Eh, I think it’s good to make sure kids don’t pin their self esteem on anything overly tangible.
Grades are something that’s inherently tied to cultural capital. If your parents are able to teach you the skills needed to succeed in academic subjects, you’re going to do better. Pinning kids’ self worth to grades often leads to kids with disadvantages like a disrupted home life becoming disillusioned with the education system and suffering as a result.
I got good grades; I do not think the grades themselves are anything to be especially proud about. What’s more important is the effort that went into getting them, and that’s something more worth focusing on.
A parent saying they think their kid is cool is a value judgement from their perspective. They have a child they enjoy spending time with and with whom they have a good relationship. That’s something that I think anyone can get behind.
What’s cultural capital? Do you mean regular money? Grades are definitely tied to regular money, from how quiet it is in your neighborhood at night (how much sleep you can get), to access to food and healthcare, to tutoring and prep courses.
I think, in this context “cultural capital” refers to one’s social standing in their community. The higher the cultural capital one has, the higher one is in the social hierarchy, generally.
Good grades -> seen favorably by those around you -> higher social standing (increased cultural capital)
It’s not really social standing – it’s more the knowledge and behaviours that permit you a certain social standing. Apologies in advance for repeating the quote from the other comment:
In the field of sociology, cultural capital comprises the social assets of a person (education, intellect, style of speech, style of dress, social capital, etc.) that promote social mobility in a stratified society
In the field of sociology, cultural capital comprises the social assets of a person (education, intellect, style of speech, style of dress, social capital, etc.) that promote social mobility in a stratified society
Taking an example: I had a friend at university that did classics. There is no possible way I could have known growing up that classics was even an option; my school didn’t teach it, and it wasn’t something I’d come across at home beyond reading Percy Jackson. So my friend had far more of that kind of cultural capital than I did.
Eh, I think it’s good to make sure kids don’t pin their self esteem on anything overly tangible.
Grades are something that’s inherently tied to cultural capital. If your parents are able to teach you the skills needed to succeed in academic subjects, you’re going to do better. Pinning kids’ self worth to grades often leads to kids with disadvantages like a disrupted home life becoming disillusioned with the education system and suffering as a result.
I got good grades; I do not think the grades themselves are anything to be especially proud about. What’s more important is the effort that went into getting them, and that’s something more worth focusing on.
A parent saying they think their kid is cool is a value judgement from their perspective. They have a child they enjoy spending time with and with whom they have a good relationship. That’s something that I think anyone can get behind.
What’s cultural capital? Do you mean regular money? Grades are definitely tied to regular money, from how quiet it is in your neighborhood at night (how much sleep you can get), to access to food and healthcare, to tutoring and prep courses.
I think, in this context “cultural capital” refers to one’s social standing in their community. The higher the cultural capital one has, the higher one is in the social hierarchy, generally.
Good grades -> seen favorably by those around you -> higher social standing (increased cultural capital)
it does have a specific sociological meaning :).
It’s not really social standing – it’s more the knowledge and behaviours that permit you a certain social standing. Apologies in advance for repeating the quote from the other comment:
Thanks for the info!
Not exactly.
Taking an example: I had a friend at university that did classics. There is no possible way I could have known growing up that classics was even an option; my school didn’t teach it, and it wasn’t something I’d come across at home beyond reading Percy Jackson. So my friend had far more of that kind of cultural capital than I did.