The Relationship Between School and Society - Essay Example

The Relationship between School and Society The Paper: School serves as one of the most important social institutions of human life, which offers the individuals a comprehensive learning program, and coaches them the manners necessary for leading a cultured and disciplined life. Since school teaches the individuals various disciplines in a formal way and fulfills their educational needs, it helps them out in respect of turning them qualified, professional and proficient (Macionis, 2007, p. 323). There was a time when education was not very common; it is therefore literacy rate was very low in almost all parts of the world. However, time took drastic turn with the passage of time, and now an overwhelming majority of the individuals study in various schools, colleges, universities, academies and other formal educational institutions, from where the individuals seek professional education and obtain certificates and degrees in order to enter into practical life as qualified and skilled persons. Wilson (2011, p. ) is of the view that the increasing emphasis upon specific knowledge and the acquisition of credentials as the pathway for young adults seeking any hope of attaining financially rewarding occupations and navigating the existing social structure has captured the attention of the parents and students alike, which has paved the way towards the popularity of learning even in the poor and underdeveloped nations of the world. My respected parents got me admitted at a well-reputed school of the city when I was four years old. That was the institution from where I learnt how to read and write. Like all schools, my institution also taught me language, literature, pure and social sciences, humanities, mathematics and other disciplines. Somehow, I developed special aptitude for political science, history, theology, philosophy and literature. During the beginning of my educational career, the parts of the curriculum carrying civics, history and spiritualism captured my attraction, and I always obtained excellent grades in these disciplines. My taste did not witness any decline in these subjects; as a result, I selected these subjects for my undergraduate program. I studied Plato, Descartes, Machiavelli, Nietzsche, Karl Marx, Max Weber, Adam Smith, Keynes and other political economists and sociological and political science theorists. The utilitarian theory articulated by J.S. Mill and structural functional theory by Herbert Spencer opened new avenues of wisdom and foresight to me. I keenly studied the 1930 and 1970s economic recessions, and drew out the causes and consequences of the same in an analytical way. I found Marxist conflict perspective to be highly moving (Ritzer, 2007, p. 88), and I looked for developing a worker-friendly corporate environment for the future years to come. I obtained education under the system that was close to the Jeffersonian model of education. Famous statesman and educationalist of early nineteenth century Thomas Jefferson had introduced the education system where the children gradually climb the educational ladder in the light of their age-group. Stage I consists of primary school years, which should be specified for children of the age-group between 6 to 8 years. The students belonging to the age group from 9 to 16 years should be offered the education of intermediate level at secondary school, which is Stage II of education. Stage III of education focuses on the university years, which offers higher studies to the students. Consequently, the students should complete their education gradually and in a systematic way, where the level of education should be determined in the light of the mental capabilities and understandings of the students, so that they could easily comprehend with the curriculum being taught to them at schools (Miller, 1998, p. 3). While making a comparison of the Jefferson model of education to my personal experience, it becomes evident that my school system was somewhat different from the one suggested by the former US President and educationalist Thomas Jefferson. I got admission at school in its pre-nursery section at the age of four years only, and got promoted at class one the next year at the age of five. Somehow, my intermediate school education appears to be according to the Jefferson model, as I passed my under-graduate courses at the age of fifteen years. I entered the Virginia University as student at the age of 15, and obtained my post graduation degree in four years at the age of 19 years. Being a bibliophile as well as an analyst by nature, I am bound to give the credit for the same to my parents and teachers, as both parents and teachers encouraged me to learn more and more out of the deep ocean of knowledge to my satiety. I found my society divided into groups and factions on the basis of class, caste, clan, community, region, religion, race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status. Although I vehemently condemn every type of social conflict prevailing in my social establishment, yet the existence of ethno-racial abhorrence particularly appears to be hateful for me. Like all other cultures of the globe, the US population also observes partiality and prejudice in the speech and actions, which not only demonstrates their inner displeasure against one another, but also presents the nation as a divided society (Shelton et al., 2004, p. 398). At that point, the golden words delivered and the ideology presented by Marx flashes in my mind, which absolutely turns down exploitation of haves-not at the hands of haves moving (Ritzer, 2007, p. 142). Personally, I also seek inspirations from the contributions made by the distinguished educationalist Horace Mann, who has laid stress upon providing liberal education to the students, instead of concentrating upon the learning that is based upon political extremism or religious fanaticism (Clabaugh & Rozycki, 2000, p.31). It is partially very accurate due to the very fact that extremism always gives birth to clashes, conflicts, bias, prejudice and intolerance in society. On the other hand, liberalism looks for creating a friendly, pleasant and amiable socio-cultural environment, offering equal sources and opportunities of growth to the people coming from divergent groups and communities of society. On the contrary, the liberal education produces freedom-loving, broad-minded and open-hearted individuals, which lead their nation or organization, in their practical life after school years, in such a manner that could offer the unbiased work environment to the fellow-beings. In addition, I also agree with Mann’s theory that education must be practical in nature instead of theoretical only. Although it is theory that serves as building block of a practical work, yet theory based subjects only produce stereotype clerks and workers instead of visionary leaders in its wake. I have also got the degree of law, which helps me understand the legal and constitutional structure and developments being made in my country on the one hand, and plead for my clients and customers on the other in order to make dedicated struggles in search of justice and for the supremacy of law and peace in society. References Clabaugh, Gary., & Rozycki, Edward (2000) A Brief History of Education Oreland, PA p.31 Macionis, John J. (2007) Sociology Eleventh Edition Pearson Prentice Hall Inc pp. 311-331 Miller, Ron (1998) Public Education, Alternative Schools, and Democracy The Foundation for Educational Renewal Retrieved from (Visited October 26, 2012) Ritzer, George (2007) Modern Sociological Theory McGraw-Hill Higher Education Shelton, J. Nicole., Richeson, Jennifer A., Salvatore, Jessica., and Trawalter, Sophie (2004) Ironic Effects of Racial Bias during Interracial Interactions pp. 397-400 Retrieved from (Visited October 26, 2012) Wilson, Roger (2011) The Relationship between School and Society: Part II - Conflict Theory Colleagues Volume 6 Issue 1 The Building Blocks of Social Foundation pp. 1-3 Retrieved from (Visited October 27, 2012) Read More