Copyright © 2007 Allyn and Bacon BECOMING A TEACHER, 7e Forrest W. Parkay & Beverly Hardcastle Stanford Chapter 4 Social Realities And Today’s Schools

Copyright © 2007 Allyn and Bacon

BECOMING A TEACHER, 7eForrest W. Parkay &

Beverly Hardcastle Stanford

Chapter 4Social Realities

And Today’sSchools

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What Is the Role of Schools in Today’s Society?

Schools and Prosocial Values The well being of any society requires support of such values When polled, ninety percent of the public believed the

following values should be taught in the public schools: honesty democracy Acceptance of people of different races and ethnic

backgrounds Caring for friends and family Moral courage Patriotism/love of country



Schools and the Socialization of the Young Schools are where the young learn to participate

responsibly in our nation’s society Schools are where individuals from different

ethnic, racial, religious, and cultural backgrounds can learn the values and customs of the majority English language Major national holidays Basic workings of capitalism and democracy



Schools and Social Change Schools can provide students with the knowledge to

improve society

Schools and Equal Educational Opportunity To create a community that works for the common

good, students need to acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to participate in civic action to make society more equitable and just


How Can Schools Be Described? Schools can be categorized according to their

curricula: college prep, vocational, or general Metaphors for Schools

Words like: tribes, clans, gardens, prisons, banks, homes, churches, mental hospitals, and teams

An effective school consists of a community of caring adults who attend to the academic, social, and emotional needs of the children in their care


How Can Schools Be Described? Schools and Social Class

Some individuals believe that schools reproduce the existing society

Done by presenting different curricula and educational experiences to students from different socioeconomic classes

Schools in effect preserve the stratification within society and maintain the differences


What Are Schools Like as Social Institutions?

The School as a Reflection of Society Schools mirror the national culture and the

surrounding local culture Rural, Suburban, and Urban Schools

Often have significantly different cultures Schools and Community Environments

The differences among the environments can be enormous



The Culture of the School The physical environment

Reflects and helps create the school’s culture

Formal practices of schools Self-contained classrooms Open-space classrooms Departmentalization

School traditions Reflect what the students, teachers, parents, and surrounding

community view as important



The Culture of the Classroom Each classroom develops its own culture or

way of life Effective teachers develop positive, task-

oriented cultures Ineffective teachers develop negative cultures


What are the Characteristics of Successful Schools?

Measures of success Schools achieve at a high level and complete

requirements for graduation They achieve results that surpass those

expected from comparable settings They are schools that are improving, not

getting worse


What are the Characteristics of Successful Schools?

Research on School Effectiveness How to build an effective school

Strong Leadership High expectationsEmphasis on basic

skills

Frequent, systematicEvaluation of

Student learningSense of purpose

Focus on Studentlearning

Emphasis on Authentic pedagogy

Greater school Organizational

capacity

Orderly schoolenvironment

Collegiality and aSense of community

Greater externalsupport


What Social Problems Affect Schools and Place Students at Risk?

Identifying Students at Risk Growing numbers of students live in socially

toxic environments Tend to get low grades Perform below grade level academically Are older due to retention Have behavior problems at school



Children and Poverty Almost 17 percent of children live in families

below the poverty line 24 percent with parents or caregivers who do

not have full time, year round employment In 2002, the flagging economy sent 1.4

million more people into poverty Nearly have were children



Homelessness Half of all homeless children do not attend school

regularly due to numerous barriers Health problems Hunger Difficulty obtaining clothing School supplies Providing documentation Can be difficult to identify

The McKinney-Vento Act requires states to provide homeless children with a free public education Must remove obstacles to school registration



Family Stress

Substanceabuse

PsychologicalabuseSexual abuse

Physical abuse

Financial problems



Substance Abuse In a 2003 poll, drug use among students remained at

alarming levels 54 percent had tried an illicit drug by the time they

finished High School Alcohol use remains extremely widespread among

today’s youth An alarming number of young people see drugs as a

way of coping with life problems



Violence and Crime Students ages 12-18 were victims of 764,000

violent crimes Were the victims of 1.2 million crimes of

theft 71 percent of schools experienced one or more

violent incidents 36 percent reported one or more such incidents to

the police



Violence and Crime

School Shootings

Violence intelevision

Violent point andShoot video

games

Selling drugs

Increase use Of

guns


Complications during pregnancy and in the

birthing process

Complications during pregnancy and in the

birthing process

Less likely to receive prenatal care

Less likely to receive prenatal careThey tend not to eat

well balanced diets

They tend not to eat well balanced diets


Teen Pregnancy In spite of a decline in teenage pregnancy,

birth, and abortion, teen pregnancies still remain a serious problem in society

Are not free of harmful substances such as

alcohol, tobacco, and drugs

Are not free of harmful substances such as

alcohol, tobacco, and drugs

Are “at risk” for chronic educational,

occupational, and financial difficulties

Are “at risk” for chronic educational,

occupational, and financial difficulties

Their offspring are “at risk” for medical, educational, and

behavioral problems

Their offspring are “at risk” for medical, educational, and

behavioral problems



Suicide among Children and Youths Suicide is the third leading cause of death

among youth ages fifteen to twenty-four Female students are two times more likely to

seriously attempt suicide Latino students are two times more likely

than white students Gay and lesbian youth are two to three times

more likely than their heterosexual peers


How Are Schools Addressing Societal Problems?

Peer Counseling Full-Service Schools School-Based Interprofessional Case

Management Compensatory Education Alternative Schools and Curricula


How Can Community-Based Partnerships Help Students Learn?

The Community as a Resource for Schools Civic Organizations: Sources of funding Volunteer Mentor Programs Corporate-Education Partnerships: Work on

creating model schools Schools as Resources for Communities

Beyond the School Day Social Services

Documents

Copyright © 2007 Allyn and Bacon BECOMING A TEACHER, 7e Forrest W. Parkay & Beverly Hardcastle Stanford Chapter 4 Social Realities And Today’s Schools