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As social beings, we are socialized (or taught) to participate in varying institutions.  For this prompt, identify one institution that you have been socialized to participate in--identify characteristics, behaviors, beliefs, attitudes, and/or values you learned to better function in that institution.  You will see different institutions to your right. Feel free to choose one and comment-or create a new category!

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I am a catholic who had been taken to a Saturday School when I was young. I remember learning about the words of God. I don’t remember much about what we learned but I know, they were simple things. We were mostly taught about bible quotes and sometimes we watched a religious movie. As far as I remember, we never taught to discriminate. We're just talking about how to be a decent person in society and to have some confidence in ourselves.

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Most people in the United States spend a large portion of their adolescence in school. In the most impressionable years of our lives we are taught different beliefs, norms, values, and behaviors that stick with us all the way into adulthood. As we discussed in class there are many things school teaches us besides your standard math, science, and history. For example school teaches us from a young age to be patriotic by standing up, putting our right hand over our hearts, and stating the pledge of allegiance every morning before class started. If you refused to do the pledge, outside of religious reasons, you were stared at as if you did something wrong. This inherently teaches kids that it is bad to not be patriotic for the U.S.. Teachers can also enforce gender roles in school by dishing out different behavioral corrections depending on a student's gender. School dress codes - though lax on calling out male student's clothing and focuses more on targeting female students clothing - teaches students for certain environments certain attire can be appropriate and inappropriate. Specifically in my case, there was a method in which my school taught code of conduct to children in a school environment. The way my elementary school classrooms were set up were in rows. If you were in the first row (front row) or closer to it, you were not well behaved, and if you were in the fourth row (back row) or closer to it you were considered well behaved. Students would try to be on their best behavior in order to move to the fourth row away from the teacher's watchful eye. Not only did this urge us to act "accordingly" in a school setting-which is well mannered and respectful- it also sparked competition in the class to keep our spot in a row or move our spot to another row. The way grading works also impacted us students, we are taught to strive for high grades. In order to get a good job you need to go to a good college and in order to go to a good college you need good grades. This also may be the reason kids are competitive when it comes to their grades. Overall school as an institution teaches us how to function within its institution and other institution within our society.

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Never judge other religions - Brandon R 

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Never judge other religions - Brandon R 

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We were taught to never judge other religions, embracing the idea that every belief system holds its own value and meaning. This principle was ingrained in us from an early age, fostering an environment of respect and open-mindedness. By learning to approach other religions with curiosity rather than criticism, we developed a broader, more inclusive worldview that recognizes the importance of tolerance and mutual respect in a multicultural society. This foundation has been crucial in shaping our interactions with others and in fostering a sense of global citizenship.

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One Tree Hill is a perfect example of a school institution playing into one's life socially, mentally, physically, etc.

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There are many institutions that one is bound to encounter in their life. Some of them can be school, religion, society, family ,etc. My institution would have to be school. School has been the one constant that has never changed for me and I feel as a social being having to participate in it has made me both objective and subjective. It has allowed me to have an open mind and allow for growth, it taught me the simple how to’s and not to’s of the basic social world. Given that when I meet new people I always wonder what they’ll bring to the party, will they be extroverted? Will they think I’m up to their level? Will they end up teaching me something new? Some constant behaviors among the school institution is being on time, prepared, eager, questioning, etc. Those types of behaviors prepare one for other institutions they might encounter like religion, society, etc. For example one has to be at their place of worship at a certain time and some require donations, participation, volunteering, etc. In the school institution it’s almost the same. We have to be there at a certain time, have to participate in classes, there’s volunteering and donations, etc. Overall most institutions revolve around the same premises which is why there’s so many and teach different things, values, beliefs, behaviors, etc.

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What I learned from being in a Charter School

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What I learned from being in a Charter School

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From kindergarten to 4th grade, I went to public school. From 5th grade - 12th grade, I went to a charter school I was there for 8 years. In charter schools they make their own rules and specific rules they want their students to follow. We had to behave a certain way, do our work a certain way, and have uniform 24/7, if we did anything it would be detention, etc. Academically we were able to retake exams as much as possible, we always had to work in groups no matter what, if you were falling behind you had to stay after school no matter what, etc. So like I was in this school for 8 years I got used to all these things. Whenever I had a bad grade I would do anything to change it and the teachers couldn’t say no because we were shown that’s what we have to do and they also had to let us. This also happened in high school yes it did help our GPA but it did not help us for the future which is college. Now we have to adapt to doing things differently and take those habits away. When we had to do work alone we would be confused about what to do because we would always work in groups and have each other as help. This made me a certain way academically but now that I’m in college I see everything differently and know it’s not the same. But as time goes that will change because I will learn as time goes on.

