In 2004, the Ontario Human Rights Commission provided evidence that since the adoption of the Safe Schools Act, a disproportionate number of students with various disabilities had been suspended or expelled (Bhattacharje 2003). Gender Socialization. Opponents of streaming note that those from disadvantaged and working-class backgrounds are disproportionately found in the vocational stream (Cheung 2007; Davies and Guppy 2006). The series of courses a student should take that best matches his or her abilities and aptitudes; also known as tracking. Describe how school rules, codes of conduct, and dress codes impact on the socialization of students. Learning the expected appropriate behaviours and values of the schools system is a complex ongoing process of socialization. Critics (see Apple 2000) also object to the presentation of the public schooling system as a failure and argue that the home schooling movement, particularly the neo-conservative home schooling movement in the United States, serves to segment and divide the population, essentially creating more problems than it actually solves. Krahn and Taylor (2007) found that a major influence on course selection was parental education and family income; students from families with lower incomes and in which neither parent had post-secondary qualifications were more likely to take lower-streamed courses. The most frequently mentioned motivations were the desire to bond the family through a common educational pursuit, objections to the organization of schools, and a desire to personally enrich the curriculum. While the media may tend to overemphasize the home schooling practices of the religious right in Canada and the United States, many parents in Canada choose to home school not for religious reasons, but because they are dissatisfied with the curriculum and/or the social environment of schools. In fact, mile Durkheim (1973) proposed a protracted role for educators in socializing children into morality. As noted in an official Alberta Education document: Whether they are conscious of it or not, schools are involved in teaching cultural and societal mores and values and in shaping students ideas about what constitutes good behaviour (Alberta Education 2005:1). Skelton (2001) has noted, however, that the predominance of female teachers is not a new thing but has been the status quo since the nineteenth century. Other agents of socialization within the school were also discussed. School settings often place children in heterogeneous classes with large groups of children of the same age, where they participate in very specific school-oriented activities and events. The disadvantages experienced by Aboriginal children in Canadian schools may be at least partially driven by the self-fulfilling prophecy. Peer-rejected children often display social skills that make them undesirable playmates and friends to other children. Canadian researchers have found that verbal abuse by teachers in early childhood can have impacts on children not only during childhood and adolescence, but also into adulthood. Rules that students opposed were those that seemed pointless and arbitrary, particularly those around dress codes (Raby 2005). Streaming is a topic that is hotly debated (Loveless 1999). Children who withdraw from peer interactions also limit their ability to fit into their peer group (Coie and Kupersmidt 1983; Dodge 1983). See Box 6.3 for further discussion about zero tolerance policies in Canada. Cohens examples of moral panics surrounded various youth cultures, particularly the Mods and Rockers of the early 1960s, and how the media portrayed them as a threat to established law and social order. Moral education is a subject taught at all cycles of school in Quebec. There are many new behaviours and experiences that children must adapt to when starting school for the first time. Because computer use is seen as a masculine activity by both boys and girls (Sokal 2002, 2010), the use of computers in literacy teaching may neutralize the idea that reading is a feminine task. Victims also tend to experience irritability (Sharp 1995), anxiety (Olweus 1978; Salmon and James 1998; Sharp 1995; Slee 1994), and anger and self-pity (Borg 1998). Many critics of home schooling have argued that because school is such an important basis for socialization, this can only mean that children who are home schooled are going to be missing out on some very key aspects of socialization. But perhaps the worst part of school, especially public How are schools teaching morality? WebSome kids need extra help learning and following social rules. While the characteristics of teachers in the process of socialization have been discussed above, another related feature that has been found to be associated with behavioural outcomes in children is school climate. The staff keep track of who is earning the bears, and perhaps more importantly, who is not. The influence of social capital, however, does not always work in a manner than enhances academic achievement and prosocial behaviours. 11. Socializationrefers to the ongoing process of learning the expected behaviours, values, norms, and social skills of individuals who occupy particular roles in society. Young people are more likely to agree with rules that they accept as offering them protection. Of course, the socialization that results from primary socialization rests heavily upon the social class, ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds and attitudes of the family. As discussed in Chapter 2, Millington, Vertinsky, Boyle, and Wilson (2008) studied physical education curriculum in a Vancouver high school. Not all school violence is overt. When children start school, for example, they are socialized to obey authority (i.e., the teacher) and in how to be a student. This bottom-up approach to decision making has proven to be a very effective one for students who, for various reasons, were not successful in the mainstream system. Box 6.4 Alternative Approaches to School Rules. There are various reasons that parents choose to home school their children. Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices. 2007)depending on who is doing them. Character education is part of the official curriculum in some parts of the country. The Researchers have determined that bully victims are weak in temperament (Hodges and Perry 1999; Smith and Myron-Wilson 1998), lack physical strength (Bernstein and Watson 1997; Hodges and Perry 1999; Smith and Myron-Wilson 1998), and are somehow different in terms of looks (including race), dress, or physical ability (Bernstein and Watson 1997; Fried 1997). As noted earlier, at the core of these zones are school rules, to which we now turn. Kelly, Pomerantz, and Currie (2005), for example, found that self-described skater girls (i.e., girls who associate with skateboard culture) were expressing their rejection of contemporary ideals of femininity. Their role in guiding the moral development of children, however, is often not simply limited to setting a good example. Other agents of socialization are family, peers, religion, work, media, internet, and social media. Raby (2005) and Pomerantz (2007) also suggest that dress codes are more likely to be enforced on more physically developed females or those who belong to stigmatized subgroups (e.g., Goths). In order to address the boy problem, the Ontario Ministry of Education has created guides for improving boys literacy.8 Booklets called Me Read? Their inability to behave in ways that are socially acceptable can have many causes, such as parenting styles and disciplinary techniques in the home (Putallaz and Heflin 1990). The first of these dimensions is behavioural conformity. Characteristics of children that may be perceived to threaten classroom management may attract negative attention from teachers. Similar to peer victimized children, peer rejection may occur simply because a child is perceived as being different in some way from other members of the peer group. No scientific evidence has been found that supports the idea that males perform better when taught by male teachers, either in Canada (Coulter and McNay 1993; Sokal et al. A commitment to ones school and education; associated with protecting children from the influence of delinquent peers and reducing early aggression in young students. Sokal (2010) found no evidence that computer-assisted literacy programs had any influence on Canadian males from low socioeconomic backgrounds who struggled with reading. Home schooled children typically follow the curriculum of their province of residence. Look on the internet for official curriculum documents about moral education in Canada. This phenomenon of a network of disadvantageous social ties has been called negative social capital (Portes 1998). 2010). Favourable school climates are characterized by non-arbitrary rule enforcement, rewarding of appropriate behaviour, and positive interactions between students and teachers (Reinke and Herman 2002). Students who are consistently placed in remedial classes may also start to view themselves as slow (Barakett and Cleghorn, 2008). Students will be required to sit still during lessons. Within the family, children are socialized into particular ways of thinking about morals, cultural values, and social roles. When a student enters high school, the courses that he or she takes greatly influence the post-secondary options available to him or her upon graduation. Many children arrive at school with behavioural problems and emotional needs that are not met in the family environment. Martino and Kehler (2006, 2007) have argued that such demands for male teachers to fix the problem of boys underachievement is actually a subtle ploy to re-traditionalize schools using a strategy of normalizing hegemonic masculinities (discussed in Chapter 2). They have good self-esteem and are likely to display fewer behavior problems than do other children. Summarize how streaming contributes to socialization in schools. Examples of teachers acting in morally suggestive ways occasionally make it into the mainstream media. Other research has suggested that cultural differences between childrens families and teachers result in the enforcement of zero tolerance policies for perceived minor infractions being viewed as excessive and impersonal by parents (Bernhard et al. What are the rationales given for dress codes and school uniforms? The outer ring consists of implicit moral instruction, where students are provided with moral exemplars in more sophisticated ways, such as through the curriculum of history and literature. Children who have negative relationships with teachers are also more likely to view school as an unpleasant place and be at a disadvantage in terms of learning. They had a higher likelihood of participating in risky and illegal behaviour. Socialization that occurs within the family, where children first learn their own individual identity, acquire language, and develop cognitive skills. Lamb, Bigler, Riben, and Green (2009) have also found that if teachers teach children to confront and challenge sexist stereotypes, the results can decrease gender stereotyping behaviour, particularly in girls. From an early age until adulthood, school is a place where children spend a large portion of their daysand, indeed, their lives. The first part addresses the essential implication of race theory in adult education. Instead of occurring in the public sphere, girls resistance was contained to private spaces to avoid the risk of being criticized. Students who exhibit higher academic aptitude are put with similar students into advanced courses where they will be challenged. In an overview of studies (Sussman et al. Opponents to uniforms argue that they impinge on students self-expression, create a disciplinarian environment, and do little to equalize social class differences among students. A dimension of socialization including the self-regulations of the body required of students to fit into the school environment, such as raising a hand or sitting still. Less overt ways of instilling values through curricular practices are also found in citizenship education, which teaches students about being good citizens. Citizenship education is present in the primary and secondary curricula of all Canadian provinces and territories (Evans 2006). The main thrust of this argument is that teaching staff are disproportionately comprised of females who value certain behaviours (like passivity and obedience, which tend to be found more in girls) and subject matter (like reading, which does not appeal to males as much), and that to improve boys performance, more males must be brought into the profession (Skelton 2002; Titus 2004). Schools codes of conduct serve to penalize those who do not conform. Prior to attending school, childrens main source of socialization comes from their families. As noted by Sweet et al. School board rules also prohibit vandalism, aggression, and racist, homophobic, sexual, and gender-biased speech. Children who are home schooled do not attend formal school and are taught usually by a parent in the home environment. Figure 6.3 summarizes the major forces of socialization within schools that were discussed. Previous explanations of males outperformance of females in science and mathematics suggested that biological factors predisposed males to be better at more technical subjects than females. Describe how they all impact on student socialization. However, as Greig (2003) points out, this approach assumes that all boys like a particular type of book and that there is a standardized masculine identity that should be cultivated. Illustrate how peer groups contribute to the social identity of students. As discussed above, the teacher becomes an important new figure of authority for young children when they first begin formal schooling. 