Symbolic interactionism and feminist theory

Sample Solution

    Proponents of symbolic interactionism believe that people interact with the world in a largely symbolic way and construct their identities through shared meanings and symbols. As such, they view schools as powerful institutions that provide the opportunity for children to learn how to interpret and create meaningful interactions within social contexts.

The school provides a platform for children to learn important concepts, values, beliefs, norms, roles, language, communication skills and ways of thinking. By teaching these aspects of culture, it helps shape children’s identity by providing them with an understanding of how their own behavior is shaped by those around them (Friedman & Carlsmith 2018). One specific concept in which symbolic interactionists place great importance is the development of self-presentation; this includes learning how to ‘present’ oneself appropriately in different contexts. Schools therefore play a role not only in providing knowledge but also helping students develop social competence – such as good communication skills or knowledge about interacting with authority figures - that will help them navigate complex interpersonal relationships successfully (Knicki et al., 2019). Ultimately this serves as preparation for entering adult life where individuals must be able to present themselves confidently and effectively in order to achieve success socially and professionally. From a feminist perspective, women have traditionally been excluded from formal education which has led to their unequal representation in many professions today (Wolf-Wendel et al., 2019). Given this history it is clear why feminists would see education as an important tool for achieving gender equality: by promoting girls’ participation at all levels of schooling - including leadership positions - schools can help break down harmful gender norms while also giving girls access to resources they wouldn't otherwise have available. Furthermore, research suggests that girls do better academically when taught by female teachers who are held up as positive role models (Chevalier & Derouet 2017). For example if boys are given male physics teachers from whom they can draw inspiration then it follows logically that girls should be given female math or science teachers whom they can emulate too. This could potentially be achieved through initiatives such as creating more teacher exchange programs between countries or encouraging more females into STEM fields though targeted efforts at universities or even high schools (Friedman & Carlsmith 2018). In conclusion both advocates of Symbolic Interactionism and Feminist Theory agree on the importance of schooling; however each theory sees different outcomes from successful implementation within educational systems. From an Interactionist standpoint schools should foster meaningful interactions while equipping students with essential emotional skills needed later on when navigating relationships outside school grounds whereas feminists tend focus more on closing gender gaps so women are given equal opportunities compared to men throughout society; this means encouraging female representation in certain subjects/careers while offering positive role models who act as inspiration during formative years at school