Schooling in Disadvantaged Communities : Playing the Game From the Back of the Field

Based on a study of one secondary school located in a disadvantaged community in Australia, this book provides a different perspective on what it means to ‘play the game’ of schooling. Drawing on the perspectives of teachers, parents and students, this book is a window through which to explore the possibilities of schooling in disadvantaged communities. The authors contend that teachers, parents and students themselves are all involved in the game of reproducing disadvantage in schooling, but similarly, they can play a part in opening up opportunities for change to enhance learning for marginalised students. Rather than only attempting to transform students, teachers should be also be concerned to transform schooling; to provide educational opportunities that transform the life experiences of and open up opportunities for all young people, especially those disadvantaged by poverty and marginalised by difference. The book is also designed to stimulate understanding of the work of Bourdieu as well as of a Bourdieuian approach to research. Seeing transformative potential in his theoretical constructs, it airs the possibility that schools can be more than mere reproducers of society. __Carmen Mills and Trevor Gale take up a problem that Australia keeps trying to avoid: the very__ __unlevel playing field it has created__ __for its schools, its teachers, its students and their parents. This book lets you see how difficult this problem is on the ground, and compels you to think about what would be a better way forward.__**Professor Lyn Yates , Pro-Vice Chancellor Research from University of Melbourne, Australia** __Carmen Mills and Trevor Gale make two important contributions to the sociology of education in this timely book. Through a detailed case study of one disadvantaged school – Crimson Brook Secondary College in rural Australia - they elucidate not only how inequalities are reproduced and legitimated through many of the practices of schooling, but also the possibilities for policies and practices which interrupt and destabilize such outcomes. In so doing, they also make a significant contribution to Bourdieuian scholarship in their empirically grounded and reflexive application of his ‘thinking tools’ to their case study and deconstruction of the synchronous productive and reproductive character of schooling practices.__ **Professor Bob Lingard, The University of Queensland, Australia** Cover 1 ISBN 978-90-481-3343-7 4 Acknowledgements 5 Contents 6 Locating the Research 9 An Introduction to Crimson Brook and the Research 12 The Growth of Inequalities in New Economic, Political and Cultural Contexts 13 An Outline 16 Coming to Terms with Social Inequalities in Education 20 A Bourdieuian Focus: Taking a Critical Standpoint on Social Inequalities 21 A Bourdieuian Method: Producing Knowledge About Social Inequalities 26 Bourdieuian Methodology in Theory 26 Bourdieuian Methodology in Practice 30 A ‘Toolkit’ to See the World with New Eyes 33 Student Achievement in Context 35 Meritocratic Myths: The Influence of Low SES on Student Achievement 37 Locating Crimson Brook Secondary College Within These Broader Issues 39 Positioning Students 39 Without Resources 40 Without Hope or Purpose; Without a Working Future 41 Taking a Stance 44 Students Aren’t Likely to Do Well and Parents Aren’t Interested Anyway 44 An Academic Curriculum Is Not Everything—They Need Hands-on Alternatives 45 Two Translations of the Same Sentence 46 Where are the Good Teachers When you Need Them? 48 Debunking Meritocracy 49 We Need to Attract and Keep Good Teachers 50 Once we Get Them Here, They Move on 51 Being There Without Being There: Mobility of Hearts and Minds 52 Leaving as the Beginning Premise 54 Worth Being There 56 What Should Effective Schooling Look Like? 59 How Effective Are Schools for Students and Their Learning? 60 Stacking the Deck 61 Beating the Odds 62 One Rule for Us, Another Rule for Them 63 Opting Out 65 What Should Be the (Learning) Experiences of Students in Schools? 66 Schooling Should Value and Add to Students’ Existing Cultural Repertoires 67 Schooling Should Value and Give Voice to Who Students Are, as They Identify Themselves 69 Schooling Should Value and Promote all Students’ Participation in Decision-Making 69 Schooling Should Consult and Involve Parents and Local Communities in Its Educative Processes 70 How and by Whom Should Schools Be Managed? 73 Schooling Should Include Teachers as Leaders 73 Schooling Should Meaningfully Involve Parents and Communities 74 Moving Beyond Compensation and Towards Reorganisation 75 Competencies That Count 77 The Myth of Meritocracy 77 Cultural Capital: The Perfect Inequality of Opportunity 78 The Limited Access of the Marginalised to the Cultural Capital of the Dominant 79 Is the Cultural Capital of the School Even Relevantto These Kids? 83 The Challenge for Teachers: Responding to Community Needs and Teaching the Cultural Capital of the Dominant 87 Teachers as Agents of Transformation 90 Acquiring a Feel for the Game 92 The Reproductive Habitus 94 Feeling the Burden of Their Circumstances 94 Reading the Future That Fits Them 97 The Transformative Habitus 100 Recognising Possibilities for Action in the Social World 101 Acting in Ways to Transform Situations 102 Transformatory Possibility? 104 Letting Parents in on the Rules of the Game 107 ‘They Just Don’t Care’ 109 ‘It’s the Cargo Cult Mentality’ 111 ‘Getting Involved Is Not Really an Option for Me’ 113 ‘My Experiences of School Are Not That Good’ 114 ‘I Don’t Have the Necessary Skills’ 115 ‘They Seem to Know What’s Best for the Kids’ 117 ‘The Principal’s Ideas Are the Ones That Really Matter’ 119 Transforming the Field 120 References 123 Index 134 Based on a study of one secondary school located in a disadvantaged community in Australia, this book provides a different perspective on what it means to ‘play the game’ of schooling. Drawing on the perspectives of teachers, parents and students, this book is a window through which to explore the possibilities of schooling in disadvantaged communities. The authors contend that teachers, parents and students themselves are all involved in the game of reproducing disadvantage in schooling, but similarly, they can play a part in opening up opportunities for change to enhance learning for marginalised students. Rather than only attempting to transform students, teachers should be also be concerned to transform schooling; to provide educational opportunities that transform the life experiences of and open up opportunities for all young people, especially those disadvantaged by poverty and marginalised by difference. The book is also designed to stimulate understanding of the work of Bourdieu as well as of a Bourdieuian approach to research. Seeing transformative potential in his theoretical constructs, it airs the possibility that schools can be more than mere reproducers of society. Carmen Mills and Trevor Gale take up a problem that Australia keeps trying to avoid: the very unlevel playing field it has created for its schools, its teachers, its students and their parents. This book lets you see how difficult this problem is on the ground, and compels you to think about what would be a better way forward. Professor Lyn Yates , Pro-Vice Chancellor Research from University of Melbourne, Australia Carmen Mills and Trevor Gale make two important contributions to the sociology of education in this timely book. Through a detailed case study of one disadvantaged school – Crimson Brook Secondary College in rural Australia - they elucidate not only how inequalities are reproduced and legitimated through many of the practices of schooling, but also the possibilities for policies and practices which interrupt and destabilize such outcomes. In so doing, they also make a significant contribution to Bourdieuian scholarship in their empirically grounded and reflexive application of his ‘thinking tools’ to their case study and deconstruction of the synchronous productive and reproductive character of schooling practices. Professor Bob Lingard, The University of Queensland, Australia

