Sociological Investigation Project Anonymous 13/06/2011 Schools and their role in culture Summary of evidence In my investigation regarding the

education system in France and the United States, I have attempted to identify whether the school one attends has an impact on the beliefs and values one has. By focusing on secondary education, I was able to carefully scrutinize my sources as I have experienced both systems first-hand. I found that each system took a significantly different approach to teaching that had consequences that extended well beyond the classroom. American high schools attempt to motivate and compensate their students by providing them with a plethora of awards and other means of recognition. Meanwhile French high schools, called lyces, take a more aggressive stance. In the words of author Peter Gumbel, the students are told to Sit down, and shut up. It is common for a student to be asked to repeat a grade in order to have more solid foundation for his or her future years in school (Ericksen). It would be a rarity for a student to receive a certificate for academic excellence or being a role model, and in the event that such awards are attributed to students they are promptly discarded, as they are insignificant in the eyes of the children and their parents. Where Americans encourage their students to actively participate in class through interactions with the teacher and classmates, the French insist on a lecture-based classes in which students come in, take notes, and leave (Gumbel). By surveying students from both an American and French school, I was able to know more what students thought of the education they were receiving. I found that students who attended a lyce were more likely to feel stressed or

nervous. In addition to this, most of them had negative remarks regarding the attitude of teachers towards them. They feel demoralized by these individuals and a majority of students listed this as one of their main dislikes in their school. However, a majority also thought that the teaching methods used were efficient despite their harsh treatment. Meanwhile, American students were found to greatly appreciate the relationships they had with their teachers but were also prone to anxiety every once in a while. Some believe that their school overdoes the rewards thing and a cutback may be beneficial to avoid having overconfident, lazy students. In comparing the values of the two sets of students, I found a few noteworthy contrasts. Firstly, students in the French school were more exposed to violence in their school and many found it to be a normal way of preserving ones honor. Meanwhile, students in the American school did not have such a lenient view towards violence and insisted that this should be kept as a last resort, if that. Secondly, through personal experience, I found that students in an American school had a stronger feeling of attachment to their institution and thereby participated in non-academic activities far more regularly. Finally, through my research, I found that students in French schools felt that they had far more pressure on their shoulders and this results in a significant number of students pursuing alternative studies (professional degree) or dropping out of school before finishing high school (Ericksen). In his book They shoot schoolkids, dont they?, Peter Gumbel states that despite American students often having many fond memories of their time in school, he has never met a French person who says school was the happiest time of my life (Gumbel has lived in France for several years). In terms of efforts to promote a certain set values, each system has taken

a different approach. By allowing students to each have their own schedule and select their own classes, American schools allow students to experience independence and responsibility from a young age. They also seek to promote good citizenship by engaging students in extra-curricular activities and thereby create a stronger bond between the student and his school (American Values). Meanwhile, French schools place a large emphasis on promoting equality, which can be connected to the more socialist governance of the country compared to the United States. Ever since school was made mandatory for children up to the age of 13, it was also made a secular institution where expression of religion was strictly prohibited. Students also have little choice regarding the classes they take (La Lacit L'cole). The first time they make a choice of what they wish to focus on is in 11th grade, and electives do not exist in this system. Students are shown a specific path and they are expected to follow it until they finish their schooling. While this rigorous system has huge benefits for hard-working students, it is very detrimental to students who do not intend to pursue higher education or have learning difficulties (e.g. ADHD) Overall, students believe that their personality traits are often affected by their interaction at school. For example, students may choose to talk like teachers in order to sound more convincing. In another case, they could decide to dress like one of their classmates because that person may have gotten a lot of attention lately. Therefore, several factors of a school have an accumulative impact on students whose identities will be partially based on the school they are enrolled in.

