The Six Functions of Schooling
Introduction:The article critiques the underlying purposes of modern schooling, drawing from Alexander James Inglis' analysis. It identifies six functions that shape the educational system, often in ways that may surprise those who believe in traditional educational goals.
1. Adjustive or Adaptive Function: Schools establish habits of obedience to authority, hindering critical thinking and favoring rote learning.
2. Integrating Function: Also known as the conformity function, this aims to make students as similar as possible, aiding predictability and control.
3. Diagnostic and Directive Function: Schools determine each student's social role through cumulative records, affecting their future paths.
4. Differentiating Function: Students are sorted and trained based on their perceived social roles, limiting personal development.
5. Selective Function: This function aims to reinforce social hierarchies by promoting certain students while discouraging others, echoing Darwinian selection.
6. Propaedeutic Function: A small elite is trained to manage and control the larger population, ensuring the maintenance of the societal status quo.
Conclusion: The article suggests that these functions serve to maintain societal control rather than fostering true education and empowerment.
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