Success in School

Structural-Functional Theories

• How many students are in the class?

• What type of schedule does the school have?

• What time of day is the class?

• Is the class an elective or a required course?

• How is the classroom organized?

• How experienced is the teacher?

How is discipline handled by the teacher?

• How are the desks arranged in the classroom?

• What is the environment like?

• (cold? windows? Etc.)

Symbolic-Interactionist Theories

• What is the student’s home life like?

• Who are the friends of the student?

• How capable are the teachers?

• Is the school safe?

• Do the students have after-school jobs?

• Does the student have friends in class?

• What is the ratio of boys vs. girls?

• How influential are the family, friends, teachers?

Conflict-Theorists

• Is the student and/or teacher a member of a minority group?

• What economic class is the student? The teacher?

• What race, ethnicity, religion, gender is the student? The teacher?

• Boys vs. girls

• Does the student live in a poor neighborhood?

• Is the school in a poor neighborhood?

• Is the school under-funded?

• Is the school in a big city? Small town? Suburb?

• Are students expected to “jump through hoops” to succeed?