Week 3 -reading reflection- Ethnography in schools

This selection on Ethnographic studies in the school setting was very interesting and gave me a whole new perspective on the classroom environment. I am not very familiar with this field of study, however the descriptions of the Village social structures and authority levels and systems made it easy for me to learn the concepts presented. One of the points that stuck with me is how the authority systems in society are similar to the way students , teachers and their superiors react to each other. At the same time they differ in the way they execute authority in the school social structure ideally Kinship and status should not be a factor in success. These concepts have given me a new way to approach my class room as a community while still maintaining a respect for the students individuality.

When talking about the comparison in the structure of schools and village life, I would of liked to hear more on how the ideals of the village class systems are practiced in school despite those practices being forbidden. I mean we have all went to High School and we have all seen the rules bent for certain people whether family of staff or status in the community. I am also interested on how certain social systems like trading goods might translate into a more direct practice on the classroom.

The Classroom community is just as diverse and complex as the worlds out side the school walls and for this reason I want explore these concepts further in hopes that I can relate this to my classroom. Implementing a more literal application of real world social structures to my future students might give a new perspective on the classroom and how they fit into a bigger community.