Functionalists are consensus theorists. They think of education as a positive function for all individuals in society, which has a powerful influence over it. The aims of education in functionalism are to maintain social stability, keep society in consensus and resolve any conflict. Durkheim and Parsons saw education as an essential agency of socialisation whose function is to transmit common values to the next generation. Parsons argued that schools act as a bridge between the family and a wide society within the role of education being to promote universal values such as achievement, individuation, competition and equal opportunities.
• Be healthy • Stay Safe • Enjoy and Achieve • Make a positive contribution • Achieve Economic well being. Rules builds up trust, a common standard for children and young people and I feel it is essential for young people to learn respect for others , self-control and social interaction with others. All schools have policies and they are not stand alone as they have to relate to Local Authority and national guidelines. e.g The Children's Act 2004. The reason for these policies are to promote positive behaviour and all schools have policies on : • Behaviour • Bullying • Child Protection • Equal Opportunities As a TA it is our responsibility to find out about the role of staff, rewards and sanctions and training.
Secondly, children increase social and cognitive development from positive influences that are communicated by teachers. Emphasis around Vygotsky’s theory will explain the basis of social interaction facilitating learning with the benefit of good communication (Eggen & Kauchak, 2010). Thirdly, teachers must develop high level of written and verbal communication skills. This will develop good relationships between the teacher, student and family leading to proper educational practices that will improve student’s overall outcomes will enhance their literacy skill. Finally, educators with effective communication skills prove an ability to adapt teaching methods to suit the needs of students they are supporting (Kearns, 2012), and with appropriate delivery of good communication, student learning increases.
Allowing children to be able to think independently and create their own behavior can be an effective way to allow for more autonomy, improving their motivation in many areas and get the confidence to achieve better grades in school. Pink explains that “A sense of autonomy has a powerful effect on individual performance and attitude” (88). Many parents will choose to raise and will motivate their children by how they were brought up as a child. While this may seem like a great way to raise a child, it could control motivation and behavior with the experience of pressure and demand. Parents might want to consider teaching their children about autonomous motivation which promotes greater conceptual understanding, better grades, enhanced persistence at school and in sporting activities, higher productivity, less burnout, and greater levels of psychological well-being.
Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess the contribution of Functionalism to our understanding of the role of education Functionalism is a consensus theory which sees society as being essentially harmonious. This is because it believes all its institutions work together like a human body to function properly. Therefore, Functionalists argue that social institutions, such as education, perform positive functions for both society and for individuals. Different Functionalists have differing views on its role but essentially, as Item A points out, all their views are positive on the role of education. However, other perspectives (such as Marxism and the New Right) would have different-not necessarily opposing- views.
It is through education where we earn an achieved status. We also achieve this through meritocracy. Meritocracy means that if we work to the best of our ability, we will be rewarded with what we deserve. Parson’s is in consensus with Durkheim. He also argues that there is a bridge
Education acts as a bridge between primary socialisation and secondary socialisation, therefore teaching us to adopt the same norms and values and socialising young people into the basic values of society. If education teaches a consensus then it teaches all the values and mannerisms that haven’t been learnt at home, for the wider world. This helps the transmission from one to the other. A criticism of this theory is that this theory could appear to be an ‘over-socialised view’ on society and the education system. It also implies that all students will agree and comply with the norms and values when that is not the case, the transmission of norms and values may not always be successful some pupils will openly reject them.
Is a positive role model effective? I feel like a positive role model can be effective in most cases. If someone is raised around a positive role model they are more likely to succeed in life and eventually become someone else’s positive role model. If you have a positive role model you always have someone encouraging you to take to care of your business and strive for the best. A positive role model can encourage children to stay in school to gain the skills necessary to succeed.
To be effective, teachers must create positive environments, motivate students, develop well planned lessons, communicate effectively and regularly reflect upon themselves. An effective teacher creates a positive environment for students by creating strong student-teacher relationships enabling students to develop a strong sense of belonging and to feel secure within the class. Students who see their work displayed (McDevitt & Ormrod, 2001), know the class routine and have positive relationships with peers and their teachers will feel a sense of belonging (Goodenow; Osterman as cited in Krause, Bochner, Duchesne & McMaugh, 2010, p. 510). Effective teachers create positive relationships by spending the time to get to know individuals personally, learning the interests of the student and by being firm but fair, the latter is displayed by authoritative teachers (Whitton, Barker, Nosworthy, Sinclair & Nanlohy as cited in Hurst & Cooke, 2010, p. 235). Without a sense of security and a sense of belonging, students can develop anxiety, stress and begin to feel alienated (Campbell, 2010).
Good communication with parents and caregivers can build support for and strengthen the important work that you are doing in the classroom. The more you know about children's academic, social, and emotional development, the more able you will be to meet their needs. Information about how well the children are progressing helps you to plan your teaching. You want the children in your care to feel successful and confident, but you also want to offer experiences that will help them to develop further. In addition, through initial screening and by checking the children's progress, you can identify those children who need special help or who face extra