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From a very young age, I was taught to always respect my elders, no matter if they were someone I had never met before. My parents would remind me to always use two hands when giving an adult something or when taking something from them. Because of this, I developed a habit to always do that whenever I interact with the adults here in America, even though I knew that it wasn’t a custom here; it was basically muscle memory for me. Another example is that it was common practice to bow to my elders as a form of respect and politeness. Whenever I visited my grandparents’ or my uncle’s house, I would always bow to them as a greeting, which was why I found it so surprising when, here in America, people around my age would either hug, shake hands or even kiss their cheeks instead; it was a complete culture shock for me. Again, just like the example prior, I formed a habit of bowing to elders and continued to do said habit here in the U.S., I even managed to catch some of them looking slightly taken aback at my action sometimes. Because of my culture, I had formed a belief that elders should always be respected no matter who they might be, and it didn’t have to be one of my family members; for example, I did the same thing to my teachers back in elementary and middle school. Although it may sound strict and somewhat controlling to some people, this practice in Vietnamese culture has taught me to be well-mannered at a very young age, and it gives me a great value to have, being respectful to everyone. Not only that, but I also think it’s an easy way to educate other young kids to behave well too; if they develop this kind of attitude like I did, then it’s most likely that they’ll be well-behaved in the future and not turn into trouble-makers.

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I come from a different country where the education in public schools are not that good. Thankfully my parents were able send me to a private school until we moved to this country. The private school I went to had a big influence in my life since the education was more prioritized than in other schools. We were taught religion and to believe in God and other values like respecting older people. The school was very strict in many ways for example you couldn't dye your hair or paint your nails or else they wouldn't let you go into class and this applied to everybody it didn't matter what grade you were in. You were also expected to wear your uniform everyday and it had to be clean and neat. We were also expected to behave a certain way in the classroom or recess. Also, in this school I was able to learn basic english and have a little bit of more knowledge than the students from a public school. All of this helped shape my personality and also it made easier to adapt to my surroundings when I moved. Therefore, I do believe our experiences or surroundings have a big influence on how people see life or why they believe certain things.

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One institution that has socialized me into participating is the workplace. Working my Senior Year as a Children’s Educator at the New York Botanical Garden I learned how to collaborate with my coworkers, communicate with children, and maintain a professional appearance. The most important value we needed at our stations was our behavior. In our training sessions we were taught the fundamentals of teaching and how to make the best experience for visitors. We had to learn how to interact with different age groups and the different scenarios we may face when speaking with a kid. Each kid is different, and it was our job to make the teaching experience fun for them. Some children may be too young to understand complex questions, to work around this, we would ask more open-ended questions such as, “What part of the plant do you think helps it grow?” helping guide the child to take interest in distinct aspects such as leaf size. At the beginning it was stressful being thrown out into stations as an intern, I did not want to mess up speaking to a kid making myself look like a fool in front of their parents. To work around this, I would examine my coworkers and how they approached certain situations and how they like to explain the station. Doing so I was able to find a comfortable line where I can help guide children towards the correct answer without giving it away, and keeping their curiosity engaged. My behavior not only impacted my interactions with children, but also my coworkers. Being able to hang out with people who I could call my friends rather than coworkers had a profound impact on my attitude. Every week I would end up looking forward to my weekend just so I would be able to go to work and see my friends. The community that I was surrounded by was one that helped me grow into more thoughtful person both inside and outside of the workplace, looking out others, spreading positivity, and initiating interactions filled with enthusiasm.

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I come from a different country where the education in public schools are not that good. Thankfully my parents were able send me to a private school until we moved to this country. The private school I went to had a big influence in my life since the education was more prioritized than in other schools. We were taught religion and to believe in God and other values like respecting older people. The school was very strict in many ways for example you couldn't dye your hair or paint your nails or else they wouldn't let you go into class and this applied to everybody it didn't matter what grade you were in. You were also expected to wear your uniform everyday and it had to be clean and neat. We were also expected to behave a certain way in the classroom or recess. Also, in this school I was able to learn basic english and have a little bit of more knowledge than the students from a public school. All of this helped shape my personality and also it made easier to adapt to my surroundings when I moved. Therefore, I do believe our experiences or surroundings have a big influence on how people see life or why they believe certain things.

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VALUES THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT IN MY HOUSE HOLD GROWING UP

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VALUES THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT IN MY HOUSE HOLD GROWING UP

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Growing up, the most essential values in my family are respect and showing affection and care for all. honesty being sincere and transparent in both my actions and words. As education provides the basis for both professional and personal growth, it is also very important in my family, where I come from. They believe that education provides access to greater career options and skills in problem-solving. Finally, when it comes to religion, my family is deeply committed to Islam. We think that being a member of the Ummah, or Islamic community, provides a sense of solidarity and kinship.

