Social Class and Educational Inequality : The Impact of Parents and Schools

Social class is often seen as an intractable barrier to success, yet a number of children from disadvantaged backgrounds still manage to show resilience and succeed against the odds. This book presents the findings from fifty Child and Family Case Studies (CFCS) conducted with 13-16 year olds. The authors look specifically at the roles that people and experiences - at home, in schools and in the wider community - have played in the learning life-courses of these children; how these factors have affected their achievement; and explanations and meanings given by respondents to the unique characteristics, experiences and events in their lives. Featuring the voices of real parents and children, and backed up by a decade of quantitative data, this is a compelling record that will help readers to understand the complex nature of social disadvantage and the interplay between risk and protective factors in homes and schools that can make for a transformational educational experience. Cover 1 Half title 3 Reviews 4 Title 5 Copyright 6 Contents 7 Figures 8 Tables 9 Acknowledgements 10 Abbreviations 11 1 Child and Family Case Studies in the context of the EPPSE study 13 Introduction 13 Background to the Child and Family Case Studies 14 'Working definitions' of resilience and vulnerability 18 Outline of the book 21 2 Studying learning life-courses 24 Introduction 24 Contextualist approaches to development 27 The bioecological model of human development 28 Defining properties of the bioecological model 29 Process 30 Person 31 Context 32 Time 33 Shaping development through the family microsystem 35 Cultural values and beliefs in macrosystems 37 A national culture of academic learning 39 Historical time and place 40 The macrosystem of socio-economic status 42 Social class and differentiating proximal processes 43 Parenting cognitions 44 The cultural logic of childrearing 46 Implications for the Child and Family Case Studies 48 3 Methods and sample of the Child and Family Case Studies 51 Rationale for the mixed-method design 51 The dialectical nature of the EPPE and Case Studies 53 The mixed-methods nature of the Case Studies 55 Constructing a purposeful sample for the Case Studies 58 The Case Studies interviews 62 Interview data collection procedures 66 Interview coding procedures 68 Learning life-course trajectories 69 Research in the tradition of the bioecological theory of human development 73 4 Cultural repertoires of childrearing across and within social classes 76 Introduction 76 Succeeding against the odds of disadvantage: Steven Peterson 77 Meet the Petersons 78 The family background of the Petersons 80 The early years of Steven Peterson 81 The primary school years of Steven Peterson 85 The secondary school years of Steven Peterson 88 Steven Peterson's future 90 Not succeeding against the odds of disadvantage: Tom White 90 Meet the White family 91 The early years of Tom White 93 The primary school years of Tom White 94 The secondary school years of Tom White 97 The future for Tom White 98 Failing to meet the high expectations of privileged circumstances: Marcy Stewart 100 Meet the Stewart family 100 The early years of Marcy Stewart 103 The primary school years of Marcy Stewart 103 The secondary school years of Marcy Stewart 106 The future for Marcy Stewart 107 Doing well as expected: Imogene Woods 108 Meet the Woods family 108 The early years of Imogene Woods 110 The primary school years of Imogene Woods 112 The secondary school years of Imogene Woods 114 The future for Imogene Woods 116 5 Children as active agents of their own learning 117 Introduction 117 (Self-)perceptions of children 118 Children's mental resources 120 Motivational dispositions and the force characteristics of the developing person 124 Perceptions of vulnerable children's negative force characteristics 125 Developmentally generative force characteristics 128 Transition into active agency 133 Conclusions 137 6 Powerful parenting and home learning 139 Introduction 139 Perceived 'protective' and 'risk' factors related to the family microsystem 140 Academically effective family microsystems during the early years 141 Measures of early home learning environments 142 Differences in early home learning experiences 143 Patterns of early HLEs in high-SES families 144 Patterns of early home learning environments in low-SES families 147 Less effective early home learning environments 149 Differentiating effects of early home learning environment on early Numeracy and Literacy skills 153 Effective early practical support in family microsystems with children succeeding against the odds 155 The home learning environment during the primary years 158 The home learning environment during the secondary years 163 Regulating children's behaviours and experiences 164 7 Parenting towards higher aspirations 169 Introduction 169 Family involvement with school and learning 170 Meeting basic obligations of parental involvement 172 Parental involvement with school learning activities 174 The influence of parents' learning histories on parental involvement 177 Educational experiences of parents and differences in parental involvement in low-SES families 181 Parenting style, interactive and strong relationships 184 Parental self-efficacy 186 Conclusions 189 8 Inspiring success in the early yearsand school environment 191 Introduction 191 Pre-school environments 193 Quality of pre-school settings 198 Quality of pre-school setting in the Case Studies 201 Combined effects of pre-schools and early home learning environment 203 Choices regarding primary and secondary school environments 204 Academic effectiveness of schools 208 Additional school-level factors that influence academic achievement 210 The classroom microsystem 216 Perceptions of teacher quality 219 Conclusion 222 9 Gateways to enhanced social, cultural and emotional capital 225 Parents as active agents of socialization 225 Extra-curricular activities facilitated or stimulated by the family context 226 Relationships with peers and friendships as 'protective' or 'risk' factors 231 Additional support networks for the family microsystem 236 Conclusions 240 10 Concluding discussion: promoting agency and advocacy 242 Introduction 242 When do success and vulnerability become apparent? 