4. First, it teaches members the skills necessary to satisfy basic human needs and to defend themselves against danger, thus ensuring that society itself will continue to exist. In addition to features of the school and teacher characteristics, a major part of socialization at school involves students interaction with their peer group. Variation and Formulas Completing a Portfolio, English Language Arts Streaming in Alberta, Mathematics is not the only subject that is streamed. The findings of research on the impact of school uniforms on school safety has, in general, not supported the premise of reduced behavioural problems in students (Han 2010) or school achievement (Yeung 2009). Customer Service Environment Group Dynamics Institutions Looking (Ontario Ministry of Education 2009) were circulated to teachers in order to put creative strategies in place for improving boys literacy. Warm and supportive teachers and a positive school climate are crucial for the positive social development of children, and the absence of such can have long-term detrimental effects on students, particularly if they have family problems. These students did not have a strong peer group identity with one of the established school peer groups and were at the periphery of the school social scene. The gender gap between males and females in these subjects has narrowed considerably in recent years, with boys and girls performing about the same in both Canada and the United States (Lauzon 2001). Students also learn their gender at school. The school, like Won Ska, has a high retention rate. These labels are not easily shed and can have spillover effects into other areas of social interaction, such as peer relations and future teacher expectations (Jones 1972). Peer victimizationrefers to physical and emotional abuse experienced by children from other childrenotherwise known as bullying. Define peer victimization, peer rejection, and relational aggression. In contrast, the English language arts academic trajectory in Alberta is ELA 10-1, 20-1, and 30-1 [which] provides a more in-depth study of text in terms of textual analysis. What are some examples of streaming? How do the Curricula of Different Provinces Compare on Controversial Subjects? In a study of 226 Canadian adults who had been home schooled as children, Van Pelt, Allison, and Allison (2009) explored how these individuals compared to a more general population of adult Canadians. Structural and Social Inequalities in Schooling, After reading this chapter, you will be able to. One final agent of socialization is religion, discussed further in They may be more socially mature and have better leadership skills than other children as well. Failure to be accepted by peers can be devastating for children, especially when it is manifested in acts of peer victimization and peer rejection. The Consumer Mathematics curriculum addresses financial management, career exploration, home ownership and maintenance, as well as more traditional topics such as trigonometry and statistics. Socialization is a twofold process occurring at both the social and individual levels that accomplish two main goals. Child victims also report having recurring memories of the abuse (Sharp 1995) and being afraid to seek help (Slee 1994; Smith and Myron- Wilson 1998). In early 2011, eight female students at a Catholic high school in Windsor, Ontario were suspended for one day and faced not being able to go to their prom because they wore yellow and blue duct tape tops to a school hockey game in December. Increasing the homogeneity of ability within a classroom also promotes better classroom management (Barakett and Cleghorn 2008). Within the school setting, social competence is achieved when students embrace and achieve socially sanctioned goals. Alberta Education. The self-fulfilling prophecyis a term coined by sociologist Robert Merton in 1948 and refers to situations in which preconceived ideas about how someone will act cause that person to act in such a way, even if the belief about that person was initially incorrect.11 Riley and Ungerleider (2008) found that pre-service Canadian teachers rated the student records of those they were led to believe were Aboriginal less favourably compared to identical student records of those identified as non-Aboriginal, suggesting that teachers do alter their perceptions of students based on fixed characteristics. The inner ring is characterized by explicit moral instruction. They also tended to be popular. This is particularly striking because these differences in self-concept about abilities in math and science exist in studies even when there is no difference between the grades of males and females. This is a basic but surprisingly complex and difficult process that benefits from experience, knowledge and effort. Describe how peer victimization, peer rejection, and relational aggression impact on the socialization experiences of students. These goals (e.g., learning to share, participating in lessons, working in groups), when embraced, also serve to integrate the child into social groups at school. The narrowing of standardized test scores between males and femalesand across countrieshowever, strongly points to the differences as being cultural constructions that are shifting as the result of changing norms of socialization (Penner 2008). The following are illustrative examples of socializing. (2010), such conditions can only negatively impact the achievements of these students and further constrain their post-secondary prospects. School dress codes can be a particularly contentious topic, particularly when the dress code rules appear to be targeting particular groups and if they do not appear to be enforced fairly. In other words, boys need to be in places where traditional expressions of masculinities can be fostered and nurtured because the current organization of school does not allow this.