If one works hard, they will go far

Dominant Theme: Student Resistance

Teachers come from middle and upper middle-class backgrounds and are often married to professionals.

Homes are larger, streets lined with trees, nice landscape, school is updated and nice

There are several sporting events

“Approximately one-third of the teachers in each school were born in the city and lived there, but most are from ‘uptown,’ a different section. Most graduated from local state teachers’ colleges and were young; many were single. There were more male teachers in the working-class schools than in the other schools of this study” (6).

"The children are also getting a good dose of two dominant social ideologies: that the system itself will be made more humane by expressions of concern for the less fortunate, and the individuals, not groups, make history." (Anyone,1981,p.23)

Teachers: Typical teachers life. Went to local college, married with kids

“Another second-grade teacher said that the children in her school were getting ‘dumber’ as the years went by. She also said, ‘I would never teach in the suburbs. The parents there think their kids are God's gift. Although, some parents here are beginning to think they have rights, too’” (7).

“A second-grade teacher stated to me that she did not mind teaching in this school because it was ‘easy,’ compared to many other schools. She said that she would not want to teach in the district's school for the ‘gifted and talented.’ ‘You have to work too hard. I have a friend who teaches there, and she goes in early every day. She's always doing something special’” (7).

“One male teacher characterized his school as a ‘tough’ school and said he had been nervous when they told him he would be teaching there. He said he felt better after the principal had told him, ‘Just do your best. If they learn to add and subtract, that's a bonus. If not, don't worry about it’” (7).

Knowledge in this school is important. Traditional. You get good grades, you can go to college or get a job

Majority of the teachers attitudes were negative about their students ability of learning and their school curriculum

When asked about the term knowledge a common response involved the word "think."