Role of education - functionalist

• define functionalism:

  • consensus approach
  • shared forms + values
  • positive outlook on society
  • 'building blocks', remove one block society will crumble.
• Durkheim's two approaches:

  • social solidarity
  • specialist skills
• define social solidarity:

  • individuals feel apart of (one body) a community.
  • incorporate social skills (school acting as society in miniature).
  • will avoid own selfish needs.
• define specialist skills:

  • production of single item incorporates specialist skills.
  • young minds adapt to role with specialist skills and knowledge.
  • education plays part in labour division.
• sociologist who identified meritocracy?

  • Parsons
• what does Parsons believe about school system?

  • school = 'focal socialising agency', bridge between family and wider society.
  • family role ascribed, school status largely achieved.
  • school prepares for wider society.
• Parsons and standards??

  • school and wider society both judge us by sane universalistic and impersonal standards.
  • school pupils judged by same standards = equal opportunity.
• define meritocracy:

  • equal opportunity
  • achieve rewards by own efforts and abilities.
• Evaluation of functionalism:

  • Wrong - people are mere puppets in society, assumption that children can never reject school values.
  • Wolf - inadequate teachers for apprenticeships.
  • Criticise Davis and Moore - argue there is more important jobs that are highly rewarded, not all job are equal in status.
• Davis + Moore:

  • Role allocation - argues that they select and allocate students to the future work roles , by assessing the abilities and aptitudes.