Processes Within Schools » Counter School Cultures

What you'll learn this session

Study time: 30 minutes

The concept of counter-school cultures and their characteristics
Paul Willis's study "Learning to Labour" and its significance
Different types of pupil responses to school (pro-school and anti-school)
Factors that influence the development of counter-school cultures
The impact of counter-school cultures on educational achievement
Contemporary examples and case studies of counter-school cultures

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Understanding Counter-School Cultures

Counter-school cultures are groups of pupils who actively reject school values and develop attitudes and behaviours that go against what schools expect. These pupils often create their own set of values and norms that oppose the official school culture.

Key Definitions:

Counter-school culture: Groups of pupils who develop attitudes and behaviours that reject and oppose the values of the school.
Resistance: Actions taken by pupils to challenge or undermine school authority and rules.
Conformity: Following and accepting the rules, values and expectations of the school.

📝 School Values

Schools typically promote values such as:

Hard work and effort
Academic achievement
Respect for authority
Punctuality and attendance
Following rules and procedures

👊 Counter-School Values

Counter-school cultures often value:

Rejecting academic work
Challenging teacher authority
Breaking school rules
Prioritising popularity with peers
Seeking immediate gratification

Paul Willis's "Learning to Labour" (1977)

One of the most famous studies of counter-school cultures was conducted by sociologist Paul Willis. His ethnographic study followed a group of 12 working-class boys (whom he called "the lads") in a Midlands secondary school.

Case Study: Willis's "The Lads"

Willis found that "the lads" developed a counter-school culture with these characteristics:

They saw school work as meaningless and irrelevant to their future
They valued "having a laugh" and disrupting lessons
They challenged teacher authority through misbehaviour
They rejected the "ear'oles" (conformist pupils) as teacher's pets
They valued manual labour and traditional masculinity
They saw themselves as destined for factory work like their fathers

Willis argued that these boys were not simply failing at school - they were actively rejecting it because they didn't see education as relevant to their future working-class jobs.

Types of Pupil Responses to School

Not all pupils respond to school in the same way. Sociologists have identified different types of pupil attitudes and behaviours:

👍 Pro-School

Pupils who accept school values and work hard to achieve academically. They follow rules and respect teachers.

🤔 Conformist

Pupils who follow rules but may not be enthusiastic about learning. They do enough to get by without causing trouble.

👎 Anti-School

Pupils who actively reject school values, challenge authority and may disrupt learning. They often form counter-school cultures.

Factors Influencing Counter-School Cultures

Several factors can contribute to the development of counter-school cultures:

Social Class

Working-class pupils may develop counter-school cultures because:

They might see the middle-class values of school as alien to their own experiences
They may perceive limited opportunities regardless of educational achievement
Their families might have had negative experiences with education
They might value practical skills over academic knowledge

Ethnicity and Cultural Factors

Some ethnic minority pupils may develop counter-school cultures if:

They experience racism or discrimination within the education system
The curriculum doesn't reflect their cultural heritage or experiences
They feel teachers have lower expectations of them
They perceive limited opportunities in the job market due to discrimination

Gender and Masculinity

Boys are more likely than girls to form counter-school cultures because:

Traditional ideas of masculinity may clash with the perceived "feminine" nature of academic work
Boys may fear being labelled as "swots" or "geeks" by peers
They might prioritise sports or physical activities over academic achievement
They may see disruption and challenging authority as ways to demonstrate masculinity

Contemporary Counter-School Cultures

While Willis's study was conducted in the 1970s, counter-school cultures continue to exist in various forms today:

💻 Modern Manifestations

Today's counter-school cultures might include:

Deliberate underachievement to maintain peer status
Using mobile phones in class against rules
Wearing uniform incorrectly as a form of resistance
Truancy and poor attendance
Cyberbullying or online disruption

💡 Changing Context

Modern counter-school cultures exist in a different context:

Decline in traditional working-class manual jobs
Greater emphasis on qualifications for employment
More diverse educational pathways (apprenticeships, vocational courses)
Greater awareness of the importance of education
Stronger school behaviour policies and monitoring

Case Study: Mac an Ghaill's Research

Máirtín Mac an Ghaill (1994) identified different male pupil groups in his study:

The Macho Lads: Similar to Willis's "lads", they rejected school and valued toughness
The Academic Achievers: Conformed to school values and worked hard
The New Enterprisers: Focused on vocational subjects and future careers
The Real Englishmen: Middle-class boys who valued traditional academic subjects

This shows how different groups of pupils can respond differently to school, with some forming counter-school cultures while others conform.

Impact on Educational Achievement

Counter-school cultures can significantly affect educational outcomes:

Underachievement: Pupils in counter-school cultures often deliberately underperform academically
Exclusions and absences: Higher rates of truancy and exclusion lead to missed learning
Peer pressure: Can prevent academically capable pupils from achieving their potential
Self-fulfilling prophecy: Teachers may lower expectations for pupils in counter-school groups
Limited future opportunities: Poor qualifications can restrict access to higher education and better jobs

Responding to Counter-School Cultures

Schools and teachers use various strategies to address counter-school cultures:

🚀 Engagement Strategies

Making curriculum content more relevant and engaging
Offering vocational and practical learning opportunities
Building positive teacher-pupil relationships
Involving parents and communities
Celebrating diverse achievements beyond academics

💬 Critical Perspectives

Some sociologists argue that counter-school cultures are:

A rational response to perceived limited opportunities
A form of resistance against an education system that doesn't value their skills
A way for pupils to maintain dignity when they feel education isn't working for them
A reflection of wider social inequalities rather than simply "bad behaviour"

Conclusion

Counter-school cultures represent complex responses to the education system. While they often lead to educational underachievement, they can also be understood as rational adaptations to perceived limited opportunities. Understanding the factors that contribute to counter-school cultures can help schools develop more inclusive approaches that engage all pupils, regardless of their background or initial attitudes to education.

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