based On A Study Of One Secondary School Located In A Disadvantaged Community In Australia, This Book Provides A Different Perspective On What It Means To ‘play The Game’ Of Schooling. Drawing On The Perspectives Of Teachers, Parents And Students, This Book Is A Window Through Which To Explore The Possibilities Of Schooling In Disadvantaged Communities. The Authors Contend That Teachers, Parents And Students Themselves Are All Involved In The Game Of Reproducing Disadvantage In Schooling, But Similarly, They Can Play A Part In Opening Up Opportunities For Change To Enhance Learning For Marginalised Students. Rather Than Only Attempting To Transform Students, Teachers Should Be Also Be Concerned To Transform Schooling; To Provide Educational Opportunities That Transform The Life Experiences Of And Open Up Opportunities For All Young People, Especially Those Disadvantaged By Poverty And Marginalised By Difference. The Book Is Also Designed To Stimulate Understanding Of The Work Of Bourdieu As Well As Of A Bourdieuian Approach To Research. Seeing Transformative Potential In His Theoretical Constructs, It Airs The Possibility That Schools Can Be More Than Mere Reproducers Of Society.

Front Matter....Pages i-ix Locating the Research....Pages 1-11 Coming to Terms with Social Inequalities in Education....Pages 13-27 Student Achievement in Context....Pages 29-41 Where Are the Good Teachers When You Need Them?....Pages 43-53 What Should Effective Schooling Look Like?....Pages 55-72 Competencies That Count....Pages 73-87 Acquiring a Feel for the Game....Pages 89-103 Letting Parents in on the Rules of the Game....Pages 105-120 Back Matter....Pages 121-136