In this paper, the school is viewed as an institution used by members of society to help them to adapt to their environment. Examined are (1) relations between the school and other immediate settings, such as the home, preschool and day care programs, informal groups, children's extracurricular organizations and summer experiences; and (2)…

This study examines the way in which the position of blacks in the American system of caste or racial stratification contributes to their lower school performance. It explores the myths and stereotypes that support the caste system and shows how they are translated into practices by school personnel. It probes into the responses of the minority…

Argues for a reconsideration of how culture affects minority school adjustment and academic performance, suggesting that minorities who recognize cultural differences as barriers are more successful at crossing cultural boundaries. The author demonstrates this point through two case studies, one of a minority group that does not recognize cultural…

This paper examines the mentoring of African American youth, critiques the accepted theoretical basis for most programs, and offers an alternative framework. Following an introduction in section 1, section 2 describes conventional mentoring and contains two case studies of programs in the San Francisco Bay Area (California). A key finding of the…

Discusses how culture affects minority school adjustment and academic performance and its influence on social mobility. The author proposes the use of a cultural frame of reference as a new level for analysis of the cultural problems that confront minority students at school. (GR)

Argues that neither the core curriculum nor the multicultural education approach to school reform adequately addresses the problems of minority groups who traditionally have not done well in school. The crucial issue in cultural diversity and learning is the relationship between minority cultures and the U.S. mainstream. (SLD)

Social scientists have adopted two different views on the influence of the community and home on academic achievement of lower-class and minority students. The first is the deficit perspective, or the failure-of-socialization hypothesis. The second is the difference perspective, or the cultural-discontinuity/failure-of-communication hypothesis.…