Item A
Teachers may label and treat some groups of pupils differently from others. Schools and staff will have views about appropriate pupil behaviour and attitudes to school.
Relationships and processes within schools may lead to anti-school subcultures.Applying material from Item A, analyse two ways in which relationships and processes within schools may lead to anti-school subcultures.
AQA
A Level
2024
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Essay Outline: Anti-School Subcultures
This essay will analyse two ways in which relationships and processes within schools can lead to the formation of anti-school subcultures, drawing on Item A's suggestion that teacher labelling and differing views on behaviour contribute to this phenomenon.
1. Labelling Theory and Status Frustration
a) Explanation:Introduce labelling theory, highlighting how teachers' perceptions and expectations can influence student behaviour. This can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Explain the concept of "status frustration" as developed by Cohen. This refers to the frustration experienced by working-class students who feel they are unable to achieve success within the school system due to labelling and prejudice. b) Application:
Apply this theory to Item A's statement about teachers' different treatment of certain groups. Explain how negative labelling can lead to working-class students feeling excluded and rejected, pushing them towards alternative ways of gaining status. This might involve forming anti-school subcultures that value traits like rebelliousness and non-conformity. c) Analysis:
Analyse the limitations of this theory. Consider whether it oversimplifies the complex interplay of factors that contribute to anti-school subcultures. Acknowledge the role of other factors, such as social class and cultural capital, in shaping student experiences.
2. Habitus and Cultural Conflict
a) Explanation:Introduce Bourdieu's concept of "habitus" - the ingrained social norms and values individuals acquire through their socialisation. Explain how schools have their own "habitus" that prioritises academic success, middle-class values, and conformity. b) Application:
Relate this to Item A. Explain how working-class students may experience a clash between their own habitus and the dominant school habitus. This can lead to alienation and a sense of not belonging, contributing to the formation of anti-school subcultures as a means of asserting their identity and resisting the school's dominant culture. c) Analysis:
Analyse the strengths and weaknesses of this perspective. Highlight how it helps understand the structural inequalities that can fuel the development of anti-school subcultures. However, acknowledge the limitations of a purely structuralist approach and consider how individual agency and choice are also relevant.
Conclusion
Conclude by summarising the two ways in which relationships and processes within schools contribute to anti-school subcultures. Emphasise the importance of understanding the subjective experiences of students and the complex interplay between individual and societal factors. Briefly discuss the implications of these findings for educational policies and practices.
Additional Points
* Consider citing relevant sociological studies and authors (e.g., Willis, Bourdieu, Becker). * Use specific examples of anti-school subcultures to illustrate your points. * Address the question of whether anti-school subcultures are always negative or if they can have positive functions for their members. * You can also briefly discuss the role of wider social factors, such as poverty and unemployment, in contributing to anti-school subcultures.Anti-School Subcultures
Item A suggests that teachers may contribute to the formation of anti-school subcultures through labelling and differential treatment of students. This essay will analyse two ways in which such relationships and processes within schools can lead to the development of these subcultures.
Labelling and the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
Becker's interactionist theory of labelling is central to understanding how teacher perceptions can impact student outcomes. When teachers hold negative views about certain groups of pupils, they may label them as troublemakers or low-achievers. This labelling can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy, whereby students internalize these labels and act accordingly. For instance, a student consistently labelled as disruptive may begin to see themselves as such and disengage from schoolwork, ultimately leading to the formation of an anti-school subculture with peers who share similar experiences.
Furthermore, as suggested by Item A, schools often have preconceived notions of 'appropriate' behaviour. This can disadvantage students from different cultural backgrounds whose habitus, as Bourdieu argues, clashes with the dominant culture of the school. This clash can lead to marginalization and alienation, pushing students towards alternative spaces where their values and behaviours are accepted – often leading to the formation of anti-school subcultures as a form of resistance.
Status Frustration and Alternative Status Hierarchy
Building on the idea of labelling, Cohen's work on status frustration provides another perspective. He argues that working-class boys, often lacking the cultural capital valued by schools, experience status frustration due to their inability to achieve success within the legitimate opportunity structure of education. This frustration can lead them to seek alternative avenues for gaining status and respect.
Anti-school subcultures provide these alternative avenues. By rejecting academic values and engaging in disruptive behaviour, students can gain status and recognition within their peer group. Willis' study of "the lads" exemplifies this, demonstrating how boys formed a subculture that valued rebellion against school authority, ultimately perpetuating their position outside the mainstream.
Evaluation and Conclusion
While the processes within schools, such as labelling and the clash of habitus, contribute significantly to anti-school subcultures, it is crucial to acknowledge the interplay with external factors. Socio-economic disadvantage, cultural deprivation, and wider societal inequalities also play a role. However, recognizing the power dynamics within schools and the impact of teacher perceptions is crucial in understanding how these subcultures arise. By addressing issues of labelling, promoting inclusive environments, and valuing diverse forms of achievement, schools can mitigate the formation of anti-school subcultures and create a more equitable learning experience for all students.
Item A
Teachers may label and treat some groups of pupils differently from others. Schools and staff will have views about appropriate pupil behaviour and attitudes to school.
Relationships and processes within schools may lead to anti-school subcultures.Applying material from Item A, analyse two ways in which relationships and processes within schools may lead to anti-school subcultures.
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Assessment Criteria for Anti-School Subcultures
Answers in this band will show good knowledge and understanding of relevant material on two ways in which relationships and processes within schools may lead to anti-school subcultures.
There will be two developed applications of material from the Item, eg negative teacher labelling of pupils may lead to status frustration which then leads to the formation of anti-school subcultures as an alternative way of gaining status; the clash between the habitus of schools and staff and that of some pupils results in anti-school subcultures as a response to alienation.
There will be appropriate analysis / evaluation of the two ways, eg the extent to which factors outside school interact with processes within schools in the formation of anti-school subcultures.
Answers in this band will show a basic to reasonable knowledge and understanding of one to two ways in which relationships and processes within schools may lead to anti-school subcultures.
There will be some successful application of material from the Item, eg labelling by teachers leads to the polarisation of students and the development of anti-school subcultures.
There will be some analysis / evaluation.
Answers in this band will show limited knowledge and understanding of one to two ways in which relationships and processes within schools lead to anti-school subcultures.
There will be limited application of material from the Item. Some material may be at a tangent to the question, eg causes of differential educational achievement.
There will be limited or no analysis/evaluation.
No relevant points.
Sources may include the following or other relevant ones: Allan; Archer; Ball; Becker; Bourdieu; Coard; Gillborn and Youdell; Lacey; Mac an Ghaill; Reay; Sewell; Willis; Young.