James S. Coleman

A child's learning is a function more of the characteristics of his classmates than those of the teacher. ↗

— James S. Coleman

#characteristics #child #classmates #function #his

The higher the social class of other students the higher any given student's achievement. ↗

— James S. Coleman

#any #class #given #higher #other

The present structure of rewards in high schools produces a response on the part of an adolescent social system which effectively impedes the process of education. ↗

— James S. Coleman

#education #effectively #high #high schools #impedes

As an example, one of the schools I have been studying is too small to compete effectively in most sports, but participates with vigor each year in the state music contests. ↗

— James S. Coleman

#compete #contests #each #effectively #example

Children from a given family background, when put in schools of different social compositions, will achieve at quite different levels. ↗

— James S. Coleman

#background #children #compositions #different #different levels

Cultural dominance of middle-class norms prevail in middle-class schools with a teacher teaching toward those standards and with students striving to maintain those standards. ↗

— James S. Coleman

#dominance #maintain #middle-class #norms #prevail

For to change the norms, the very foci of attention, of a cultural system is a difficult task - far more complex than that of changing an individual's attitudes and interests. ↗

— James S. Coleman

#attitudes #change #changing #complex #cultural

I'd propose that each central-city child should have an entitlement from the state to attend any school in the metropolitan area outside his own district - with per pupil funds going with him. ↗

— James S. Coleman

#area #attend #child #district #each

If we refuse to accept as inevitable the irresponsibility and educational unconcern of the adolescent culture, then this poses a serious challenge. ↗

— James S. Coleman

#adolescent #challenge #culture #educational #inevitable

In a high school, the norms act to hold down the achievements of those who are above average, so that the school's demands will be at a level easily maintained by the majority. ↗

— James S. Coleman

#achievements #act #average #demands #down