Relationships between social class and educational outcomes

Sample Solution

  In Unequal Childhoods: Class, Race, and Family Life, 2nd Edition with an Update a Decade Later, author Annette Lareau investigates how family background affects the educational outcomes of children. She emphasizes concepts such as cultural capital, social capital and natural growth to demonstrate the interplay between social class and educational attainment.

Lareau outlines the concept of cultural capital in order to explain the effect that parental education has on their children’s academic outcomes. Cultural capital is defined by Lareau as “the material goods (e.g., books) and nonmaterial resources (e.g., knowledge about how to use material goods for learning purposes) found in higher-SES homes” (Lareau 2003). Through her research she finds that parents from higher socioeconomic backgrounds have access to more advanced forms of cultural capital than lower socio-economic classes which can be passed onto their offspring through various methods such as costly extracurricular activities or even linguistic patterns used during conversations at home. Conversely, lower class parents often lack the extensive range of options when it comes to passing down cultural capital as they may not have direct access to these materials themselves due to economic constraints or other reasons specific to each individual case study (Lareau 2003). However, social class still plays a role even when there is no direct access available for those in lower socioeconomic levels; this affects what Lareau calls natural growth processes for students who are unable to receive valuable sources of cultural capital from their families. Natural growth processes refer “to developmental accomplishments achieved without special effort on behalf of adults" (Lareau 2003). When children are able provide experiences outside classroom environments that support their own learning efforts then they also benefit academically regardless if they come from privileged background or not; here lies a potential loophole in terms of achieving educational success despite one's family background so long as certain essential components are present within households where needed support networks exist among peers or other relatives etc.. Additionally, being able to establish effective communication networks with teachers or counselors at school provides another path towards reaching positive educational outcomes since connection between educator and student helps increase chances for successful completion of assignments within an appropriate timeframe while also providing additional guidance when necessary - something especially important given current standardized testing policies across many developed countries today under Capitalism regimes where high scores reflect ones' overall intelligence now more so than ever before(Anyon 2005). Overall though it is clear that although different paths exist towards achieving good academic results based on individual circumstances these routes remain heavily influenced by ones own family background whether directly via traditional avenues like exposure to richer sources material culture or indirectly via having supportive relations with educators etc.. In conclusion therefore it should come off little surprise then when looking at overarching trends related child education performance over time show difference between students coming from different socio-economic classes because much this gap ultimately boils down differing levels access what Larrea identifies key elements need succeed such quality interactions both inside out home along strong incentives continue pursuing goals until completion With all said done however there remains hope yet form those less fortunate groups whom fortunately resourceful enough carve out small niche amongst mainstream systems which will better maximize individual potential generations come References Anyon J.(2005). Social Class & The Hidden Curriculum Of Work .Journal Education , 166(1), pp37–48 . Retrieved From https://www2.edc.org/MakingConnections/pdf/SocialClassHiddenCurriculumofWork_ArticlebyJeanAnyon_EdweekMar162005_2pages_edweekorg055178630psrv9p37b8f758360d6f32982aa0fa673ce5061?source=search&keywords=social+class+and+educational+outcomes Larraeu A.(2003 ). Unequal Childhoods: Class Race and Family Life Second Edition With An Update A Decade Later .University California Press