One social agency created to enhance
the processes of socialization and education is the school.
Socialization is the process of creating a social self, learning one’s culture and learning the rules and expectations of the culture.
The school is an artificial institution set up for the purpose of socialization and cultural transmission. The school can be regarded as a formally constituted community as opposed to mutual communities.
In terms of socialization, the school has, in recent years, come to take over some of the forms functions of the family and community i.e. the school has become a primary agency of socialization. The school is the first large-scale organization of which the child becomes a member. It is a miniature reflecting what goes on in the wider society.
The school is said to be next to the family in terms of importance as far as socialization is concerned. It combines the formal (e.g. classroom teaching, fines, caning, suspension, expulsions official mention, prices) and informal (e.g. peer group influences/ pressure) approaches in its socializing function.
How the school performs the function of socialization.
Socialization is the process of creating a social self, learning one’s culture and learning the rules and expectations of the culture.
The school is an artificial institution set up for the purpose of socialization and cultural transmission. The school can be regarded as a formally constituted community as opposed to mutual communities.
In terms of socialization, the school has, in recent years, come to take over some of the forms functions of the family and community i.e. the school has become a primary agency of socialization. The school is the first large-scale organization of which the child becomes a member. It is a miniature reflecting what goes on in the wider society.
The school is said to be next to the family in terms of importance as far as socialization is concerned. It combines the formal (e.g. classroom teaching, fines, caning, suspension, expulsions official mention, prices) and informal (e.g. peer group influences/ pressure) approaches in its socializing function.
How the school performs the function of socialization.
1. Through
the curriculum; the school in a formal way provides the child with:
i. Knowledge of basic intellectual skills such as reading, writing, verbal expression, quantitative and other cognitive abilities, Education teaches languages and allows people communicate with each other according to positions in society,
ii. Cultural achievements of one’s society,
iii. Opportunities to acquire social and vocational abilities which are necessary in order to make one a social, useful and economically productive member of the society.
iv. Gender roles as perceived as suitable roles by the society.
2. Educational systems socialize students to become members of society, to play meaningful roles in the complex network of independent positions.
3. Education helps in shaping values and attitudes to the needs of the contemporary society.
4. Education widens the mental horizons of pupils and teaches them new ways of looking at themselves and their society.
5. Education offers young people opportunities for intellectual, emotional and social growth. Thus education can be influential in promoting new values and stimulating adaptation of changing conditions.
6. Informally, and especially through social clubs, the school enables the child to learn a number of other social roles and skills which are also important for his/ her overall development as a member of society.
i. Knowledge of basic intellectual skills such as reading, writing, verbal expression, quantitative and other cognitive abilities, Education teaches languages and allows people communicate with each other according to positions in society,
ii. Cultural achievements of one’s society,
iii. Opportunities to acquire social and vocational abilities which are necessary in order to make one a social, useful and economically productive member of the society.
iv. Gender roles as perceived as suitable roles by the society.
2. Educational systems socialize students to become members of society, to play meaningful roles in the complex network of independent positions.
3. Education helps in shaping values and attitudes to the needs of the contemporary society.
4. Education widens the mental horizons of pupils and teaches them new ways of looking at themselves and their society.
5. Education offers young people opportunities for intellectual, emotional and social growth. Thus education can be influential in promoting new values and stimulating adaptation of changing conditions.
6. Informally, and especially through social clubs, the school enables the child to learn a number of other social roles and skills which are also important for his/ her overall development as a member of society.