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When I was younger I attended a catholic school. During this time I learned a lot about not only God but how important discipline is for our growing minds. I do feel now looking back they laid that responsibility on everyone quite harshly. For example, during that time technology wasn’t a predominant thing as it is now, everything was in a big textbook and the texts were extremely long. Let’s say two people were talking during class. It doesn't matter what was discussed, it could've been related to the class it might’ve not been. They were then forced to skip lunch and stay back in class either rewriting the textbook notes or writing an essay about why talking during class is disrespectful. Once I changed schools I realized that wasn’t a usual thing everyone had to do but to me it was normal. This altered my brain chemistry to truly keep myself very grounded and disciplined. In the end all I can do is appreciate the experience and just learn from it so now I try to not drive myself crazy with punishing my mind and to just do my best and move on.

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One institution that I have been socialized to participate in is School. School has been a huge part of my life as I started going to school at the age of 4 and still haven't stopped. There are many values, beliefs, characteristics, behaviors, and attitudes I have learned through this institution. First of all, school has taught me 'ranking' as teachers/staff are to be respected and are considered a higher rank than students. We are supposed to be respectful to a teacher as we are respectful to our parents (at least according to my region and beliefs). We are also taught to raise our hands before speaking, going to the restroom, and leaving the classroom, etc. When we enter a class, we are supposed to sit down quietly and wait for the teacher to either enter or start the class. We are taught to 'line up' in many situations, such as while waiting to enter a classroom or when leaving the classroom during a fire drill. There are some values/skills I've learned from school. They include, teamwork, hard work, communication, critical thinking, time management, and more. These skills have helped me throughout my educational journey and will continue to do so in the future. Therefore, school is an institution that plays an important role in socializing people and it continues to do so as one aims for higher education.

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what I learn coming from a public school

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what I learn coming from a public school

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I have attended public schools and even though they are that good compared to other schools I learn many things especially from high school. My teachers taught me always to behave good when visitors are coming to visit us. They told me things about college that I did not know. They taught me to respect people because to earn respect you have to give respect to people. My teachers most of them were very supportive with students which help me to learn these things easier. Obviously the school had some rules, you have to ask to go to the bathroom and they had certain periods. you can not talk when the teacher is speaking.when there is trips you needed to behave good and be on time. every school has their rules. public schools some times they are not good schools because of the type of people that go there some of them are respectful others don't respect. when you don't come to schools well the school would call your house which happen to me many times and my parents had to force me to go to school except when I am sick. The school starts pretty early around 8:00 literally I had to wake up around 6:30AM because I take public transportation it was hard having to wake up so early but other than that the school was great.

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Jamaya Joseph

During years of being a socializing being I’ve always known that I was always taught something from someone, However there were ones that were stronger than others such as family. Family led me to think of every thought I know now. They taught me what made me feel a certain way for what I should like, even what is not proper: Not accepted within society from how they were raised and expected of them growing up. So in a way family was a big thing when it came to society for me, I wasn’t allowed to do certain things because it wasn’t proper within society like, any thing rebellious; smoking, drinking, vaping, and dating until I was 17.These type of behaviors were never allowed in my family until you got older and made your own decisions. They never did anything strict towards me and my siblings other than these little things that even I feel aren’t allowed as a kid or teen but that shows how much they impact these thoughts into my mindset. I was taught from my family that characteristics are important for everything, So I carry myself a certain way, with respect, communication, and having a strict mindset because that's what I learned from my family. They felt it would help my character survive in the world we live in today, as well as being told to always have positive outlooks and attitudes towards everything in your day to day life, There are many things that my family have taught me and they all impact me in my life decisions and choices that sometimes i’m scared to do things outside of these things I was taught because I don’t know how it will impact me.

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My family are very old-fashioned people; me being a girl in addition to being an older sibling didn't make things easier. The belief that I needed to be a mother to my younger sibilings forced me to take on that role at a young age. I realized that I always needed to respect my family, even if they don't reciprocate it, never to voice my opinions. Just simply follow instructions and learn how to be a good "ideal woman". I wished to grow up more quickly, to be an adult who could move out, and live my life to my standards. My family, however, felt insulted by my mindset and told me that I couldn't succeed without them. Ironically, they have also stated they will leave me as soon as I turn into a "Woman". I discovered that nothing is good enough for them, so I have to hide who I am and everything I stand for.