Source evaluation

In Peter Gumbels book They Shoot Schoolkids, Dont They? he delivers a ruthless damnation of the French schooling system. Having moved to France at the beginning of the last decade Gumbel, a journalist, goes into detail about an education system that he seems to think is stuck in the past. An American who has two children attending French schools, he heavily criticizes the lack of arts, sport and teamwork in these institutions. Gumbel has an interesting perspective and has sparked controversy following the release of his book. At times, his opinion does indeed seem exaggerated but it is predominantly accurate and carries an alarming voice. In Ross Erickens objective comparison of education in France and America, he takes apart each section of the two countries education systems and identifies the differences between the two. A professor at the University of Michigan, his primary aim is to provide the reader with a better insight as to how these various aspects of French and American educations function. As an American, I would have expected him to attempt to demonstrate the superiority of the American education system compared to the French one. However, he was unbiased and conceded that Americans could learn a few things from the French and vice versa.

Analysis and Conclusion

Through the comparison I made between French and American high schools, I noticed that each promotes a different set of values which will be adopted by their students. We can relate the characteristics of a countrys society to the structure of their education system. For example, Americans value independence and remuneration very highly. This directly relates to the freedom given to students from a young age to make choices for themselves as well as the numerous awards handed out every year. Meanwhile in France, where high schools sometimes have designated smoking areas, the number of adult smokers (23 %) is much higher than the number of adult smokers in the United States (19 %). We also saw the priority the French place on equality and respect by imposing a secular education system and well-funded public schools. The surveys did not present me with any major surprises: the French school students major complaint was the facultys attitude towards them, but they believed that the teaching techniques used were efficient. Students are often disrespected in these schools, and many would refer to this system as being stuck in the past. The lack of interaction leads to uncreative minds and unhappy students. Internationally, the French system is known for its rigorous curriculum, but the inexistence of extracurricular activities in their curriculum significantly hampers the students ability to disperse tension. Parents are often inclined to enroll their children in schools where the main language taught is their childrens mother tongue. However, this research could be very significant for multi-cultural families where a decision must be made between two different school systems. The debate between the two parents often ends up being won by the side who claims that his or her language will be more important future, or they will visit their home country more often. However, family being the most important agent of socialization, parents could

investigate the values represented by the considered schools and select the system which convenes best to the values the two parents wish to teach their children. The aforementioned data indicates that researching the schools could allow families to avoid making decisions they regret in the future. My research was based on online sources, a book, a survey and personal experience. However, my personal experience is limited to private schools and therefore I attempted not to allow my bias intervene when drawing conclusions on any data I found. Since the survey was also limited to private school students, I refrained from making broad generalizations to avoid oversimplifying and providing inaccurate information. Nevertheless, the survey provided me with valuable insight into the thoughts of students. I was able to identify similarities which indicated general perceptions and also understand the underlying reasons for these perceptions. As I thoroughly analyzed the functions of school in our society, I came to realize it is one of the most important agents of socialization. Throughout our years in school, we learn new behaviors, socialize with a diverse group of individuals and follow trends that need to be followed in order to remain in the loop. Therefore, the environment we find ourselves in during this time will determine the personality traits we have during our entire lives. Different schools are accompanied with different values and these must be taken into account when analyzing the sociological process one has gone through during life. As demonstrated by the political ideologies of France and the United States, peoples minds are shaped by their schools hidden curriculum and countries governments can use this to their advantage to brainwash their population.

Works Cited

Gumbel, Peter. They Shoot Schoolkids, Don't They? Paris: Bernard Grasset, 2010. Print. Ericksen, Ross. "Education in France and America: How Do They Compare?" University of Michigan. Web. 18 May 2011. <http://sitemaker.umich.edu/ ericksen.356/home>. "Le Critique: New Book Attacks French Educational System." Degrees, Schools, Online Courses and Careers - Education-Portal.com. 14 Jan. 2011. Web. 19 May 2011. <http://education-portal.com/articles/Le_Critique_New_Book _Attacks_French_Educational_System.html>. "La Lacit L'cole." Assemble Nationale ~ Les Dputs, Le Vote De La Loi, Le Parlement Franais. Web. 10 June 2011. <http://www.assembleenationale.fr/site-jeunes/laicite/fiche-dates/fiche-1881-1882/fiche.asp>. "American Values." American Hospitals. Web. 11 June 2011. <http://www. americanhospitals.com/questions/american/amervalues.htm>.