Parents’ & Student Teachers’ Perceptions of Using Popular Culture in the Classroom

In reference to the outcomes of my parental/student teacher survey, I interviewed a student teacher with two children (girls) under the age of 10. A surprise for me when analysing the response was the emphasis on popular culture being used as a reward, ‘If a game is age appropriate I don’t mind the girls playing it but I wouldn’t expect it to be a daily occurrence in the classroom unless they had earned it’. This response leads to the question, whether the use of technology and popular culture is perceived as a tool/resource for the support of learning or as a reward for positive behaviour. This leads back to the view that technology enthuses and motivates children- a key reason as discussed in the session (Dean, 2010). It is therefore open to interpretation as to whether the use of popular culture and technology within the classroom is perhaps not being made explicit to parents as to what this would involve in terms of supporting learning, although Marsh (2005) suggested parents are supportive of the role of popular culture in school. This therefore made me consider the implications for further practise as partnership with parents would be crucial if I were to use popular culture as a motivation for pupils in order to justify the significance that this would have to their learning. It is therefore understandable that there may be some reluctance for student teachers to risk stretching the curriculum in order to involve aspects of popular culture when it is not entirely perceived by some as important to a child’s education (Marsh, 2005).

From further interpretation of the survey, an interesting response was that not everything encountered in school should be carried out using technology/popular culture in the classroom. This relates to how it is questioned by teachers as to whether, in terms of literacy, popular culture and the use of technology is taking children away from traditional forms of literacy and classroom practises (Lambirth, 2003), however in reference to the Tuesdays session, it was exemplified how even in today’s culture, books still have an influence on children and can be considered popular culture but in a more ‘current’ context. The parent furthered her opinion of ‘popular culture to be used in moderation’ by stating that it was a worry for her children’s development, this I interpreted as considering games and some forms of popular culture as irrelevant to their social and emotional development. This viewpoint however is arguable when considering social networking and the ability to communicate with friends and family through technology on a regular basis and the use of collaborative work in school (Marsh, 2005).

From this survey it has been interesting to learn how parents perceive the use of popular culture within the classroom. It has made me aware, as a student teacher of the importance of creating a classroom environment where technology is an accepted and useful resource for learning but with the creativity which keeps children enthused.

 

 

Dean, G., (2010) Rethinking Literacy. In: C. Bazalgette, ed. 'Teaching Media in Primary School' Sage: Media Education Association (MEA), pp. 51-60.

Lambirth, A. (2003) ‘They get enough of that at home’: Understanding aversion to popular cultures in schools’ Reading 37(1) pp.9-13

Marsh, J. Brooks,G. Hughes,J. Ritchie, L. Roberts, S. Wright, K (2005) ‘Digital beginnings: Young children’s use of popular culture, media and new Technologies’ University of Sheffield (Section 2.10 p.46; Sections 3.2 & 3.3 p48/49)