Cultural Captial

DiMaggio, Paul. "Cultural Captial and School Success: The impact of status culture particiaption on the grades of U.S. High Schools." American Sociological Review 47 (1982): 189-201.

This article, Cultural Capital and School Success: The Impact of Status culture participation on the grades of U.S. High school students by Paul DiMaggio, assesses the impact of a students’ cultural capital on their grades. This theory revolves around Weber’s idea of status culture, where a certain group will monopolize personal ties, shared conventions, cultural traits, tastes and styles. Those who do not have these traits will not be allowed within the status group. Thus, when these groups form at the top of the social hierarchy it is does to differentiate themselves form the lower classes. If a certain level of education or job field becomes associated with this group then it is excluded to other groups. Thus, the idea of going to college, or going to some ivy league enters the realm of impossible in the students eyes. The most important factors that the article found in accessing the students level of cultural capital is the Father’s education and the head of the household’s occupation. This article then goes on to analyze through studies how true this hypothesis is. After some complex statistics, the article finds out that this original theory of status culture does not transcend generations. Thus, if a parent has an academic advantage due to their cultural background, there is only a 30% of passing this down to their sons, and a 60% for daughters.

I think these findings demonstrate why it is so important for Teach for America teachers to be in the classroom at every level. The fact that children don’t necessary correlate to the success of their parents shows that there are many influences on a students cultural capital rather than just their parents. It can come from their interaction with different peers and different adults. However, as students do need to be learning the cultural capital, Teach for America teachers who often come from this elite culture provide first hand interaction with this type of culture for students. This is why I think its important for teachers not to change how they dress, how they interact, and how they talk from their elite education experience to teaching. Students need to be exposed to this kind of behavior so that they can begin to incorporate it in their own behavior. This I think is an under-published benefit of Teach for America. Students are interacting with people who come from a privileged background, so not only does this make those with the privileged background want to change the education system, but it also opens up the world of possibility to the students who have these teachers.