Thesis

1. The establishment of a “Social Ladder”



In order to argue about different curriculums for schools of varying social status, Anyon must first establish that there is in fact varying social status, and she defines it using representative examples of the occupations of parents in each school in the study.
 

2. Specific educational studies for 5^th grade schools



The categories under which the schools fall are named according to the students’ parents’ occupations.

1. Working Class Schools (pg. 527)


The families of the students in the working class schools are at or below the national poverty level ($12,000 in 1992); most of the parents are unskilled workers. Students are taught to follow a set procedure; they are not encouraged to discover their own methods of solving problems that are presented to them. The work is not graded on if the correct solution is found, but on whether or not the correct procedure was followed.

Main Ideas:

Work is following the steps of a procedure.
No Creativity / Little discussion in the classroom.
No constructive communication between teachers and students.

Quotations:

“One teacher explained to me, ‘Simple punctuation is all they'll ever use.’” - pg. 528
“On [a] card, the teacher has written the question to be answered, the books to use, and how much to write. Explaining the cards to the observer, the teacher said, ‘It tells them exactly what to do, or they couldn't do it.’” - pg. 529

Example schools from movies:

Dangerous Minds, October Sky



2. Middle Class Schools (pg. 530)


The middle class school is not exclusively composed of middle class families. Many of the students are from working or affluent class neighborhoods, but the educational system merges these “rungs on the social ladder”. Typical families in middle class schools earn between $13,000 and $25,000 a year, though a few earn slightly more. Work here is graded on if the solution is correct, regardless of specific technique and fundamental understanding.

Main Ideas:

Work is getting the right answer.
More emphasis on choice and making decisions than in working class schools.
Creativity is not expected, and does not have a place in the classroom.

Quotations:

“‘I [the teacher] want to make sure you understand what you're doing -- so you get it right’” - pg. 531
“One teacher said in some exasperation to a boy who was fooling around in class, ‘If you don't know the answers to the questions I ask, then you can't stay in this class! [pause] You never know the answers to the questions I ask, and it's not fair to me -- and it's certainly not to you!’” - pg. 531

Example schools from movies:

Stand and Deliver^*



3. Affluent Professional Schools (pg. 533)


Most of the students who attend this school are from the upper middle class and have parents with professional skills. Here, a family income of more than double that of a middle class family is not uncommon. The primary educational difference between this school and the previous schools is in the fundamental goal of the affluent professional school: ensuring that the students can not only perform a task, but also that they understand it.

Main Ideas:

Work is creative activity carried out independently.
Students learn a concept, not a method.
There is opportunity for creativity.

Quotations:

“There is no language arts textbook because, the teacher said, ‘The principal wants us to be creative.’” - pg. 535
“‘It doesn't matter whether it [what they find] is right or wrong. I bring them together and there's value in discussing their ideas.’” - pg. 535

Example schools from movies:

Dead Poets Society^*



4. Executive Elite Schools (pg. 536)


In this school, all of the families earn at least $100,000 a year, with some reaching $500,000 or more. Many of the fathers are top executives in large companies or on Wall Street. The students here are taught to think on their own. These students learn not only the process of solving a problem, but also the fundamental concepts behind it and practical real-world applications for their knowledge.

Main Ideas:

Work is developing one’s analytical intellectual powers.
Especially (though certainly not exclusively) for this school, students are prepared to follow in their parents’ footsteps.

Quotations:

“Occasionally the teachers would prod with statements such as, ‘Even if you don't know [the answers], if you think logically about it, you can figure it out.’ And ‘I'm asking you [these] questions to help you think this through.’” - pg. 537
“‘It is not enough to get these right on tests; you must use what you learn [in grammar classes] in your written and oral work. I will grade you on that.'” - pg. 538

Example schools from movies:

Due [probably] to the fact that the educational system consists of less than 1% Executive Elite Schools, there are no movies about these schools pertinant to the discussion.

Summary