pupil subcultures

PUPIL SUBCULTURES

Erlehta Sfarca

PUPIL SUBCULTURES

A pupil subculture is a group of pupils who share similar

values and behaviour patterns. They often emerge as a

response to the way pupils have been labelled. Lacey's

(1970) concepts of differentiation and polarisation are

used to explain how pupil subcultures develop:

1. DIFFERENTIOATION

2. POLARISATION

Differentiation- the process of which teachers

categorise pupils on how they perceive their ability, attitude

and behaviour. Streaming is a form of differentiation since

it categorises pupils into separate classes.

Polarisation- the process in which pupils respond to

streaming by moving towards one of the two opposite

'poles' or extremes.

THE PRO SCHOOL SUBCULTURES

Pupils in high streams (majority

middle class) tend to remain committed

to the values of the school. They gain

their status in the approved man,

through academic success.

THE ANTI SCHOOL SUBCULTURES

Those placed in low streams (majority

working class) suffer a loss of self-esteem

which leads them to push themselves in

other methods of gaining success. Usually

this is through inverting the school's value

of hard work obedience and punctuality.

Lacey's study is a striking example of the

power of labelling and streaming to

actually create failure. These boys had

been successful at primary school and were

among the elite of about 15% who passed

the eleven plus exam to get into the

grammar school.

Once in the grammar school, the competitive

atmosphere and streaming meant that many boys

were soon labelled as failures and showed

extreme physical reactions e.g. bed wetting. By

the second year, many boys had become distinctly

anti school as they adjusted to their status as

failures.