Reflections from a Third-Grade Classroom

There are four main kinds of status that seem to play a strong role in classroom encounters.  Group work seems especially affected by the roles that various children seem to fill.

• Expert status:  This refers to the ability of children to make fine distinctions among individuals to determine who is the “expert” in the chosen field.  Often, it is this person that will dominate the group.
• Academic status:  This often correlates to “reading status,”  as reading is often used as a gauge of  someone’s overall academic ability.  Research has shown that an academic status is often used to impart status distinctions where no academic status is needed.
• Peer status:  This refers to a student’s social standing within the classroom and is shown to have a strong correlation with participation and activity.  Often, members with a high peer status can dominate group work even if it is obvious that their ideas are not that great (or even wrong).
• Societal status:  This status makes distinctions about a persons status in the larger world.  Minority, low-income students are especially at risk.  Wealthy, white students often benefit from this.

The issues of status in the classroom are incredibly important for all teachers to investigate.  Sometimes, mapping social networks can be very helpful in identifying at-risk students.  Students of low status are less likely to become involved in school and take risks with their learning, putting them in danger of “slipping through the cracks.”  Furthermore, if status issues are not identified and addressed, school will serve only as a reinforcing tool of the prejudices and assumptions that the kids entered school with.  This will further perpetuate common societal injustices.

There are a number of ways teachers can address these issues.  First, it’s important to know HOW status affects your classroom.  Once that is identified, appropriate action can be taken.

1. Set up a situation where the low-status student is the expert.
2. Use “Expectation Training” where a low-status student becomes responsible for teaching and helping a high-status student grasp a particular concept.
3. Recognizing (and teaching your students to do so as well) that everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and that no one person can be the be-all, end-all source of knowledge (even the teacher!)

My CT and I were discussing yesterday how impressed we were with our particular class.  We do not see very many issues with status in our classroom.  I’m not entirely sure why this is, but my guess is that ALL of our children are traditionally low-status children, and that has something to do with it.  I see a greater sense of cameraderie and support in this classroom that seems possible.

However, while my class doesn’t seem affected by status, they also don’t seem used to groupwork.  They never work together, never ask each other for help, nothing.  It’s very difficult!  I almost WANT to inject some status into our groups to facilitate leadership roles and get them used to trusting thier peers.