ROMELIN C.

UDAUNDO
Ph.D EM

SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION
Issues for Discourse

1. Does socialization matter? What is an “agent of socialization”? Can you talk about the
most important agent your own life?
Answer: An “agent of socialization” is an institution through which people learn to
understand societal norms or expectations and societal values. The most important agent of
socialization to me is my family. We first start to learn things with the help of our parents and
family. They are the main source of our traits and behaviors, the values, norms or rules that we
follow, and the ideas we initially believe in.

2. How does the internet socialize adolescents? Since the internet can have so much
power over children, do you think the government should regulate internet content the
way that they do in television content? Why or why not?
Answer: Socialization among adolescents through the internet has been abrupt. Abrupt
to the extent that things too much categorically advance for their range of age, they are
already exposed. I strongly agree for the government regulation over all the internet
content before posting or tagging. Everything must have to pass through strict
censorship and edition by qualified and reliable sources.

3. Why is peer culture important? How are young people being socialized through their
peers? What is the role that a “child culture” or “youth culture” plays in our society
today?
Answer: It is a reality that we will find our own level of group or peer. Socialization can
be best realized if we integrate with our own peer. In the process, socialization may also
lead to enculturation of which one’s culture will be enhanced and enriched. From
among our peers, we can discover our role in the society. One may not know or couldn’t
believe that he/she can be a leader but the peer determined that he/she can through
election or appointment where he/she haven’t felt at home.

4. Do you agree or disagree that society makes us humans through the process of
socialization?
Answer: I agree that society makes us humane through the process of socialization. In
Philosophy, man and human are different. Man is at its animal state somehow, but
human is that expected to act always in accordance to customs, norms, beliefs,
standards, or rules of the society. Any member of the society not conforming to the
accepted principles may be punished or deported out.

5. In what ways is socialization important to society as a whole? Give concrete examples to

prove your point.
 Answer: Socialization is an ongoing process of learning languages, behaviors, customs,
values, norms to acquire a personal identity. It helps us learn culture. Socialization also
allows us to interact with others and helps us develop the behaviors that we think are
inborn or part of human nature. It is an essential part of building our character and
preserving, spreading, and strengthening our culture.

6. The formal social structure is associated with the school system and the informal social
structure is associated with the peer culture. Do you agree with this or not?
Answer: I agree that the school system provide the formal social structure because of its
adherence to the national standards and guidance from curriculums. Schools record the
performance of every student to serve later as basis for finding adequate employment.
Peer culture are just passive and without legal basis.

7. What do you see as the advantages and disadvantages of being socialized into two
cultures, i.e., dominant culture and subculture?
Answer: The advantages of being socialized into two cultures are:
1. The individual will have a broader area of socialization.
2. He can adjust hastily to interact with people.
3. He can inject new culture for enculturation.
4. He can feel at ease and comfortable to roam around the area.
The disadvantages are:
1. The individual’s loyalty is inimical to other’s interest.
2. He is prone to migration oftentimes.
3. He has to be diligent and act in accordance to the culture of the society
where he is immersed in so as not to commit embarrassment.
4. He must have to take extra-care for there are unacceptable cultures to
another which may be acceptable to others.

8. Can socialization occur without interaction? Are social problems among the youth result
of peer culture? Why?
Answer: Interaction is essential to socialization. They are as if coupled. The social
problems among the youth are not the result of peer culture. Socialization and
interaction among peer are in harmony because they belong to the group. Should an
individual cannot endure to integrate with the group he must have avoided them from
the beginning. The social problems among the youth are just the result of their varied
interest in several events. While some are patient enough to the call of life, others
simply wanted to enjoy the pleasures of life.

9. What are the most controversial disciplinary problems that occur in schools today? Into
what factor do you attribute these problems? Why?
Answer: Early marriage and early pregnancy are the most controversial disciplinary
problems that occur in schools. Their families are the attributing factor to these. Some
parents have not undergone schooling and because of difficulty in finding a good job,
they experience poverty. It is this poverty that led some students to those problems
 thinking that only marriage can jack them up. Some also failed to be married that
caused the unwed mothers.

10. Do you agree based on personal experience that student subculture has strong
influence in determining what happens in school? If so, what evidences could you
provide to prove your position?
Answer: Some students are ill-cultured. They were misled by the notion that education
is only a waste of time. The program of the Department of Education that no child
should be left behind only forced them to enter the school. Evidences are in the custody
of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the PNP, and the PSO.

