A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Read the account of Rosenthal and Jacobson’s study on pages 104 and 105 of the book and discuss the following questions: In what ways might the teachers have treated the ‘spurters’ differently from the other children? What effect might this have had on the other...

The Stratification of Knowledge

Keddie’s research on the school curriculum shows how dominant groups have the power to define what counts as high status knowledge. She calls this the ‘stratification of knowledge’. High status knowledge tends to be theoretical rather than practical knowledge and...

Private Schools

Working in groups of about 5 students, each member of the group should investigate a different website from the following list. Find out about the school – for example, the cost of fees (and ‘extras’); how to gain admission; school facilities and sport, arts and...