Week 4 Podcast– Cultural/Social Capital in Schools Host: Paige Student: Olivia Teacher: Abi Professor: Ella Activist: Shally [Host: Paige] Welcome to DotEDU, where we explore the forces shaping modern education and what they mean for students, teachers, and society. I’ll be your host, Paige Young, and today our focus is cultural and social capital in education. Joining me today are a student, an activist, a high school teacher, and an educational sociology professor. Together, we will explore the ways a student’s cultural background can be both a hindrance and a tool for forming new relationships and gaining a deeper understanding of academic concepts. Diving into my first question, I would love to hear your thoughts on the way schools and students’ home cultures intersect. Do you think schools today try to recognize and build upon the diverse forms of knowledge, skills, and cultural wealth that students bring from their home communities? Consider how schools currently design their curriculum, teaching methods, and classrooms. Is there more which can be done to address the systemic inequalities in education, which allow for students of certain cultural backgrounds to succeed more than others? [Student: Olivia] Thank you for having me Paige. My name is Olivia and I am a student at Dos Pueblos High School. From my educational experience, curriculums are designed as sort of a “one-size-fits-all” deal. I think lessons and curriculums should be designed to be culturally conscious and diverse, reflecting the cultural differences of our student body. We do read a lot of texts from different cultures and perspectives, which is important, but there is always room for improvement. I think schools do a decent job at celebrating cultures, for example the Dia De Los Muertos event that we host at our school, but I would like to see more cultures highlighted and celebrated. [Teacher: Abi] In my experience, I have noticed that schools tend to emphasize diversity in their curriculums, but take less action to address systemic inequities in their practices and cultures. This is becoming less of an issue in recent years as schools shift to focus on individual students’ well-being and success. This means that individual students are beginning to receive more attention, and more and more teachers are taking care to make sure no one slips through the cracks. I hope to see more of this in the future, and hopefully see this sentiment more in government and school board regulations instead of individual staff efforts. [Professor: Ella] Good morning! My name is Ella and I’m a clinical professor who specializes in the sociological aspects of educational systems within the US. According to the research I have done in my field, systemic interventions to address these inequalities of economically or culturally disadvantaged students include allocating funds for targeted assistance, developing school-wide programs, and coordinated school-based integrated support systems. Schools should integrate financial and physical support or resources that will benefit students of all backgrounds. To truly build upon the diverse backgrounds of a school’s student body, stakeholders - meaning anyone who affects or is affected by a change in terms of educational agenda - should prioritize finding a solution that supports all of their students, without making certain programs or facilities unavailable to those who cannot pay or participate. There is already progress in these interventions but I hope to see evidential change in schools of impoverished communities, specifically in the educational attainment of higher education. [Activist -Shally] Hi, my name is Shally, and I’m an activist focused on educational equity. Thanks for having me, Paige. Social capital is vital in shaping the opportunities available to marginalized youth, and schools play a key role in this. While some schools have tried to address systemic inequities, many still miss the mark by only touching on surface-level diversity without fully embracing the cultural richness that students bring from their communities. Schools can better support students by understanding their family backgrounds, including their social class and parenting styles. It's important for schools to recognize the two main child-rearing approaches linked to different social classes: “concerted cultivation” and “accomplishment of natural growth.” Concerted cultivation, often seen in middle-class families, involves parents being deeply involved in their children's education and activities. In contrast, the accomplishment of natural growth, more common in working-class families, might result in students receiving less guidance at home in navigating institutions. These differences create "invisible inequalities" that many schools overlook. Supporting students by understanding their circumstances is a crucial step forward. [Host: Paige] Thank you guys, those were excellent responses. So, it seems there are methods in place, for students of diverse cultural and learning backgrounds, to gain equitable assistance in the classroom. However, when they play out in educational settings, these efforts do not always address the full range of student needs. Now, I think this is a great segue into the world of social capital, and how a student’s relationships also impact their educational experience. From your perspectives, what role do "institutional agents,” such as teachers or counselors, play in student success? Have you noticed a trend in how these relationships form in educational spaces, and the kind of impact they have on students? And, lastly, do you think there is a way we can level the playing field, to ensure all students have equitable access to these supportive relationships? [Student: Olivia] I don’t think I would be where I am today without the help of my school counselor. She connects me with different resources, helps me pick out my classes, directs my educational path, and helps set me up for future success. I see a lot of my peers not taking advantage of this opportunity and not wanting to ask for help; its often looked down upon or they don’t think they need help. I believe if we had more counselors at my school their outreach would be greater and students would be more likely to come to them for help. Teachers making their classrooms available for students who seek extra help is also a great way to connect with these institutional agents. Making personal connections with each student makes them more likely to go to them for assistance. I have noticed that students who connect with their teachers in this way are more likely to succeed in that class and more engaged with the material that is being taught. [Teacher: Abi] Institutional agents like teachers, counselors, and coaches are essential to student success. Students spend so much of their time at school, so the people they interact with there are important to their lives and development. This is a responsibility that institutional agents need to take very seriously. We need to be intentional with the messages we send, and it’s important to teach students that they are all equally deserving of support and capable of success. I’ve seen many students who need help or support and don't ask for it. This happens because they don’t know who to ask, or they feel that their problems are not important enough to bother the overworked staff with. In order to rectify this, schools should prioritize hiring a large and diverse staff. These institutional agents should be trained in sensitivity and diversity so they don’t allow any prejudices to influence their treatment of students. Schools should operate under the assumption that every student will need extra attention in some area, and be prepared to support all of them and provide them with equal opportunities and resources. [Professor: Ella] I agree with Abi, institutional agents are indeed a key part in the success of a student’s education as their encouragement or lack thereof affects the student’s educational self-worth. In a paper by Ricardo D. Stanton-Salazar, the examination of the relationship between these agents and students discusses how school-based officials foster the development of educational motivation and confidence. Unconscious bias may arise when looking at a student’s demographics before working with them so providing equitable access to all students can be achieved by prioritizing educational statistics rather than predisposed prejudices on the child’s economic or cultural background. Institutional agents should develop a coordinated support system for every student to reduce achievement gaps. [Activist -Shally] The role of "institutional agents" like teachers, counselors, and others is crucial in either supporting or limiting the social capital available to minority youth. These individuals can provide essential support, guidance, and resources that help students navigate social systems, particularly in educational settings. To effectively address these inequalities, schools need to shift from viewing differences as challenges to recognizing them as strengths. This involves designing curricula that incorporate diverse perspectives, using teaching methods that honor various cultures, and implementing assessments that accurately reflect students' abilities. Additionally, schools should foster a genuinely inclusive environment where students and their families are active participants in decision-making and where everyone feels valued and supported. For example, hosting multicultural events on campus can help students learn about different cultures, fostering a diverse and inclusive environment from a young age. [Host: Paige] Wow, those were some incredibly detailed and insightful responses. To recap, students can feel pressured into avoiding conversations about their academic and personal needs, especially if they do not feel the space supports their growth. But it is clear, through the excellent ideas my guests provided, that there are ways students and educators alike can work together to make all students feel welcome in academic spaces. Thank you all so much for being here with me today, and providing your thoughts on such complex issues. This has been the DotEDU podcast, see you all next time!