CHAPTER 5

1. Describe the division of labor and specialization in your school. How much autonomy do
teachers have to make their own decisions?
Answer: Division of labor is observed but sometimes there are biases committed by the
administrators. There are teachers loaded excessively while others are enjoying their
several vacant periods. Sometimes, they were even loaded with subjects not within
their field of specialization. Administrators simply justify this by saying that the Office
has hired only few qualified teachers and no one is allotted to this certain school.
Applicant teachers complain of the very high standard of recruitment by the Office.
Good to private institution teachers because they were paid their extra load, not in the
public institutions. I supposed there is but the administrators do only conceal.
Autonomy to teachers is impossible for the chain of command is too much
enforced. Any teacher of major or minor none compliance will be immediately
reprimanded. Added to the fear about Human Rights of students. Students do bully
teachers too by scaring them of reporting to Human Rights. Scared teachers are
jeopardized. It’s unfair.

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of bureaucracy in school? Cite example to
illustrate your idea.
Answer: Advantages of bureaucracy in school:
1. There is an expectation of good supervision.
2. Conceptualization is pretty much possible.
3. Distribution of school supplies and facilities is easy and feasible.
Disadvantages of bureaucracy in school:
1. Malpractices can be erased through internal arrangement.
2. Stakeholders are prone to corruption (i.e. illegal collection of money).
3. Erring schools rarely are attended by the national government.
Example of which are the schools under the supervision of Schools Division
Superintendent of DepEd Cagayan.
3. How much conflict exists between the formal and informal organizations I school? Give
examples of conflict. How would you characterize the informal organizations of your
school?
Answer: Formal organizations are those organized by advisers coming from the
administrators or teachers which are recognized by the school. Informal organizations
are those organized by students without recognition by the school, fraternity or union
to be exact. Seriously, conflict do exists. I comprehend that the students are young
enough to commit themselves to informal organizations. They are premature in their
practice of the objectives of their organization. Nothing is wrong in forming an
organization for the New Constitution guarantees their legality for as long as their
objectives are in conformity to it. The matter is that the students over exaggerate the
doctrines of their organization. I characterize informal organizations as detrimental to
the development of the child.

4. What is the nature of the school as a social system? What are the critical elements of
the school social system? How do these elements affect each other?
Answer:
5. What kind of school structures enables teachers to be effective? How can structure be a
positive force in teaching and learning? What are the negative consequences of
structure? How they can be avoided?
Answer:
6. To what extent is school politics dysfunctional to the operation of the school? What are
the political games and tactics that face administrators and teachers?
Answer: Politics and schools are tied up under the supervision of the national
government but there is a limitation to the matter. Locally, they are independent.
Schools erected in a certain municipality are not under the supervision of the latter. This
is so to build a mainstream between them pertaining to the appointing power of the
local executive and the influence that teachers can do for a certain politician. Another
point is that during campaign period, politicians are prohibited to be a guest of speaker
to any school activity. A certain disciplinary action will be faced by both the politician
and school administrator, if any.

7. How can principals empower teachers? How does one make power legitimate in the
school?
Answer: Principals empower their subordinates by enjoining each and every one to all
the activities of the school and must let them experience the sense of belonging. The
legitimacy of power is upon the legal appointment of the teachers and the principal.

8. In what way could the bureaucratic model of school affect relationships in school? Cite
examples to prove your point.
Answer: The bureaucratic model of school will serve as an inspiration to others to
determine and improve their quality of performance. It may also serve as reference of
excellence to others.
 An example of this is the school’s staffs who have been awarded 100% in the
Performance Based Bonus (PBB) while the other schools did not.

9. Functionalists assert that human beings are products of structures like bureaucracy and
hierarchy. What is your position for this? Do you agree or disagree? Why?
Answer: I agree. So as in the Instinctive Theory, it is an instinct of people that when in
group, they initially assign or elect their leaders or officers based from certain factors
like power, wealth, or wisdom. The law of succession may follow in the case of vacancy.
The highest in the hierarchy will serve as their representative to any matter upon the
concurrence of the group.

10. Which do you think is more powerful in school, the formal or informal groups? Why?
Answer: The formal group must prevail over the informal groups because the former
carry with them the approval of the school administration to exist while the latter do
not.

