The role of education-functionalism

SOCIAL SOLIDARITY:Education creates a sense of belonging needed in society- it binds us together as part of a single body.This is demonstrated in schools through assemblies,forms,colleges and uniform.He argues that without social solidarity social life and cooperation would be impossible because each individual would pursue their own selfish desires.Education also helps create social solidarity by transmitting society's culture-its shared beliefs and values.For example the teaching of a country's history instils in children a sense of a shared heritage and a commitment to the wider social group.Education also acts as secondary socialisation:Education teaches you norms and values.For example not pushing in queues (norm) demonstrates politeness and respect for others preventing rudeness( value)- morals help keep society as a unit individuals looking after eachother creating a sense of social solidarity

'SOCIETY IN MINATURE':school also acts as a society in minature preparing us for life in wider society.For example in both school and work we have to cooperate with people who are not friends or family- teachers and pupils at school,colleagues and customers at work.Similiarlyin school and work we have to interact with others according to a set of impersonal rules that apply to everyone

SPECIALIST SKILLS:modern industrial economies have a complex division of labour where the production of even a single item involves the cooperation of many different specialists.This cooperation promotes social solidarity but to be successful each person must have the necessary specialist knowledge and skills to peform their role.Durkheim argues that education teaches individuals the specialist knowledge and skills that they need to play their part in the social divisionof labour

Parsons argues that education bridges the gap between childhood and adulthood:

Family:

Judges on particualristic standards which are ascribed at birth and particualr to each child e.g. eldest treated differently to youngest - eldest allowed out on own and youngest not.

School:

Different to family as everyone is judged by universalistic standards- everyone is treated the same and status is achieved e.g. everyone does the same exams and earn status through behaviour and grades.This mirrors workplace where everyone undergoes the same interviews and peformance is evaluated by the same aspects for bonuses and you earn your place in company etc through peformance.

Role allocation:

Education 'sifts and sorts' individuals into different roles based on whether you do well or not.They stress the importance of all these roles in society (everyone needs different jobs in different fields for society to function) and the importance of role allocation-it is dangerous for people who didnt do well to do the most difficult demanding jobs requiring highly skilled individuals such as being a brain surgeon.