Blog #10

Jean Anyon's "Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work" is basically about how different classes are seperated into one of the following type of schools: working class, middle class, affluent professional, and executive elite. Anyon did research within each of these types of schools located in New Jersey and her findings were that each schools teaching methods differed upon what class the children's families came from. In the working class schools Anyon observed that teachers only gave one way to do different tasks and were not taught that there was many times more than one way to do things. She also observed that the manner in which the teachers spoke to students was often times sarcastic and also yelled often. It was basically the teachers way or no way at all. "teachers observed in working class schools attempted to control classroom time and space by making decisions without consulting the children and without explaining the basis for they decisions. The teacher's control thus often seemed capricious." This quote I think verifies that the pedagogy in the middle class school definetly does refer back to their class and what, more than likely, the skills they will need in their career later on in life. In middle class schools that Anyon did field work in she observed that the student were given some decision making within the classroom,but that it was still very strucutred and went by what the teacher and the faculty of the school said. "The style of conrtol of the three fifth grade teachers observed in this school varied from somewhat easygoing to strict, but in contrast t the working class schools, the teachers decisions were usually based on external rules and regulations".
In the affluent professional school the students do alot of independent work and appears to do a lot of hands on activites, which more than likely would be a good skill they will need to perfect in their future line of work. The teachers also appear to be much more enthusiastic and encouraging. Three children at the most at a time are allowed to leave the classroom at a time, showing some signs of trust within the classroom. This school 'class' stood out to me because as Anyon states "the products of work in this class are often highly valued by the children and the teacher". This showed the kids that what they did in class actually meant something beyond just the assignment itself and gave the kids purpose instead of a feeling of busy work.
The executive elite school seems to be very different from the other types of schools. The teachers never use sarcasm, are respectful to the children, teach numerous ways of doing things, and the kids seem to run the show on some levels. One example Anyon used that I thought really backed up her idea that the schools were ultimately preparing the kids for what they would be doing career wise is when the teacher said "when youre up there, you have authority and you have to use it. I'll back you up.'"
I really liked reading this article and found it really interesting at how differently privilege affects people, even at the elementary school level. If the kids in the working class schools just happened to be born to people in the executive elite school they would be starting life off with more going for them then if born to a lower class.