CHAPTER 6

1. React on the following statements. Give your evidences to support your position.
a. Education beyond all other devices of human origin, is a great equalizer of
conditions of men, the balance wheel of the social machinery – Horace Mann
Answer: Correct. It goes with the saying “Life is a continuous process of learning”. As
time changes, population changes, and as such the style of living also changes.
People continuously study and discover measures to sustain their needs and desires.
A good example here is the DeoEd creation of the K-12, the Senior High School, the
additional two year curriculum in the secondary education. This, in deed, is to make
the new Filipino generation competitive globally, as the Philippines has been
branded to have a low standard of education compared to several countries.

b. Civilization is a race between education and catastrophe – H.G. Wells

Answer: True. All races of people in this world aspire to be most civilized and
powerful. There existed the highly industrialized country, the newly industrialized,
the industrializing, and under-industrialize. This hierarchy may construe the race
between education and catastrophe. Plus the existence of modern States leaving
behind the nations. Above all of the civilized and catastrophic countries, we must
have to bear in mind that all of them possessed and empowered with sovereignty by
the United Nations Organization.

c. In large public schools, education will always be mediocre, for the same reason that
in large kitchens the cooking is usually bad – Nietzsche
Answer: This is not necessarily so to all public schools. Truly, it is a general
contention that excellent performance can rarely be achieved from over populated
 schools. But this has already been resolved also by majority of the public schools
with the provision of adequate facilities sustainable to the needs of the several
students and so with the recruitment of teachers to maintain a classroom size of 35-
40 students. Where the teachers and facilities equate the number of students,
mediocre is rarely expected.

d. Everywhere and in every epoch there has existed some form of stratification with
those at the top holding more privilege, power and enjoying greater rewards than
those at the bottom – David Riesman
Answer: This was true from the primitive and in the early modern times. Not now, I
believe, here in the Philippines. The new Filipino generation must be grateful today
that the program of the government in education is “No child should be left behind”.
True to the free primary and secondary education and a lot of college scholarships
offered. Plus the law that parents may be apprehended in case of enslaving or
prohibiting their child or children to enter the school. These will result, as per study,
to equality among all the Filipinos. The marginalized families and communities are
now given the chance to experience easement and compete globally.

e. A person’s social position and social class membership are determined by both
ascribed (inherited) and acquired (achieved) statuses or characteristics. – Scotter
Answer: Sometimes true. Where a descendant comes from a rich and affluent
ancestor maintains and manages his inherited wealth all together with the prestige
of his ancestors and acquires high education, then it is yes to Scotter, but as per
history, not all descendants, coming from the same, prospered. In another view, a
descendant coming from a poor and less fortunate family, acquired high prestige
because of pursuing a degree through education. On the other hand, a person may
by chance have acquired high prestige from the absence of wealth and education.
Example is Manny Pacquiao in politics.
f. All animals are equal but some are more equal than the others. – George Orwell
Answer: It’s the social classes that G. Orwell may be pointing in his line, if I’m not
mistaken. Generally, societies and states have social classes, the upper class
composed of the elite people for only few in number, the middle class composed of
men who are living in an average level of life and larger in number than the elite,
and the lower class composed usually of the marginalized communities and majority
in number of the entire population. As I talk about people here, I assume that Orwell
is contending that people are born initially in their animal state. My position is, it is
true.

2. Functionalists believe that formal education has the ability to equalize and level out
other life conditions (poverty, ethnicity, gender, social class, etc.) and that by educating
all citizens and giving everyone an equal opportunity to go to school, everyone will get a
fair chance to achieve that of which they are capable. Do you believe that this is a
reasonable premise and that it is working for the majority of students? Why?
 Answer: Yes. The majority of the population constitute the lower class who are actually
experiencing poverty. Should they be employed in the government or private sector,
they receive only the minimum wage or a little bit higher but just enough for less quality
of food, as a consequence children are diluted. By giving all citizens equal opportunity to
go to school many of them may get a fair chance to achieve their aspiration and by
getting a good job will uplift their lifestyle. Being educated may also result to a firm,
vivid, and righteous decision-making for their respective family. Harmony among the
members may follow leading to peaceful and happy family.
3. Should education be the act of giving out information and facts or should it try to
influence what and how students think and believe? Why? 20 years ago? What
contributes to the value of education in our society?
Answer: Can’t understand the problem, sorry…