role and purpose of education - functionalism

What does achieved statues mean

A status that is achieved through hard work and effort

What does ascribed statues mean

The status that is assigned to someone at birth e.g. the royal family

What does meritocracy mean

When everyone has the same opportunities to achieve in the education system

What does collective conscience mean

A shared belief, we all think the same way

What does social solidarity mean

When individuals feel like part of a community

What does particularisation standards mean

Rules that apply to one child, often found in the family e.g. take your shoes off when you come home

What does universalistic standards mean

Rules that apply to all children in the school e.g. don’t talk over the teacher

What does role allocation mean

Selecting students for future work roles by assessing their skills

What does the bridge between the family and society mean

The education system bridges the gap between these two things

What do functionalists think the education system does

role allocation

Why might Marxists criticise the point of education completing role allocation

Even if someone is good at a certain subject they may not have the means to get a career in it e.g. some may be good at biology but not be able to pay for a medical degree

What does Durkheim believe about the education system

• to create social solidarity

• To teach specialist skills

How does Durkheim believe that the education system teaches social solidarity

By completing secondary socialisation

What is secondary socialisation

When the education system teaches children the norms and values of society (universalistic standards)

How would a marxist criticise secondary socialisation

Students are taught the norms an and values of the bourgeoisie e.g. to be passive and docile and not talk back to the boss therefore maintaining capitalism

How does the education system create social solidarity

• children must resists their impulses by learning self restraint e.g. not eating in lesson even when hungry

• Children must accept discipline enforced by the school

How does the education system create a shared sense of culture

• topics learnt in history e.g. WW1

• Topics learnt in English e.g. Shakespeare

How is the curriculum not made for ethnic groups

All we learn about is British history or authors - ethnocentric curriculum

Davis and Moore

• role allocation

• Human capital

• Sifting and sorting

Role allocation

Allowing students to find what they are good at so they can get a career in that field

Human capital

The amount of sac rice someone has made to get a certain job

3 jobs that require a lot of human capital

• doctor

• Vet

• Lawyer

How do school identify skills and does this always work

Exams - no this doesn’t work because some don’t work as well in exams and it’s also more of a memory test and some people may not know how to revise

Which skills are more valued in the education system

More academic subject e.g. science

What are differential rewards

The idea that for different jobs you’ll get different rewards e.g. your wage

• this is to ensure those with better jobs get the better wages e.g. doctor

Criticism for differential rewards

It’s not always the better jobs that get the better rewards e.g. influencer vs police

Criticism for sifting and sorting

It’s not always the most capable who get the jobs

• may be good at bio but can’t pay for a medical degree

• Social capital

Parsons

Education is the bridge between the family and the workplace

• It teaches secondary socialisation

• Universalistic values

• Achieved status

• Encourages meritocracy

Give examples of particularistic values

• no swearing

• Take your shoes off when you come inside

Give examples of universalisric values

Don’t talk over the teacher

How would Marxists argue that meritocracy is a myth

The education system is made to benefit the middle class because they can pay for things to better their education e.g. tutor

Criticism of parsons

• some people are at a disadvantage in education due to labelling (Becker)

• Some schools don’t teach universalistic values e.g. an independent faith school only teaches their faith

• School rules may not apply in wider society

Give examples of school rules that won’t apply in society

• ask to take your blazer off

• Stand when the teacher walks in the room

• Asking to go to the toilet

Give an example of someone who shows that meritocracy does exist

Marcus rashford

Main criticisms of functionalism

• Marxists say they ignore the myth of meritocracy

• Feminists argue that schools pass on patriarchal values

• Some jobs are based on ascribed statues not achieved

• School content focuses on academic things rather than things to help manual jobs

• Forces people to stay in still 18 when it might not suit them

What does it mean when they say schools pass on patriarchal values

It promotes a male dominated societie and women can’t fully progress in their jobs because of the glass ceiling

Counter argument for feminists say school promote patriarchal values

There has been a change of attitudes and so women pay more attention to their jobs rather than family