“Kindergarten as Academic Boot Camp,” by Harry Gracey describes the conformity of schooling 5 and 6 year olds will go through. Throughout the article, many themes were present of influences that society has on children. The young kindergarteners knew that helicopters were for army men, and that the flag is sacred, as well as learned from the Bible. The three major theoretical perspectives all were incorporated throughout this article. Such as functionalist which is an institution, conflict as inequality, and interactionist which is meaning. As well as Mills sociological imagination proving the kindergarteners role to the outside society. Mills sociological imagination can relate to this article, because it is the first time a kindergartener
…show more content…
Kindergarten is preparing the children for the next twelve years of school (Gracey, 3). Although the article seems to be more of a functionalist sociologist, the idea of a child finding their identity is halted by the schooling process, and having little to no time to express their individual ideas. Such as in the article where the children were more infatuated with the “spooky house” than the animals at the zoo, but the teacher did not understand why the kids focused on the house. The teacher also did not encourage the children about the “spooky house,” but began one of the activities already scheduled (Gracey, 7). Conflict arises within the education system, because the teacher is able to hold more power over the children. An example of the power of the teacher is during sharing time, the student who brings in the model gun is disciplined because it is not something he should be interested in (Gracey, 6). Another example that expresses the conflict theory in education is between races, such as the fight for blacks to be incorporated into the school system.
Schooling can also be considered the interactionist perspective. Going to school for children is an everyday social event within society. Students behave a certain way at school, because they do not want to get in trouble which is the dramaturgical approach. Whereas on the opposite end, a student acting in defiance
Kindergarten is preparing the children for the next twelve years of school (Gracey, 3). Although the article seems to be more of a functionalist sociologist, the idea of a child finding their identity is halted by the schooling process, and having little to no time to express their individual ideas. Such as in the article where the children were more infatuated with the “spooky house” than the animals at the zoo, but the teacher did not understand why the kids focused on the house. The teacher also did not encourage the children about the “spooky house,” but began one of the activities already scheduled (Gracey, 7). Conflict arises within the education system, because the teacher is able to hold more power over the children. An example of the power of the teacher is during sharing time, the student who brings in the model gun is disciplined because it is not something he should be interested in (Gracey, 6). Another example that expresses the conflict theory in education is between races, such as the fight for blacks to be incorporated into the school system.
Schooling can also be considered the interactionist perspective. Going to school for children is an everyday social event within society. Students behave a certain way at school, because they do not want to get in trouble which is the dramaturgical approach. Whereas on the opposite end, a student acting in defiance