Analysis Of Jean Anyon's Four Curriculum Structures

In Jean Anyon’s essay, “Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work”, she discusses how she observed various classrooms across New Jersey in an attempt to find proof that schools taught comprehension and provided altered education opportunities based on the level of social class.

Writing Focus: Reflect on your fieldwork or teaching experiences. Include a question for discussion with the critique.

Lubrano explains how middle-class children understand the importance of receiving higher education, while working-class children fail to see the purpose of preparing for a higher level in the short term. According to Lubrano, “Middle-class kids are groomed for another life” (534). Author Patrick Finn states, “Working-class kids see no such connection, understand no future life for which digesting Shakespeare might be of value” (534). In answering this question, Lubrano must look at the various circumstances that account for the poor performances among working-class individuals, the supportive relationships middle-class students have with their parents and teachers, and how children of working-class parents struggle when preparing for later life. In the address, Alfred Lubrano must address the difference in treatment between working-class and middle-class children attending

Getting an education is an important part of every child and teenager’s life, but not all get the same type of education. In Jean Anyon’s essay “From Social Class And The Hidden Curriculum Of Work”, she explains and talks about the four levels of education. According to Jean Anyon, the four levels of education are the Working-Class School, Middle-Class School, Affluent Professional School, and Executive Elite School. From my experience, I attended a working-class school named Santa Ana High School located in a low income and high crime neighborhood of the city of Santa Ana, CA. In the author’s words, a working-class school is, “A school for students with parents with low income jobs, and with an income at or below $12,000”(Anyon 138). I believe got a working-class education because we rarely used the textbooks in class, learned through common core, and taught an education from average standard courses. Also, I believe I attended a working-class school because my high school education just taught me the basic skills of attaining a minimum wage job, whereas in professional school, or elite school students are taught knowledge and skills that lead to higher wage jobs. My experience relates to author Jean Anyon’s essay because I felt the working-class school category matched my high school education. For example, in the essay she states, “In working-class schools, work is following the steps of a procedure. The procedure is usually mechanical, involving rote behavior and very little decision making or choice”(Anyon 140). Author Jean Anyon also states, “Available textbooks are not always used, and the teachers often prepare their own dittos or put work examples on the board”(Anyon 140). Both of these examples from the essay relate to my high school education because we would often do assignments created by the teacher rather than do assignments provided by the school textbooks. From my high school education, I received a working-class education because although we did have new buildings, new technology, and a clean school campus, the high school was located in a low income, and dangerous neighborhood, and students received an education from average standard courses. In my opinion, I received a working-class

Brittany LamberthProfessor Wells English 102June 15, 2018Paul Krugman, agrees that the country is becoming economically diverse bit by bit. The middle ground amongthe richest and poorest is vanishing, and inequality is`widespread. His essay, “Confronting inequality” revealsonly how inequalityaffects us, but, as McClelland opposes, how recurringinequality can be. He references a study performed by the National Center for Education informationfrom the 1988 to 2003, in which eighth grade students were arrangedboth by academic skilland the socioeconomic rankof their parents, and the college graduation percentage. If our educational system truly gave all students equivalentopportunities, then we would expect the graduation rates to depend onlyon

He challenges widespread expectation of all middle-class Americans: “‘vocational training’ is second class. ‘College’ is first class” (Murray 632). This passage, while appearing to offer a simple definition to the reader in order for him or her to be informed of the subject matter argued herein, already states his position in the matter.

Jean Anyon’s essay and study of “The Hidden Curriculum of Schools” argues that the quality of education you receive is solely based on your standing in the different levels of social classes in which you were born into. Mike Rose’s essay “I Just Wanna Be Average” confirms this hidden curriculum as he recalls his misplacement into vocational school in which the parents of the students that attended worked blue-collar jobs. Mike Rose’s essay confirms Jean Anyon’s study in showing that your education is heavily based upon the social class you are in. The lower you rank in social class the less of an education you receive whereas students that rank higher receive a more quality education. Both authors argue, correctly, that education should work

