Soc315

Sociology 315: Foundations of Social Welfare

Fall 2012

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A tale of two schools:

Lower Richmond (K-5)	Swan (K-5)
inner-city, three stories, few windows, lots of asphalt, fenced in, surrounding traffic congestion	suburban campus of one-story buildings, lots of windows, grass, open space, playground equipment, etc.
racially segregated working class neighborhoods	racial composition--about 90% white suburban neighborhoods predominantly (but not entirely) white, middle to upper class greater reliance on cars to ferry kids around
student body--about 1/2 black, 1/2 white; 1/2 qualify for free lunches
majority of teachers are white; majority of support staff are black	Most all teachers/administrators are white; Most all support staff are white
considered 'better' than many of the surrounding schools in the city	greater parent involvement; less perceived bureaucratic issues
problems shortage of teachers, supplies, low salaries, clumsy bureaucracy	problems teachers complain parents are not actively involved in their kids' educations; parents complain when their concerns aren't taken seriously
academics 1/2 of students are reading below grade level limited supplies for projects, curricula teachers encourage 'enriching' activities, less acknowledging of unstructured play, TV watching, etc.	academics most all students perform at or above grade level; more supplies, 'richer' curriculum; stress on out-of-school activities among kids, teachers encourage especially the organized varieties
parent involvement 'accomplishment of natural growth' -- 'hands off,' less intervention teachers want parents to supervise homework	parent involvement concerted cultivation--encourage interaction with adults; intervene if necessary in school-related matters supervision of homework a problem
less stress on out-of-school, organized activities	out-of-school activities are stressed, including organized sports and athletics, arts, etc., and 'brought in' to the classroom through discussion, conversation

Some things to consider:

The important role of public education
the role of public education institutions (and the philosophies of professionals)
the two 'strategies' discussed in the book: 'concerted cultivation' vs 'accomplishment of natural growth'
The (implied) class-based nature of the strategies and cultural practices, and the early ages at which children learn and practice them
The ways those strategies affect student/teacher/parent/administrator interactions (the education profession is more aligned with the 'middle class' cultivation philosophy)
Ultimately--how do these different cultures influence people's attitudes toward institutions, the professional classes, bureaucracies?

Annette Lareau. 2003. Unequal Childhoods. Berkeley: University of California Press.