244 Why do some children 'succeed against the odds'? 245 Children as active agents of their academic success 245 Parenting towards academic achievement 248 The early home learning environment 248 Perceptions of the early home learning environment 249 The home learning environment during the primary and secondary years 250 Family involvement with school and learning 251 The role of the school and teachers in supporting children's academic success 252 Laying foundations for learning in the early years 252 Primary school academic effectiveness 253 Teaching to inspire success 254 Schools' helping hands 255 Social and cultural capital in the environment external to school and family 256 Building social and cultural capital through extra-curricular activities 256 Valuable relationships with peers and friends 257 Gateways to additional cultural capital 257 Support networks as sources of capital 258 Final remarks and implications for policy and practice 259 Appendix 1 Example of personalized student interview 267 Semi-Structured Student Interviews 267 Introduction 267 Pre-school 268 Primary school 268 Secondary school 269 Future 270 Closing 271 Appendix 2 Example of personalized parent interview 272 Semi-Structured Parent Interviews 272 Introduction 272 Pre-school 273 Primary school 273 Secondary school 274 Parent 275 Future 275 Appendix 3 Example of personalized teacher interview 276 Semi-Structured Teacher Telephone Interview 276 ABOUT Steven 276 Appendix 4 Example of a CFCS retrograph based on longitudinal EPPSE data 277 Appendix 5 Family demographics during pre-school years, primary years and secondary years 280 Appendix 6 Overview of child characteristics and pre-school characteristics 285 Appendix 7 Individual child trajectories for English and Maths 291 Appendix 8 Glossary of terms 305 References 312 Index 327 Social Class Is Often Seen As An Intractable Barrier To Success, Yet A Number Of Children From Disadvantaged Backgrounds Still Manage To Show Resilience And Succeed Against The Odds. This Book Presents The Findings From 50 Child And Family Case Studies (cfcs) Conducted With 13-16 Year Olds. The Authors Look Specifically At The Roles That People And Experiences - At Home, In Schools And In The Wider Community - Have Played In The Learning Life-courses Of These Children; How These Factors Have Affected Their Achievement; And Explanations And Meanings Given By Respondents To The Unique Characteristics, Experiences And Events In Their Lives. Featuring The Voices Of Real Parents And Children, And Backed Up By A Decade Of Quantitative Data, This Is A Compelling Read That Will Help Readers To Understand The Complex Nature Of Social Disadvantage And The Interplay Between Risk And Protective Factors In Homes And Schools That Can Make For A Transformational Educational Experience-- Machine Generated Contents Note: 1. Child And Family Case Studies In The Context Of The Eppse Study; 2. Studying Learning Life-courses; 3. Methods And Sample Of The Child And Family Case Studies; 4. Cultural Repertoires Of Child-rearing Across And Within Social Classes; 5. Children As Active Agents Of Their Own Learning; 6. Powerful Parenting And Home Learning; 7. Parenting Towards Higher Aspirations; 8. Inspiring Success In The Early Years And School Environment; 9. Gateways To Enhanced Social, Cultural And Emotional Capital; 10. Concluding Discussion: Promoting Agency And Advocacy. Authors, Iram Siraj, Aziza Mayo. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 300-314) And Index. "Social class is often seen as an intractable barrier to success, yet a number of children from disadvantaged backgrounds still manage to show resilience and succeed against the odds. This book presents the findings from 50 Child and Family Case Studies (CFCS) conducted with 13-16 year olds. The authors look specifically at the roles that people and experiences - at home, in schools and in the wider community - have played in the learning life-courses of these children; how these factors have affected their achievement; and explanations and meanings given by respondents to the unique characteristics, experiences and events in their lives. Featuring the voices of real parents and children, and backed up by a decade of quantitative data, this is a compelling read that will help readers to understand the complex nature of social disadvantage and the interplay between risk and protective factors in homes and schools that can make for a transformational educational experience"-- Provided by publisher Presents the findings from 50 Child and Family Case Studies (CFCS) conducted with 13-16 year olds. The authors look specifically at the roles that people and experiences - at home, in schools and in the wider community - have played in the learning life-courses of these children; how these factors have affected their achievement; and explanations and meanings given by respondents to the unique characteristics, experiences and events in their lives. --Adapted from publisher description