The Sociology Of Education

Education is a fundamental aspect of any civilized nation. The goal of public education in America is to turn uninformed children into knowledgeable citizens who are fully capable of participating in a society driven by democracy and economics. Students drop out every year by the hundreds of thousands, and those who remain receive a less than satisfactory educational experience due to lack of funding, inadequate teachers, and flawed educational strategies. Americans must improve school funding and increase teacher pay to ensure all students receive quality primary and secondary education as well as reduce remediation and drop out rates through improved learning standards, effective assessment tools,

Education is an important factor when one wants to be successful in his or her academic career. Children are especially responsible for their academic success. President Obama states in his speech to America’s school children that each individual student has to take charge of their own education. The effectiveness of President Obama’s speech has a powerful impact on school age children because he wants students everywhere in America and around the world to do their best

The purpose of education is to prepare students for their futures with both knowledge as well as fundamental life skills. I believe students are highly capable beings who have a desire to be productively challenged. To empower students to meet and exceed high expectations set forth by the state, school, or teacher, it is imperative that educators “teach for enduring understanding through partnerships and by drawing on brain-based education, students ' multiple intelligences, and culturally appropriate curriculum innovations” (Laster and Johnson). Beyond guaranteeing students can read, write, and perform basic math functions, we should be producing graduates who are responsible individuals positively contributing to society, reliable workers, and devoted family members. Whether students receive a scholarship to attend college or go to work immediately following graduation, we must train them to conduct themselves with integrity, have an admirable work ethic, and solve challenging problems they may face throughout their lives.

Education plays a very vital role in transforming an individual and provides him/her with basic qualities and adequate skill set to lead a good life. It is indeed one of the most important pillars of a nation’s development. In 2002, President Bush adopted “The No Child Left Behind law” (NCLB) for the Elementary and Secondary Education which held schools accountable for student outcomes. However, this act was increasingly controversial because there were concerns that the American education system was no longer internationally competitive.

Education in America is one of the most important issues that face our nation. If the education in America is not thought of one of most serious issues we face, our nation as a whole will fall. There are many debates and they seemly extend to all walks of life. The debates range from the decline in education, school vouchers, and the no child left behind law. As a nation, the United States is ranked above others. We must search for that solution to all of the pro’s and con’s in education. The solution should allow all walks of life to excel in the education realm. After all, the children of today will be the leaders of tomorrow.

"Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today" (Richardson 382). One of the most amazing things people have dreamt to obtain is the “American Dream”. It is so profound in all the things it can symbolize. It is freedom, justice, but most of all, it is a hope for a better way of life. The immigrants who made the long and dangerous voyage to America wanted their children to have experiences that they never got to experience, one of those things being to have an education. Education has been so important and cherished for many years now. Without it, usually meant a mediocre job was imminent. Without it, people will not be using their full potential. Without it, the American Dream is not

Jonathan Kozol, in the chapter entitled “Other People’s Children, discusses and justifies the kinds of limitations placed on children who must attend poorly funded, educationally inferior school. Kozol argues that children in the inner-city schools are not fit to go to college and that they should be trained in schools for the jobs they will eventually hold, even though these jobs are less prestigious, lowest-level jobs in society. Kozol’s argument is based on the fact that students from the inner-city or rather from the societies that do not have enough job opportunities are not supposed to learn much because their society cannot accommodate most of the courses that are often found in the urban settings. For example, there is a point where Kozol cites one of the businessman’s statement which says, ‘It doesn’t make sense to offer something that most of these urban kids will never use.’ The businessman continues to argue, ‘no one expects these ghetto kids to go to college. Most of them are lucky if they are literate. If we can teach some useful skills, get them to stay in school and graduate, and maybe into jobs, we’re giving them the most that they can hope for’ (Kozol 376). This statement clearly indicate that the society should accept the inequalities and exercise the same inequalities even in education.

Our students come from different backgrounds, race, language, and culture. Let us not deny any child of a quality education, an education that can change their lives.

Socioeconomic status plays a key factor in the type of education a child receives today and ultimately functions to keep individuals in the class they are born into. Those who are part of the lower class receive the bare minimum in education with the end goal being blind obedience, while the upper class is educated in a way that encourages self-regulation, individual thought, and creativity. These vast differences in education are no mistake and are put in place for overall control.

The education system has faults and many inequalities throughout it. The inequalities can be seen in many different areas including, meritocracy, different social classes, gender and ethnic inequalities, racism, cultural capital, and repressive state apparatuses etc. Various sociologists have different views about the education system and what the inequalities consist of.

The educational institution has become the primary determinant of social class, explains Professor Roy in his lecture on education in modern society. As American society puts such high value on education, there is a greater need for individuals to achieve associate, bachelor and master degrees (Pace). The path to reaching these degrees is different for each person, but the initial step if one wants to attain them remains the same: graduating high school. In his book Savage Inequalities, Jonathan Kozol found that not every high school is on the same playing field (Kozol 267). While the divide centered on financial wellbeing, there was a strong correlation to the race of the student populations at each school (Kozol 264-265).

Reflecting upon Kelemen’s (2015) article, I was struck by her comment that all people require education to develop from childhood to adulthood and schooling is the cornerstone to becoming social beings. It is the school’s responsibility to train children to become social beings who can think critically and act rationally and responsibility in our American Democracy. As I think about the students who enter my classroom each day, I realize that they are about two years away from turning eighteen and will be able to vote. Therefore, I have the tremendous responsibility of providing them with an education that includes both achievement and integrity (Shirley, 2017). Kelemen (2015) states that education should align with the practical aspects

The question is, “Should the No Child Left Behind Law” be revised or should we consider a new approach?” President Barack Obama said, “If we want America to lead in the 21st century, nothing is more important than giving everyone the best education possible – from the day they start preschool to the day they start their career.” But does No Child Left Behind the best road to education? With little leadership in the Legislative Branch of the Government and the financial strain on the States, it is safe to say that there has to be a better way to handle education in the United States.

When the author says that “Education reflects social stratification,” (Thomas 2013) he is saying that a child’s education is based on their income and social class status. “Poverty is the most relevant factor in determining the outcome of a person’s educational journey,” (Thomas 2013) a child who do not have wealth would stay in a poorly neighborhood and the school is no better all the kids deal with the same issues. They cannot really spend money on things they really need like new books or computers. Sometimes they do not even have enough staff members and teachers to meet the kid’s requirements. Reasoning being is because most of the funds are spent on what the child needs such as paper and meals instead of on the programs to help their

The sociology of education is a condition of human survival. This means education is a social institution through which a community of people and people in the world teach children the basic related to school and learning. The knowledge, learning skills,normal and accepted behavior or beliefs in a group of people. Every nation has some form of teaching though their individual systems with the major factors affecting the useful valuable supplies and money that are used to support those systems in different Émile Durkheim and Max Weber were known as the fathers of education in sociology. Émile Durkheim a French sociologist, social psychologist and philosopher, who started the academic discipline and the principal of modern social science. Durkheim was also known as the father of sociology. Max Weber a German sociologist, philosopher, jurist, and political economist. His ideas profoundly influenced social theory and social research. This was considered the beginning of sociology of education.