Introduction
Family participation in the educational process affects children’s academic achievements and success. The effectiveness of education influences the state of the whole social system.
The purpose of this essay is to answer two questions. The first is about the effect of familial institutions on education as a social institution. The second question is about the influence of ineffective schooling on other public institutions. The family can work both in opposition to and in support of education as a social organization due to socioeconomic status, parents’ expectations and involvement in schooling, and home stress management.
Familial Institution’s Role in Education
The Negative Influence of the Socioeconomic Status
Family influence determines the child’s future interaction with the educational system. Research shows how families’ circumstances and social status affect children’s educational experiences. Data shows that kids whose mothers did not graduate are less likely to be engaged in such educational activities as going to the library (Entwisle et al., 1997).
Parents’ own educational experience forms their expectations of their children. Negative experience tends to provoke low expectations, and children tend to live up to them (Entwisle et al., 1997). A family’s socioeconomic status can work against the educational system. Children from impoverished families are less likely to graduate from high school or be successful in their learning (Entwisle et al., 1997). However, this correlation is likely to work oppositely.
The Positive Influence of the Socioeconomic Status and Parental Involvement
The socioeconomic status of the family supports education as well. Families with stable incomes possess the resources needed for a child’s growth outside the school system (Entwisle et al., 1997). The availability of these resources allows children to maintain and develop their skills and knowledge. A stable financial situation raises parents’ expectations for kids’ education, setting the child’s own goals. Parents’ expectations are proven to significantly affect children’s achievements. For example, families with high expectations tend to encourage children’s learning experience and invest more resources in education (Entwisle et al., 1997). Familial institutions’ positive or negative influence on education as a social institution depends significantly on socioeconomic status. However, material resources are not the only way for a family to support education.
Parents’ school involvement is an essential factor in influencing children’s learning. Visiting the school, getting acquainted with teachers’ approach, and understanding children’s academic weaknesses are necessary for supporting kids’ learning process (Entwisle et al., 1997).
The Influence of Family Stress
Another critical aspect that can work both against and in favor of education is family stress. Adverse life events interfere with child development, especially when school is not able to serve as a buffer and neutralize the effect of stress at home (Entwisle et al., 1997). These events are able to slow down the child’s growth and evolvement and become an obstacle to the educational process.
Impact of Ineffective Schooling on Social Institutions
Impact on Employment
Ineffective education has a significant effect on economics as a social institution. If a high school student fails to graduate, it has negative consequences both on personal and public levels (Levin et al., 2007). The income of a school dropout will be less than the income of a person who managed to complete secondary education. Statistical data show that there is less probability for a dropout to be employed in comparison with people who have a diploma (Levin et al., 2007).
For example, the difference in employment percentage between black Hispanic females who did and did not graduate is 6% (Levin et al., 2007). The discrepancy in their income counted $ 4,600 between 2003 and 2004 (Levin et al., 2007). A lower salary means a lower tax a person is able to contribute to ensuring public services (Levin et al., 2007). It seems evident that both the state and the person miss out on their benefits in this case.
Impact on Healthcare
Another field impacted by an ineffective education system is healthcare. First of all, people who get higher education are more likely to have a job providing health insurance. They tend to check on their health more often, which helps them to prevent disease. In other words, education reduces public costs by decreasing Medicaid enrollment (Levin et al., 2007). Thus, the failures of the educational system tend to increase the burden of public healthcare programs.
Impact on Criminal Justice
Education failures influence criminal justice and welfare as well. The absence of financial stability is often claimed to be a reason for the law violation (Klenowski, 2012). As a source of raising income, higher education attainment eliminates the necessity to commit a crime and, therefore, reduces the costs for the criminal justice system (Levin et al., 2007).
Impact on Welfare
Higher education level makes welfare payments lower, decreasing federal government spending dramatically. It is clear that ineffective education has a negative impact on these two social institutions, increasing the rate of criminal behavior and the number of welfare payments.
Conclusion
In conclusion, family circumstances predestine the child’s educational experience. It happens due to such factors as the status and financial situation, the level of parent’s involvement in school life, and the amount of stress a child endures in family life. All of these aspects are able to have both positive and negative effects on education as a social institution. Ineffective education works in opposition to the efficient functioning of other social institutions, causing them high costs.
References
Entwisle, D. R., Alexander, K.L., & Olson, L.S. (1997). Children, Schools, and Inequality. Westview Press.
Klenowski, P.M. (2012). Learning the good with the bad: Are occupational white-collar offenders taught how to neutralize their crimes? Criminal Justice Review, 37(4), 461-477. Web.
Levin, H., Belfield, C., Muennig, P., & Rouse, C. (2007). The costs and benefits of an excellent education for all of America’s children. Teachers College, Columbia University.