Deficit Thinking

Social class, the grouping of people with the same or similar economic and social power (Sriprakash & Proctor, 2013, p. 81), provides a disadvantage in the education sector that requires explicit knowledge, understanding and action by teachers. Commonly, education systems have often reproduced social inequality, rather than attempt to overcome it (Sriprakash & Proctor, 2013, p. 96). Gobby and Millei (2017, p. 40) explain that if we were to look at education in a critical way, we would notice that school systems are focused on their obligation toward the privelaged and powerful, rather than, the less privelaged and socially disadvantaged, who are often oppressed by the system. This social disadvantage requires teachers to not judge, stereotype

Differences in appearance, social skills, personality, social class and academic abilities are all factors that students differ and make a truly diverse classroom. This diversity however, requires the role of an intellectual worker to build a depth of knowledge of a student’s social context. One that can help build relationships in and outside the classroom to understand and implement a more rounded curriculum. Down (2017, p. 122) explains the notion of ‘deficit thinking’ as, individuals, students, teachers and parents are to blame for school failure and individual under achievement and ignores the wider social context, therefore failing to question the institution of schooling. This line of thinking removes itself from the root cause of educational failure which is attributed to poverty, employment, housing and health (Down, 2017, p. 122). This is where connectedness comes in, linking students background knowledge and the curriculum to make the curriculum relevant to the student’s life external to the classroom (McGregor & Mills, 2017, p. 378). McGregor and Mills (2017, p. 373) explain, that students enter educational settings with a diverse range of skills and knowledge, however, they also enter from different backgrounds, environments, and levels of readiness for formal schooling. The importance of a teacher and student relationship is heightened in the socially disadvantaged and as McGregor and Mills (2017, p. 373) argue, lacking these relationships can result in disengagement and failure. However, by encouraging students to see the purpose of their learning and how it relates to their life, opens up a world of meaning for their learning (McGregor and Mills, 2017, p. 378). This meaningful learning for students allows for self exploration in a social context to help overcome social and economic disadvantages that contribute to school disengagement (McGregor, Mills te Riele & Hayes, as