Transcript
PUPIL SUBCULTURES
Erlehta Sfarca
PUPIL SUBCULTURES
A pupil subculture is a group of pupils who share similar
values and behaviour patterns. They often emerge as a
response to the way pupils have been labelled. Lacey's
(1970) concepts of differentiation and polarisation are
used to explain how pupil subcultures develop:
1. DIFFERENTIOATION
2. POLARISATION
Differentiation- the process of which teachers
categorise pupils on how they perceive their ability, attitude
and behaviour. Streaming is a form of differentiation since
it categorises pupils into separate classes.
Polarisation- the process in which pupils respond to
streaming by moving towards one of the two opposite
'poles' or extremes.
THE PRO SCHOOL SUBCULTURES
Pupils in high streams (majority
middle class) tend to remain committed
to the values of the school. They gain
their status in the approved man,
through academic success.
THE ANTI SCHOOL SUBCULTURES
Those placed in low streams (majority
working class) suffer a loss of self-esteem
which leads them to push themselves in
other methods of gaining success. Usually
this is through inverting the school's value
of hard work obedience and punctuality.
Lacey's study is a striking example of the
power of labelling and streaming to
actually create failure. These boys had
been successful at primary school and were
among the elite of about 15% who passed
the eleven plus exam to get into the
grammar school.
Once in the grammar school, the competitive
atmosphere and streaming meant that many boys
were soon labelled as failures and showed
extreme physical reactions e.g. bed wetting. By
the second year, many boys had become distinctly
anti school as they adjusted to their status as
failures.
top related