not helping the situation.

I took away from this chapter that it is important as teachers to consciously not lower our expectations of certain students based on assumptions about where they come from or what their abilities are. We need to hold open the door of possibility for all of our students, give them the best possible experiences and resources, and let them decide what they think they would like to do with their lives.

Discussion Question: What are ways in which we can de-stigmatize vocational jobs?