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How do teachers and schools transmit a society’s values and knowledge?
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Students and an instructor in a classroom in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
Schools and teachers transmit a society’s values and knowledge through both formal instruction and the social organization of the classroom. This process, often studied as enculturation, ensures that the roles and structures of a complex society are reproduced across generations.1
Formal and Social Transmission
- Curriculum and Pedagogy: Teachers share structured programs—such as humanities, sciences, and mathematics—designed to modify a student's experience and understanding. This formal teaching uses language to help children progress from simple sensorimotor coordination to complex, logical thought.2
- Group Dynamics: The classroom functions as a social group where students learn standards, attitudes, and behaviors. Through interaction with peers and teachers, students are evaluated by the group, which influences their personal standards and social integration.2
- Sociocultural Reproduction: Schools often mirror the values of the broader community. However, "cultural discontinuities"—the gap between a student's home culture and the school environment—can impact learning outcomes, as schools often use specific testing and pedagogical styles to place individuals into societal roles.1
Historically, societies have used rigid methods, such as drill and memorization, to enforce uniformity and prevent cultural deviation, as seen in ancient Egyptian schools.3