Summary of the readings
The two readings discuss the subtle psychological and behavioral impact of different phenomena on children. Anyon (1980) points out how different schools of different social classes shape the cognitive abilities and behaviors of students, while Calvert (2008) illuminates on the impact of consumer advertising, especially of children products on the cognitive abilities of children. In both readings, the authors point out that the children do not have control of the circumstances; their cognitive abilities are shaped out of the environment in which they find themselves, and they seem to have no choice.
Main points of each individual article
Anyon (1980) article highlights how different schools educating children from different social classes (working class, middle class, affluent, and executive) shape their cognitive abilities and behaviors differently. Schools with children from working class subtly teach students to resist in future, while schools with children from affluent social classes subtly teach them how to be creative. Calvert (2008) article’s main point is that product advertising aimed at children affects their cognitive abilities. Children cannot make sober judgments of the products being advertised and sometimes they exert undue pressure to their parents to buy some of the products.
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Commentary
I believe both studies describe succinctly how different phenomena affect the cognitive abilities of children. A YouTube video titled “How Relationships Increase Learning”, which can be retrieved from the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I2hrSRbmHE describes how social relationships affect the learning of children. Children in schools of the affluent are likely to think differently from those in schools of the working class because of the influence of their environments. Similarly, exposure to television advertisements is likely to affect how children think and perceive various products as well as their environment.
Questions
Is it likely that there will never be equality in schools because of the existence of different social classes?
Should it be everyone’s responsibility, especially beginning with the government to curb what children are exposed to in order to shape their cognitive abilities positively?
References
Anyon, J. (1980). Social class and the hidden curriculum of work. Journal of education , 67-92.
Calvert, S. L. (2008). Children as consumers: Advertising and marketing. The future of children , 205-234.
