Essay Sample on Social Class & Hidden Curriculum: Jean Anyon Examines Student Experiences

In her article, 'Social class and the hidden curriculum,' Jean Anyon examines education works in five elementary schools based on social classes. She observes learners in these schools based on their parents' earnings and groups them into four categories. These classes include the working class, middle class, affluent professional class, and the executive class. In her examples, she illustrates the differences in the classroom experiences and curriculum knowledge of learners according to their social class. She argues that there is a massive gap in the level and quality of education in the public education system and that there is a hidden curriculum embedded in classroom processes meant to reproduce the social structure.

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Education work for the working class is to follow the steps of a procedure (Anyon 73). The working-class students whose parents have blue-collar jobs involuntarily follow steps and processes in their learning and are not given much of a choice or explanation as to why they follow them. The teachers always give them instructions to which they should follow without fail. They are not allowed to solve problems in their ways. The teachers never use any textbooks, and their attitude towards the learners show a negative approach in their teaching method. The teachers in all subjects are observed to be giving instructions and do not allow many contributions from their students. They do not even take their time to explain the reasons behind their guidelines, whenever a student gets it wrong, they say they only need practice and repeat the same instructions they had earlier given to them (Anyon, 74). There is no creativity on the students' part, just abiding by rules.

Education work in the middle class only concentrates on getting the right answer, and lessons are based on textbooks. The students in this class are expected to accumulate enough correct answers to get good grades (Anyon 77). These classes are more active than those in the working class; however, they are expected to memorize contents from their books. They actively participate in making decisions that result in them getting the correct answers. Also, they get to share their ideas with their teachers, but the results are to follow what the textbooks say, and are no critical perspectives are given on the content. The teachers in this class acknowledge the cognitive processes of learners and give them different explanations for solving a problem and remind the student to follow the right way to getting the answer. One teacher in this class is heard saying that the students should be able to write business letters and thank you notes, and simple language is what they will need. (Anyon 78). The implication of this is that the main reason for learning language art is only to give them the knowledge to occupy a particular position in the job industry.

Education work in affluent professional classes gives emphasis on creativity. In a wealthy professional class, the focus on education is provided to illustrate and express ideas (Anyon 79). There is less use of the textbooks, and teachers do not take full control of the classes. Students are encouraged to do creative work individually, and the product of work in these classes is highly valued and appreciated by both the teachers and students. The teachers encourage students to be creative in all lessons. They are given projects for which they are allowed to do on their own, and the teachers control these classes through negotiations rather than giving direct orders. Guidelines for the assignments are given only when necessary; otherwise, the school management encourages creativity. Anyon (81), notes in her research that the students are allowed to use their language and learn as they practice. As one of the teachers said, "The principal wants us to be creative" (Anyon 78), when asked why she had no textbook in class.

Education work for executive Elite School is to develop analytical, intellectual power in students. Students are subjected to conditions in their lessons to analyze and come up with appropriate decisions to solve problems. A teacher discusses concepts with the students and allows them to figure out formulas or processes involved in solving problems through individual projects.

Anyon creatively reviews historical political economy and social theory as her methods of analysis, together with qualitative methods like interviews and direct observations to develop her argument that the school experiences have a significant impact on the development of social classes. These experiences determine the jobs these children occupy in the future. The executive and affluent professional classes are prepared to occupy the highest positions in society while the middle and working class to get the low-quality jobs. However, this research was only conducted in five elementary schools. A larger population should be used to give more appropriate results

A hidden curriculum is embedded in classroom processes, which is meant to reproduce the social structure. From the illustrations from Anyon's article, it is evident that the difference in experiences is a significant cause of the development in each student in the economic class resulting in a reproduction of the social classes. "These differences may not only contribute to the development in the children in each social class of certain types of economically significant relationships and not others but would thereby help to reproduce this system of relations in society" (Anyon 83). It is right to conclude that if this class education system continues, children will have the same social status as their parents.

Work Cited

Anyon, Jean. "Social class and the hidden curriculum of work." Journal of education (1980): 67-92.