This country’s education system was built on the back of meritocracy and was created to function as an objective measure of a child’s performance and their intelligence. It was the gateway to the American Dream, and provided everyone with an equal chance of success in America. It was a place of not only intellectual, but also personal growth. In her essay “From Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work,” Anyon argues that this is no longer the case. Anyon’s study concludes that from the fifth grade, students in poorer communities are groomed to succeed in low-class, blue collar jobs, while children in wealthy communities are prepared for more desirable careers. Anyon analyzes four different types of schools that all varied based on

Jean Ayon is a professor of educational policy, an American critical thinker, and a researcher in education. She works on race and class in urban education and is a social activist. In her article “Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work” she uses research from elementary schools that contrast in social class to try and understand if social class is the dictating factor that decides the future careers of children. Anyon examines the role of social class in education and creates a study by observing four types of schools, working-class schools, middle-class schools, affluent professional schools, and executive elite schools. She does this in order to prove her

James Loewen researches about some American history textbooks and explains the reasons why American students have no or little understanding of the way that opportunity is not equal in the USA and that social structure basically pushes people around, influencing their own ideas. It states that the omission that some high school textbooks do regarding labor history is one of the main reason why students have this way of thinking. Additionally, he mentions that those textbooks carry several errors and inaccurate information about events in labor history. The reasons why social class predict the rate of college attendance are for instance, when children from lower classes have the chance to attend the same school as rich children do, usually they

Rendon (1994) points out “students from underrepresented backgrounds often experience isolation, a lack of self-efficacy, and a lack of a sense of belonging in college contexts”(p. 48). Furthermore, one needs to take it one step back and realize that most students of color are much more likely to attend schools where most of their peers are poor or low-income. Therefore, socio economic status (SES) determines the education a person receives throughout K-12. Walpole (2004) also describes how “low SES parents are more likely to define success as a secure full-time job after graduating from high school. College attendance is not an expectation and often means enrolling in a community college or technical school when it does occur” (p. 47). When a student reaches the

Social class is based on the relationship one has to the elements of society, and as children in the American education system grow and develop, it is a plausible query that these education systems might be the starting point to where social class based relationships such as people, ownership, and productive activity are fostered. In social activist and American professor Jean Anyon’s essay “Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work”, the relation to social class and the established cycle of education systems is the main topic that Anyon aims to dissect and argue. Through extensive observation research, Anyon studies the behavior and curriculum taught at working-class, middle-class, affluent professional, and executive elite schools

Brown (1997) argues that middle class families impose values onto their children regarding education from a young age; they place high importance on educational qualifications as they are aware that the job market is becoming increasingly competitive (cited Ball and Vincent, 2001). This suggests that middle-class pupils value school and try to get as much as they can out of it, thus have higher levels of attainment than working-class pupils.

In today’s society we view education as many things, but among the many views and opinions of education there are two major views we see that stand out, education is a right for all and education is necessary only for finding a successful career. To be more exact, it is a college education that is or should be available to all and is only necessary for securing a successful job. But before we even begin to think about a job or whether we want to pursue our God-given right to higher education we must first start our journey at the bottom of the educational system. In our lives we all start our journey through education in the same place, the bottom of the educational system. For some this can mean something along the lines such as pre-school, private tutoring, or home-schooling. We eventually work our way up going through kindergarten, elementary school, junior high, and then eventually high school. After high school we are than left two choices, enter directly into the work force, or pursue a higher education. Say we chose to pursue a higher education and go to college; we then have to make another decision, do I want go directly into a certain profession and pursue a degree for that career, or do I want expand my virtues and pursue a liberal education. For now, let us delve into the subject that is a liberal education. The beginning of liberal education spans as far back as to the time of the great Greek philosophers like Aristotle and Plato, as Chuck E. Taylor describes in

Curriculum and Philosophy have a profound effect on the students learning and school environment. It is important that teachers are aware of their philosophy and how their understanding of the curriculum impacts their pedagogy and student – teacher relationship (Ornstein & Hunkins, 2017). This essay will explore my pedagogy and philosophy by analysing the curriculum and philosophy of Parkdale Secondary College. For the purpose of this assignment I will be focusing on the year 9 and year 10 curriculum. In the future, I want to teach year 9 – 10 mathematics and science, so they will be the main focus of the assignment. However, I will look into other components of the year 9 and 10 curriculum to examines how they play an