perspectives on Education

Functionalist perspective

Functionalist believe that society is a system of interdependent parts held together by a shared culture or value consensus.

Emile Durkheim (1903)- identified two main functions of education : creating social solidarity and teaching specail skills.

Socail Solidarity: society needs a sense of social solidarity and it was through the system of educationthat people could feel to be part of a community, without social solidarity people would not have a socail life or be able to cooperate with others.

Teaching specailist skills: Mordern industrial economies have a comple divison of labour, where the production of items involves the cooperation of many differnt people. Social solidarity enables cooperation in the workplace to exist. Schooling ensures htat worker are taught particular skilld to be able to work with other. In school we learn the valuable tools that are required in the workplace. School prepares us for work.

Talcott Parson (1961)- school is the 'focal socialising agency' in morden society. It bridges the gap beterrn the family and the wider society.

Family : in the family the child is judged by particularisitc standards, this teach us the role we are in a family which we are ascribed.

Education: teaches us universalisitcs standards in order in order for everyone to do the same thing and behave the same.

The wider society: Status is not ascribed but achieved. 

These…