This essay will discuss the role of educators in counteracting dominant power in their practices in relation to parental relationships, expectations and choices. Within this essay, reference will be made to Bourdieu’s theory of power through social class, in particular the forms of capital (Cultural capital) and how educators can counteract dominant power within social class as part of their practices and fundamentally how this can affect educational attainment. Parental relationships, expectations and choices relate to dominant power because parents have more power over their children in terms of what they are limited to within the education system and it helps to shape their understanding of society. The relationships that parents have with their children will be dependent on the power in which they hold in relation to their social class.
Ideology states that the social class of a child and its parents has a direct correlation to both expectation in terms of education achievement and the actual attainment. Socially it is considered that parents from a lower social class may have a lower level of education, they may have had limited opportunities for social development which may restrict inclusion into higher class society. These restrictions may result in an acceptance of norm within their peer group and as such do not set themselves challenges to exceed expectations or indeed challenge their children (Brown, P. 2013).
The circle of like-minded individuals within a lower class will bring about embodied culture capital, meaning the child exposures culturally in terms of local language, attitudes and acceptable behaviours within social setting. The lower class may also have lower income levels as educational levels have a strong bearing on career opportunities. This lack of financial capital once again brings restrictions. Objectified cultural capital, given the opportunities to try new things, visit educational museums and experience a wider culture requires...