Assess The Importance Of School Factors In Creating Ethnic Differences
Assess the importance of school factors such as racism and pupils responses to racism in creating ethnic differences in educational achievement. (20 Marks)
There are many factors which lead to differences in educational achievement between different ethnic groups. These factors consist of labelling and teacher racism, pupil responses and subcultures, the ethnocentric curriculum, institutional racism and selection and segregation.
Labelling and teacher racism is when you attach a meaning or definition to them. For example, teachers may label a pupil as a troublemaker or bright. When looking at ethnic differences in achievement, interactionists focus on the different labels teachers give to children from different ethnic backgrounds. Their studies show that teachers often see black and Asian pupils as being far from the ‘ideal pupil’. For example, black pupils are often seen as disruptive and Asians as passive. Negative labels may …show more content…
An example of this is Mary Fuller’s study in 1984. She studied a group of year 11 black girls at a London comprehensive school. These girls were untypical because they were high achievers in a school where most black girls were placed in low streams. Fuller describes how instead of accepting negative stereotypes of themselves, the girls channelled their anger about being labelled into the pursuit of educational success. However, unlike other successful pupils, they did not seek approval of teacher, many of whom they regarded as racists. Nor did they limit their choice of friends to other academic achievers. Instead they were friends with other black girls from lower streams. Also unlike other successful pupils, they conformed only as far as the schoolwork itself was concerned. They worked conscientiously, but gave the appearance of not doing so, and they showed a deliberate lack of concern about school routines. This group of girls are an example of ‘the
There are many factors which lead to differences in educational achievement between different ethnic groups. These factors consist of labelling and teacher racism, pupil responses and subcultures, the ethnocentric curriculum, institutional racism and selection and segregation.
Labelling and teacher racism is when you attach a meaning or definition to them. For example, teachers may label a pupil as a troublemaker or bright. When looking at ethnic differences in achievement, interactionists focus on the different labels teachers give to children from different ethnic backgrounds. Their studies show that teachers often see black and Asian pupils as being far from the ‘ideal pupil’. For example, black pupils are often seen as disruptive and Asians as passive. Negative labels may …show more content…
An example of this is Mary Fuller’s study in 1984. She studied a group of year 11 black girls at a London comprehensive school. These girls were untypical because they were high achievers in a school where most black girls were placed in low streams. Fuller describes how instead of accepting negative stereotypes of themselves, the girls channelled their anger about being labelled into the pursuit of educational success. However, unlike other successful pupils, they did not seek approval of teacher, many of whom they regarded as racists. Nor did they limit their choice of friends to other academic achievers. Instead they were friends with other black girls from lower streams. Also unlike other successful pupils, they conformed only as far as the schoolwork itself was concerned. They worked conscientiously, but gave the appearance of not doing so, and they showed a deliberate lack of concern about school routines. This group of girls are an example of ‘the