Differentiated Function of School in Socio-Culturally Disadvantaged Context: A Constructivist Grounded Theory Study from Turkey

This study analyses the functioning of a school as a social system in an atypical context with the purpose of generating propositions to tackle educational problems confronted by socially and economically disadvantaged groups attending these schools. Adopting the constructivist grounded theory, the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Urban review 2017-09, Vol.49 (3), p.400-419
Main Authors: Caliskan, Zuhal Zeybekoglu, Simsek, Hasan, Kondakci, Yasar
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Administrator Role
Community and Environmental Psychology
Constructivism
Constructivism (Learning)
Disadvantaged
Disadvantaged Schools
Economically Disadvantaged
Education
Educational Improvement
Educational Opportunities
Educational Practices
Educational sociology
Foreign Countries
Grounded Theory
Leadership
Learning
Minority groups
Parent Responsibility
Parents & parenting
Principals
Qualitative research
School Districts
School systems
Schools
Social justice
Sociology
Teacher Role
Teachers
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Summary:This study analyses the functioning of a school as a social system in an atypical context with the purpose of generating propositions to tackle educational problems confronted by socially and economically disadvantaged groups attending these schools. Adopting the constructivist grounded theory, the analysis suggests that there is a kind of “vicious cycle” in the functioning of this atypical school, which adversely affects the school system. Breaking the vicious cycle involves five basic propositions: (1) making school a better place than students’ homes, (2) overcoming the enduring difficulties of working in an atypical school, (3) multiplying learning opportunities, (4) prompting parents to assume more responsibility, (5) locating leadership that makes a difference. These propositions clarify the significance of informal subsystems, school community and the wider environment along with their enabling and blocking effects on a disadvantaged school system. Parallel to other studies on disadvantaged schools, the study highlights the need to refine the orthodox view of the concept of formal education and school, as well as the role of school principal, teachers and parents affiliated with atypical schools.
ISSN:0042-0972
1573-1960
DOI:10.1007/s11256-016-0391-8