Anthropology and Education, Essay Example

Section A: Question 1

Foley’s argument is representative of a unique cultural phenomenon in today’s society, whereby young people must fight for their freedom and must work very hard to make something of themselves in an increasingly complex world. Foley recognizes the changes that many students face in the modern era and how they must compete for fewer opportunities and jobs that are readily available to them. There is a significant need for these students to recognize that they will not have everything in life handed to them and that they must work hard to get what they deserve. This is an important step to consider because it reflects the importance of the cynicism that exists in the world today and its impact on young America. In today’s world, high school is not exclusively a place to enjoy life and to have fun; rather, it is the cornerstone of one’s future career path (Foley 142).

Foley recognizes the shift in paradigm and perspective that has evolved within the high school community in North Town and beyond. The Mexicano community continues to transition into a different type of environment than what the author recalled and therefore, he strives to understand how these changes have impacted the young people living in this area for better and for worse (Foley 108). Foley recognizes that some of the young people living in North Town are itching to escape and to start a new chapter of their lives in colleges or universities, or in new careers (Foley 108). However, in spite of this shift in perspective, North Town remains behind many other educational institutions in Texas with respect to performance and success rates (Foley 108). Therefore, the author strives to address his readers with a fresh perspective and a new focus regarding the ability to overcome adversity within this community (Foley 108).

The economic changes taking place in North Town reflect the need for higher education and income levels in order to make ends meet and to achieve greater success. From an academic perspective, North Town appears to be behind many of its neighbors and there does not appear to be any significant change on the horizon (Foley 109). Furthermore, all accounts in the news point to Texas as a strongly conservative state with often harshly conservative values. As a result, communities such as North Town might not have the opportunities that other communities have with respect to education and advancement. Foley’s perspective provides greater insight into the North Town community and the educational platform from which students are catapulted into any number of circumstances if they are given the proper direction and focus (Foley 109).

Educating high school students regarding the capitalist culture is not the incorrect approach; rather, it appears to provide a more realistic sense of today’s economy and the role that high school students might play in that economy in the future. This is reflective of the highly competitive nature of both big and small business, whereby individuals must exercise cutthroat behavior in many situations in order to achieve basic survival. In spite of the potentially harsh nature of this message, it is reality and represents a difficult challenge for students who may or may not have significant potential to do great things in their lives. From Foley’s perspective, it is likely that many of the students of North Town will not have much of a chance of survival if they do not conform to the capitalist culture. Foley appears to argue that this is absolutely essential in order for many of the students of North Town to have any possible chance of success.

The element of power plays into the arguments set forth by Foley, as he believes in the power of capitalism and the ability that hard work and competitiveness provide to individuals. However, at the high school level, this might be too much to bear and may reflect a challenge for many parents of students who have not had such success in their own lives. This is perhaps why Foley’s comments might appear to be controversial in that they are a hard pill to swallow in a community where success is limited and is very difficult to achieve. Unfortunately, the Mexicano culture as a minority culture also plays a role in this perspective and in limiting the progress that might be achieved by those of other cultures. This is a difficult challenge to consider and provides a basis for the explanation of the author’s view regarding the community and its young students. It is believed that by invoking power, there is a greater potential to identify one’s potential and to secure a piece of the pie of a capitalistic economy.

The relevance of these issues reflects the importance of Foley’s own experiences and the changes that have taken place throughout society since his own time in high school. The times today reflect a much more competitive and almost animalistic stance on the human condition and on the development of one’s focus and career path in order to earn a respectable living. These circumstances also reflect a challenge to the status quo of society for many minorities and require a different approach to overcoming circumstances that are beyond one’s control. Proving oneself to the masses is critical to his or her success, and from Foley’s approach to capitalism, there is no way but up when individuals, particularly students, assume a powerful approach to their academic performance so that they have a chance of survival in the real world upon graduation, and perhaps even a chance to leave North Town and to find their destiny in a new location in an environment that supports their growth, maturity, and success as a contributing member of society.

Section A: Question 2

Stanton Wortham offers a unique yet satisfying perspective in regards to learning in school and beyond. This approach to learning considers the value of social identity as it evolves concurrently as individuals learn new tasks knowledge (3). It is important to address these roles and expectations as a means of facilitating learning even further, as there is considerable emphasis placed upon the notion of socialization and recognizing one’s place in the social stratosphere as a key consideration of learning (Wortham 3). In this context, it is necessary to address this relationship further as a means of facilitating social understanding while learning at the same time (Wortham 3).

