Abstract
Culture is rarely recognized in studies o~ Head Start and early childhood education. This study attempts to document the role of culture in an urban Head Start classroom from an ethnographic perspective. The historical basis of Head Start is explored, as well as current literature evaluating Head Start, Black culture, urban effects, and childhood poverty. The existence of an urban underclass is discussed from a theoretical standpoint, and the basis of poverty is explored for the sample children. The values and skills that are a product of children's experiences are discussed, as well as resistance as a fundamental component of Black culture. I describe the nature of the neighborhoods in which this study was undertaken. The values held in the classroom by both children and teachers are presented in terms of their relevance to the major tenets of Black culture and perspectives on cultural capital. These elements include self-assertion, respect for authority, respect for individuals, and an extended kin network. Finally, I conclude with suggestions for future researched the relationship of this study to public school ideology.
Advisor
Fitz Gibbon, Heather
Department
Urban Studies
Recommended Citation
Schatz, Megan H., "Black Urban Head Start Children: an Ethnographic Perspective on the Importance of Culture in Evaluating Socioemotional Development" (1998). Senior Independent Study Theses. Paper 6354.
https://openworks.wooster.edu/independentstudy/6354
Publication Date
1998
Degree Granted
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type
Senior Independent Study Thesis
© Copyright 1998 Megan H. Schatz