The Functionalist Perspective on Education

The Functionalist Perspective on Education

Durkheim

Identified 2 main functions of Education:

• .Creating Social soladarity- Durkheim argues that society needs a sense of social soladarity and it's individual members must feel part of a body. Without social soladarity social life would be impossible because each individual would pursue their own selfish desires. Social soladarity in education helps share beleifs and values from one generation to the next.
• . Teaching specialist skills- 

Parsons

Parsons argues that the school acts as a bridge between the family and wider society. This bridge is needed because family and society operate on different principles. Children need to learn to cope with a new way of living to cope with the wider world.

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