Social Class Differences Essay, Research Paper
Social Class Differences
Peer Influences?researchers say some low-SES students become part of
resistance culture, these kinds of kids see it as "selling out" or
trying to act like you’re from the middle class if you make it in school,
usually reject behaviors that would make them successful, i.e. cooperating with
others, studying, coming to class, etc.
Tracking?sometimes low-SES students are thought of as low ability so put
into "low-ability"or "general" classes where there’s passive
learning, lower levels of knowledge being taught, teacher dominated,
memorization, this limits their academic ability and life chances
Childrearing Styles?low-SES kids more often than other kids do not live in
a home environment that gives them a head start in school, studies show middles
class others are more likely to talk, give verbal guidance, help kids understand
circumstances, make plans, encourage kids to solve problems themselves, this
gives kids more knowledge and self-confidence coming into school
Home Environment and Resources?research shows low-SES and high-SES kids
both make comparable gains in reading and math while school is in session,
low-SES lose more ground during summer because of examples states above and
because middle and upper class kids go to museums and libraries more than lower
class kids
Ethnic and Racial Differences
Ethnicity?used to refer to groups that are characterized in terms of a
common nationality, culture, or language, i.e. geography, religion, race, etc.
Race?category composed of men and women who share biologically transmitted
traits that are defined as socially significant, such as skin color, depending
on traits you measure, there are between 3 and 300 races
Minority Groups?today means group of people who receive unequal or
discriminatory treatment, actually should be the numerical minority compared to
the total population
Changing Demographics: Cultural Differences
By 2020, half the population will be from African American, Asian, Latino or
other ethnic groups, culture is like an ice berg?1/3 is visible (marriage
traditions, costumes, holidays) while the rest is hidden and unknown (biases,
beliefs, ideas), cultural conflicts are usually over the hidden differences, for
example some cultures do not look respected figures in the eyes when spoken too
and that can be seen as rude to some people
Ethnic and Racial Differences in School Achi