Wortham considers learning as an ontological process whereby learning is largely dependent upon another element in order to achieve success with this approach (4). An example of a student going through the high school experience and his identification as a student by his teachers and through his performance is aligned with his progression through his coursework (Wortham 4). Therefore, his capacity to learn and to retain knowledge is based upon his growth and socialization in the high school setting in concert with the contributions that his teachers provide him to learn throughout each grade (Wortham 4). It is believed that social identity is expanded and enhanced in the classroom setting as a means of facilitating growth and an opportunity to learn and even master a subject area (Wortham 4). Furthermore, if a student develops an interest or a strong talent for a given subject, it is likely that the student will gradually acquire a social identity in this context and will seek new insight into this new and interesting social identity as his kinship for the subject grows and he thrives in this area of knowledge (Wortham 5).

Wortham also demonstrates the importance of social identity as a means of labeling individuals into different groups, but to also recognize that these labels do not tell the entire story regarding what individuals have learned and how they might be effective in their social roles (5). Under these conditions, it is evident that social identity and learning do not happen overnight, with the former occurring on a gradual basis through different experiences, such as the classroom experience (Wortham 6). However, as social identities evolve, they may also contribute to negative responses and outcomes to different events, particularly when there are negative learning experiences that evolve (Wortham 8). As statements are made and actions are taken, there is a greater likelihood that individuals may respond less favorably to some situations when they feel that they are being put on the spot or evaluated in a negative light (Wortham 8).

In the classroom setting, learning is an ongoing process that requires an effective understanding of the activities that take place and frame situations in a variety of contexts, such as social, physical, and mental perspectives (Wortham 18). Learning in this capacity is achieved through a gradual process and not a single action or experience, as individuals frame their experiences and learn how to move forward from them as they encounter other challenges and new forms of knowledge (Wortham 18). Therefore, learning is achieved through an ever-changing cognitive approach that aims to satisfy the needs of students as they frame their classroom experiences and build upon the knowledge that is acquired (Wortham 18). It is expected that these efforts will contribute to a wide range of experiences in which learning is possible that go beyond the classroom setting (Wortham 18). With these other experiences, students may adapt differently to situations in order to understand their meaning and significance (Wortham 18). These findings provide a basis for a larger and broader scope of cognition that supports learning across many different contexts and environments (Wortham 20).

In Wortham’s estimation, learning is a continuous process that is based upon specific situations that build upon prior experiences in that a framework evolves to provide students with cognitive references for future experiences (20). In the classroom environment, these skills enable students to learn how to reason and to support their beliefs with facts and evidence (Wortham 20). Furthermore, they provide a basis for communicating with other students and with teachers to improve learning on a consistent basis (Wortham 21). It is important to recognize that social identity plays a role in how students respond to learning activities in the classroom and in supporting the objectives that are essential to achieve learning objectives that are set forth by teachers and by grade levels (Wortham 21). In addition, teachers provide a basis for learning in the classroom by initiating discussion and providing students with much-needed guidance and support in their learning efforts (Wortham 21). These events also contribute to the growth and recognition of social identity, as students begin to find familiarity with the subject matter, as well as their teachers and fellow students (Wortham 53).

For some students, learning may pose challenges; however, this process provides many benefits as it facilitates greater social interaction and subsequent communication with other students and teachers. Wortham’s perspective provides a basis for the exploration of learning as a social process and the growth of individual social identity as part of the learning curve (Wortham 53). Therefore, since these areas work in conjunction with each other, they provide a basis for new directions and ideas that complement the ability of students to acquire information and retain it for future use (Wortham 53). This is a form of learning that supports social identity and a greater ability to be effective from an academic perspective and in a variety of different social situations (Wortham 53).

Works Cited

Foley, Douglas E. Learning Capitalist Culture: Deep in the Heart of Tejas. University of Pennsylvania Press: 2010. Print.

Wortham, Stanton. “The Interdependence of Social Identification and Learning.” University of Pennsylvania Scholarly Commons, 2004. 8 December 2013: http://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1074&context=gse_pubs&sei-redir=1&referer=http%3A%2F%2Fscholar.google.com%2Fscholar_url%3Fhl%3Den%26q%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Frepository.upenn.edu%2Fcgi%2Fviewcontent.cgi%253Farticle%253D1074%2526context%253Dgse_pubs%26sa%3DX%26scisig%3DAAGBfm0qwlA2FyufMaQRyNSO6KauSTWnQA%26oi%3Dscholarr#search=%22http%3A%2F%2Frepository.upenn.edu%2Fcgi%2Fviewcontent.cgi%3Farticle%3D1074%26context%3Dgse_pubs%22