TY - JOUR
T1 - Learning to label
T2 - Socialisation, gender, and the hidden curriculum of high-stakes testing
AU - Booher-Jennings, Jennifer
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2008 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2008/3
Y1 - 2008/3
N2 - Although high-stakes tests play an increasing role in students' schooling experiences, scholars have not examined these tests as sites for socialisation. Drawing on qualitative data collected at an American urban primary school, this study explores what educators teach students about motivation and effort through high-stakes testing, how students interpret and internalise these messages, and how student hierarchies develop as a result. I found that teachers located boys' failure in their poor behavior and attitudes, while arguing that girls simply needed more self-esteem to pass the test. Most boys accepted their teachers' diagnosis of the problem. However, the boys who felt that they were already 'doing their best' and 'working hard' began to doubt that educational success is a function of merit and effort. I conclude that students learn about much more than the three Rs through their experiences with high-stakes testing, and argue that future research should attend to the social dimensions of these experiences.
AB - Although high-stakes tests play an increasing role in students' schooling experiences, scholars have not examined these tests as sites for socialisation. Drawing on qualitative data collected at an American urban primary school, this study explores what educators teach students about motivation and effort through high-stakes testing, how students interpret and internalise these messages, and how student hierarchies develop as a result. I found that teachers located boys' failure in their poor behavior and attitudes, while arguing that girls simply needed more self-esteem to pass the test. Most boys accepted their teachers' diagnosis of the problem. However, the boys who felt that they were already 'doing their best' and 'working hard' began to doubt that educational success is a function of merit and effort. I conclude that students learn about much more than the three Rs through their experiences with high-stakes testing, and argue that future research should attend to the social dimensions of these experiences.
KW - Accountability
KW - Gender
KW - High-stakes testing
KW - Socialisation
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U2 - 10.1080/01425690701837513
DO - 10.1080/01425690701837513
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:40249100171
SN - 0142-5692
VL - 29
SP - 149
EP - 160
JO - British Journal of Sociology of Education
JF - British Journal of Sociology of Education
IS - 2
ER -