Topic 3 - Internal factors (1) labelling, identities + responses

Ethnic diffs in achievement, interactionists focus on diff labels teachers give to children grom diff ethnic b/gs. Sudies show teachers see black + Asian pupils as far from 'ideal pupil'. Eg black pupils often seen as disruptive + Asians as passive. 

Neg labels may lead teachers to treat ethnic minority pupils differently. Disadvs them + may result in failure.

Gillborn + Youdell (2000) - found teachers quicker to discipline black pupils than others for same behaviour.

G+Y - result of teachers' 'racialised expectations'. Found teachers expected black pupils more discipline problems - misinterpreted behaviour as threatening/challenging authority. When T's acted on this, P's neg response -> more conflict. P's felt T underestimated ability + picked on them. G+Y - much of conflict b/ween white T's + black P's stems from stereotypes rather than behaviour.

May explain higher level exclusions from school of black boys. Bourne (1994) - schools see black boys as threat + to label them neg -> exclusion.

G+Y - in 'A-C econ', teachers focus on students believe most likely to achieve C+ at GCSE -> ed triage/sorting. Results in neg stereotypes about black P's ability - more likely to be placed in lower sets/streams.

Foster (1990) found T's stereotypes of black Ps as badly behaved could -> lower sets than pupils of similar ability. Streaming blac pupils on basis of neg stereotypes about ability/behaviour can result in self-fulfilling prophecy of underachievement.

Wright's (1992) study - multi-ethnic primary school show Asian pupils also victims of labelling. Found despite school's apparent commitment to equal opps, teachers held ethnocentric views.

Affected relating to Asian pupils. Eg, assumed had poor grasp of English.

Pupils felt isolated when teachers expressed disapproval of customs/mispronounced names. Didn't see as threat, but as problem they could ignore.

Effect - Asian pupils, especially girls, marginalised (pushed to edges + prevented from participating fully).

Archer (2008) - teachers' dominant discourse defines ethnic minority pupils' identities as lacking favoured 3 identity of idea pupil. Describes how dominant discource constructs 3 diff pupil identities:
 - idea pupil identity - white, m/c, masculinised identity w/ normal sexuality. Pupil seen as achieving in 'right' way, through natural ability + initiative.
 - pathologised pupil identity - Asian, 'deserving poor', feminised identity, either asexual or w/ oppressed sexuality. Seen as plodding, conformist + culture-bound 'over-achiever', succeeds through hard work rather than natural ability.
 - demonised pupil identity - black/white, w/c, hyper-sexualised identity. Seen as unintellifent, peer-led, culturally deprived under-achiever.

For A, ethnic minority likely to be seen as demonised or pathologised. Eg, interviews w/ teachers + students - black students demonised as loud, challenging, excessively sexual + w/ 'unaspirational' home cultures.

Shain (2003) - when Asian girls challenge quiet stereotype by misbehaving, often dealt w/ more severely than other pupils

Archer argues even minority pupils who perform successfully can be pathologised. While successful, Chinese students seen as having achieved success in 'wrong way' - hard work rather than natural ability. Could never legitimately occupy identity of 'ideal pupil'. Archer + Francis (2007) - teachers' view - 'neg positive stereotype'.

T's stereotyped C families as 'tight' + 'close' + used this to explain girls' supposed passivity. Also tended wrongly to stereotype Chinese students as m/c.

Result of distinctions Archer identifies is even successes of ethnic minority pupils only be seen as 'over-achievement' - since 'proper' achievement seen to be natural preserve of privileged, white, m/c ideal pupil.

Research shows pupils can respond to teacher racism + neg labelling in variety of ways. Eg becoming disruptive/withdrawn. Or, may refuse to accept label + decide to prove it wrong by working extra hard.

Neg labels don't automatically beome self-fulfilling prophecies.

Fuller (1984) study - group of black girls, yr 11, London comp school. Untypical - high achievers in school where most black girls placed in low streams. Channelled anger into pursuit of ed success. Didn't seek approval of teachers or limit choice of friends to other academic achievers. Friends w/ other black girls in lower streams.

Conformed only as far as schoolwork concerned, give appearance of not doing so. Pos attitude to academic success, relied on own efforts. Sees girls behaviour as way of dealing w/ contradictory demands of succeeding at school while remaining friends w/ black girls in lower streams. Able to maintain pos self-image.

Highlights that pupils still may succeed even when refuse to conform, + neg labelling doesn't always -> failure.

Mac an Ghaill's (1992) - study of black + Asian A level students at 6th form college. Students who believed teachers had labelled them negatively didn't necessarily accept label.

How responded depended on factors eg ethnic group + gender + nature of former schools. Eg, some girls felt experience of having attended all-girls school gave greater academic commitment that helped them overcome neg labels at college. 

Shows label doesn't necessarily produce self-fulfilling prophecy.

Mirza (1992) - studied ambitious black girls who faced teacher racism. Found racist teachers discourgaed black pupils from being ambitious through advice they gave them about careers. 

Large majority teachers in study held racist attitudes. Identified 3 main types of teacher racism:
 - colour-blind - believe all pupils equal but in practice but allow racism to go unchallenged.
 - liberal chauvinists - believe black pupils culturally deprived + have low expectations of them.
 - overt racists - believe black pupils inferior + actively discriminate against them.

Much of girls' time at school spent trying to avoid effects of teachers' neg attitudes. Strategies employed to do this inc being selective about which staff to ask for help, getting own work in lessons w/o taking part + not choosing certain options to avoid teachers + racist attitudes. Although high self-esteem, strategies put them at disadv by restricting opps. Unlike girls in Fuller's study, strategies were successful.

Focuses on absence of father + influence of peer groups + street culture -> underachievement of black boys. Responses to schooling can affect achievement. 4 responses:

• Rebels - most visible + influential group, small minority of black pupils. Often excluded, rejected both goals + rules of school, expressed opposition through peer group membership - conformed to stereotype anti-authority, anti-school. Believed in own superiority based on idea black masculinity equates w/ sexual exp + virility. Contemptuous ofwhite boys.
• Conformits - largest group. Keen to succeed, accepted school's goals, had friends from diff ethnic groups. Not part of subculture,wanted to avoid being stereotyped.
• Retreatists - tiny minority, isolated, disconnected from school + black subcultures. Despised by rebels.
• Innovators - 2nd largest group. Pro-ed, anti-school. Valued success, didn't seek approval of teachers, only conformed as far as school work concerned. Distanced from conformists, allowed them to maintain credibility w/ rebels + remain pos about academic achievements - Fuller's girls.

Danger of seeing teachers' stereotypes as product of individual teachers' prejudices, rather than racism in way ed sys operates. G+Y argue publishing league tables -> 'A-to-C economy', -> large number of black + w/c being placed n lower streams or entered for lower-tier exams.

Danger of assuming once labelled, pupils automatically fall victim to self-fulfilling prophecy + fail. But, as Mirza shows, pupils may devise strategies to avoid teachers' racism, which can also limit opps.