Functionalism Role of Education
Focus socialising agency
Specialist skills
Role allocation
Social Solidarity
Secondary socialisation
Learning norms and values beyond the family
Children learn norms such as lining up for dinner in the canteen and being quiet in the library.
Children learn values such as competition (e.g., sports day), working hard and respect
Secondary socialisation at schools help to maintain value consensus by teaching children the values of society to enable it runs smoothly
Education help's student to fit into the workplace (and the economy) through 'sift and sort'
student's feel accepted and part of society, sharing the same goals and values.
Education encourages social solidarity and helps to maintain value consensus.
For example, in the USA children pledge allegiance to the flag, feeling a part of American society.
United Kingdom, assemblies and sports days.
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Schools as a bridge between the family and wider society.
Functionalists have a positive view on education, saying it benefits both society and the individual.
Education maintains value consensus -
The Education system is meritocratic (fair and gives everyone equal chance to succeed)
In the family, children are judged by particularistic standards in that they are treated as special and judged differently from everyone outside of the family.
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In wider society, people are judged by universalistic standards in that the same standards apply to everyone.
Wider society is therefore meritocratic as people earn their achievements through individual e.g., qualifications.
School's 'bridge the gap' by teaching children the universalistic standards of wider society. E.g., teachers mark work based on the same standard and children learn it is down to their own efforts if they pass or fail.
Education prepares students for paid employment
Schools teach specialist skills for work as they provide a range of qualification's that gradually become more specialised.
Students in England study for many GSCE's giving them a wide range of knowledge and skills.
Post-16 - students study fewer courses and gain more specialised knowledge and skills. This is good for the economy as there are many specialists' jobs in different fields.
Such as vocational courses in bricklaying or hairdressing)
Davis and Moore - School's 'sift and sort' students into their future job roles through assessments and exams. This is called Role Allocation For example, a student who does BTEC hairdressing, will go on to do hairdressing as a career while student with an A star in biology, will become a doctor. This makes sure people do the right jobs as education is meritocratic
Role Allocation is fair because society is meritocratic - access to jobs and positions of power depends on individuals' educational qualifications and skills.
If you are talented and work hard you will achieve a top job. Inequalities are not because of the education system but because individuals have different attitudes and abilities to work.