How Do Schools Function?

1.1 Schools are described as social systems. Define a social system, explain how a school is a social system, and give another example of a social system in our society.

• Social systems are organizations with established structures and rules designed to promote certain goals. The different components of a school, with their own (or shared) established structures and/or rules, work together to achieve a common goal - educating students. There are lots of types of social systems in our society such as sports teams, churches, companies, and even families.

1.2 What are the major components of a typical school organization?

• Personnel - Administrators, support staff, and teachers
• Physical plant - Building, playground, etc
• Curriculum - What teachers teach and students learn

1.3 Most school systems are organized into three levels; describe each.

• Elementary Schools - Usually house students from kindergarten (sometimes pre-k) through grade five or six.
• Junior High/Middle Schools - Junior high schools house students between grades 7-9, and middle schools house grades 5-8, usually 6-8.
• High Schools - High schools house either grades 9-12 or 10-12.

1.4 Identify three factors that influence the way schools are organized.

• The developmental characteristics of students and economics and politics most commonly affect the way schools are organized. Students of different ages obviously are at different developmental stages in life, so they are grouped separately. Tight budgets, school over-crowding, and political demands affect organization and have nothing to do with the developmental needs of the students.