The Impact of Sociological Theories in Education

The Impact of Sociological Theories in Education Crystal Taylor-Johnson SOC101 Introduction to Sociology professor Christine Henderson November 22, 2010 Education is the just about of the essence(p) part of a persons life. Without a good breeding muckle would struggle in general life unless to be commensurate to get by. There ar three theories that serve understand education. Even though most masses feel theories ar just someones opinions, education has umteen varied theories that support it because these theories table service raft understand education soften and these theories ar all different but yet they help divulge what education really is.The three theories that ar important for wad to fill in are Functionalism, mesh, and Interactionism. These three theories play an important section in helping to understand education and why education is important. These theories are non just one mans opinion they give a acme meaning of what education is really abou t. Martin Luther King Jr. once tell the function of education is to teach one to stand for intensively and to think critically. intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education. Without sociological theories to help understand what education is all about and why education is important, we would not get the true identity of education. Education does not just help you with a best career, it in like manner helps you with your social skills, your ability to understand things better, and most importantly it helps you to be able to make out yourself. Functionalism Functionalist perspective is a sociological approach that emphasizes the way in which the parts of a society are structured to maintain its stability. (Richard Schaefer, 2009) Functionalists bequeathing focus on ways that oecumenical education can serve the needs of society. The first thing that functionalist do is contact education in its manifest role. They count that education conveys familiarity and skills to the next generation. Emile Durkheim was the founder of functionalist theory. He identify the latent role of education, which was identified as one of socializing people into societys mainstream. He called it a moral education, and it helped form a more(prenominal)-cohesive social structure.It did this by bringing people together from diverse backgrounds. The other latent roles of education that functionalist point to are transmission of core values and social structure. spirit values reflect the characteristics that support political and economic systems that had originally render education in American education. This means that children in America will receive rewards for following schedules, directions, meeting deadlines, and obeying their authority figures. A benefit that functionalists take to in education is something they call sorting.This means they separate bookmans on the fundament of merit. They feel that societys needs demands that the most fitted people get channeled into the most important occupations. Schools are capable of identifying the most capable learners early. They do so by filling who scores richlyest on material bodyroom and standardized tests. The students who score amply on these tests are put into accelerate programs and college preparation courses. M some(prenominal) sociologists like Kingsley Davis, Wilbert Moore, and Talcott Parsons referred to this as social placement. They felt this was a beneficial function in society.Functionalists believe that education plays an ironic treble role in both preserving and changing culture. There progress to been studies that have shown that as students progress through college and beyond, they are commonly able to become increasingly liberal as they encounter a variety of perspectives. People who are more educated are principally more liberal, but people who are less educated are conservatism. Heavy emphasis on research at most institutions of risque education put t hem on the cutting edge of changes in knowledge, and, in umteen cases, changes in values as well.Therefore, while the primary role of education is to preserve and pass on knowledge and skills, education is also in the business of transforming them. (CliffNotes. com, 2010). Conflict Conflict perspective is a sociological approach that assumes that social behavior is best understood in harm of tension between groups over power or the allocation of resources, including housing, money, annoy to services, and political representation. (Schaefer, 2010). These theorists see the purpose of education as maintaining social disparity and preserving the power of those who dominate society.Conflict theorists and functionalists examine the same functions of education. Functionalists see education as a beneficial contribution to an ordered society however, conflict theorists see the educational system as perpetuating the status quo by dulling the lower divisiones into existence obedient wo rkers. (CliffNotes. com, 2010). Both of these theories agree that the educational system practices sorting, but they differ on how the educational system enacts that sorting. Functionalists believe that the schools sort based on merits whereas conflict theorists believe that schools sort based on distinct class and ethnic lines.Conflict theorists believe that schools train those who are in the working class to accept their position as a lower-class member of society. This role of education is called hidden curriculum. Conflict theorists have several light upon factors that defend their position. They feel because property taxes fund most schools, schools in luxuriant districts have more money. The students who live in these kinds of areas are more promising to get into the best colleges and have a better chance of organism tracked into higher-paying professions.Students who are in less affluent neighborhoods do not have these kinds of advantages. They are less apt(predicate) t o go to college and more likely to go to a vocational school or technical training. Employers routinely use education as a selection tool. Jobs with a high social status such as executives, Wall Street Lawyers, and politicians at the national level are almost exclusively recruited from elite universities. opus employers looking for middle management and other white-collar workers, require trustworthy levels of education that indicate sufficient motivation and social experience. (Jason Todd, n. d. ) Interactionism Interactionist perspective is a sociological approach that generalizes about everyday forms of social interaction in order to explain society as a whole. (Schaefer, 2010) Interactionists are principally concerned with relations and transactions in the school house. Interactionists are more concerned with the daily grind of the students and the transactions that occur between the students and the teachers or any other person that is involved with the student.Because the y are concerned with this they slight the basic physical factors, which are whether the schools are urban or rural, a large educational complex or a small one, or if the schools have a highly bureaucratic system or not. For example, interactionists would be more concerned with the roles that other people play in the students education. They are concerned with the efficiency of a students education and the select of a childs academic experience. Interactionists believe that it is important for students and teachers or any other person who is involved in that students life.Every student needs to know that their voice is being heard. It is very important for a teacher to understand every one of their students, because every student is different. I think that is what interactionists are trying to get at with their theory. onwards a student can really learn, they need to be able to listen. And before they will listen they have to know whether they can trust that person or not. In the beginning a teachers primary goal should be to gain the trust of their students. When a teacher is able to gain the trust of their students, then the students will listen.The theories that have been discussed here are very different from one another, but they are not far from the truth. Unfortunately we see these things every day. Functionalists and Conflict theorists believe that if you live in a high profile neighborhood then you will go to a high profile school, and when you go to a high profile school you will get noticed by the best colleges and you will have a very wealthy successful career. If you live in a lower-class neighborhood you will have a more difficult cartridge clip getting into a great college and living the life that upper-class people live. Although we do not like this, it is true.There are many people that compositors case this unfairness every day. Interactionists believe a more delicate theory. They believe that a good social communication between students and peers, teachers, family members, or any other person that comes in contact with the student on a daily basis is the most important part of a students ability to learn and succeed. Even though most people feel theories are just someones opinions, education has many different theories that support it because these theories help people understand education better and these theories are all different but yet they help identify what education really is.Education is what you make of it. I leave you with a summons by Booker T. Washington that felt as though it does not matter where you came from in order to be successful, but how hard you worked is the key Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed. ReferencesCliff Notes. com. (2010). Theories of Education. Retrieved November 22, 2010 from http//www. cliffsnotes. com/study_guide/topicArticleId-26957,articleId-26914. html King Jr. , M. L. (n. d. ).Education Quotes to get knowledge, Wisdom, and Deepen Understanding In All Arenas of Life Arenas of Life. Retrieved November 22, 2010 from http//famousquoteshomepage. com Shaefer, R. T. (2009).Sociology A drawing Introduction 8th Edition. McGraw-Hill, New York, New York. Page 422, 420 and 423 Todd, J. (n. d. ). Functional and Conflict Theory Point of View. Retrieved November 22, 2010 from http//www. helium. com/items/779460-functional-and-conflict-theory-a-point-of-view Washington, B. T. (n. d. ).Inspirational Educational Quotes for Students. Retrieved November 22, 2010 from http//www. successcds. net/student_quotes. htm