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The first time I went to school, I was four years old going to pre-k, but now I am eighteen and enrolled in college. I have spent most of my life sitting in a classroom with strangers that soon became some of my closest friends. School has embedded many beliefs and mannerisms in me, making me the person I am today. In school we are taught manners and skills that continue as we get older. School taught me the proper etiquette of walking into class, sitting down, and staying quiet until asked to speak. School taught me to raise my hand whenever I needed to use the bathroom, and whenever I had a question. I wasn’t allowed to leave the classroom without permission, I had to wear my uniform everyday to avoid consequences, and my parents had to sign permission slips for extracurricular activities and come to parent teacher conferences. My teachers walked us to our next class and reminded us when we had assignments. And everyone knew the teachers always had the upper hand. But, everything changed when I realized how different things are in college, and how no one is constantly on your back about what you’re doing.

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Starting at 12 years old I was forced to go to Saturday school and spend my mornings stuck in a first-grade classroom where the tables and chairs were small, listening to a middle-aged woman ramble on about how God is the way and we need to follow him, whilst my classmates got to sleep in. I loathe going there every Saturday because it meant my head was going to be filled with things I did not want to listen to all because a mistake was made and I wasn’t able to be Baptized when I was a baby, so it had to be done when I was 12. This went on for the next 3 years and each year I became more agitated by the fact that I was being told that this man called God is the reason we exist, we have everything, and things happen. It made me confused. Because why would a God, who is supposed to be doing miracles and have people be happy, be reason slavery and the Holocaust happen? Why does he allow people to get raped? Why are countries having wars and killing and taking children from their families being allowed to happen? This confusion soon turned into ire, anger, because a such “God” was allowing this.

Evidently enough, since I knew I wasn’t leaving anytime soon I would do things during the classes that would make them a little more bearable. Sometimes I would bring a book, a coloring book, or my homework to do while the teachers were preaching to distract me from the ongoing war I had with the unknowing teacher. This would visibly upset the teachers and often get me in trouble and get a call home because they did not like the “behavior I was displaying in front of God”. My mom would get mad and wonder why I was doing such things, but how could I tell her it was because I simply couldn’t fathom how someone who gets worshipped by millions of people would be so evil. Does that make the people who worship God evil? Does that make my mom?

In my last year it was my first year of my confirmation people I needed to go back the year after to finish it. All the classrooms were full on Saturdays and because of that, right after school on Fridays, when all I wanted to do was sleep, I had to take myself the one black over to the church and sit in the gym/auditorium, because the classes were being cleaned, and listen to this woman babble away. It was even worse when they made the rule of taking away our phones during the classes to make sure we were paying attention. I wanted to cry. I can also proudly say that my views from God have not changed since then and the only thing I learned from the class was reciting the seven heavenly virtues. Not to be confused with the 7 deadly sins which I learned out of spite.

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During my youth school has taught me many things. Mathematics, reading, writing, and more essential elements. Outside of that, school drilled ideas and mannerisms into my head that younger me simply learned to adapt to such as a level of obedience to a system. Expected to listen to orders shouted at us. Expected to listen to the call of our higher ups with no questions asked. A lack of freewill constrained between walls fading of color. Preparing us for future of just exactly that. Sitting at a desk for hours on end as a wake up and repeat schedule we get accustomed to. A formula that for most follows us the rest of our lives. Another big thing that school teaches us is how to interact and mix with others which is an incredibly useful skill.  Communicating a certain way, or doing work and attacking problems in a certain way. Once again that formula appears leaving little room for out of the box thinking and more room for following a system fed to us. It leaves many reliant on these types of learning and problem solving which make true problem solving abilities more rare as time passes. During highschool however I was taught how to break free of this way of thinking and push towards improvement as a person with an open mind. Highschool taught me lessons that truly gave me new perspective on life, education, communication that better prepared me for the real world. Each year seeing growth within myself and unlocking a part of me that was suppressed by earlier teaching from years before. A sense of freedom and freewill returning to me. Learning how to adapt to the new world around me to be more prepared for adult life, and socializing outside of education.

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As a social being, I grown up to socialize and be one with the community of my school. I attended Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School (WHEELS) from 6th grade to 12th grade. It was such a long journey but I have adapted quick and blended in with the community. Since every student passed together, we all grew up together in a sense which made us have similar characteristics, behaviors, attitudes, and values. WHEELS was always about becoming a community. They would host events such the "Olympics" which is super crews competing with each other. Crews were groups of students from different classes lead by one teacher. It was to encourage socialization and guidance for each student. Super crew is when the crews would team up. When I was younger, my crew teamed up with older kids and it was such a different experience. I was influenced by their maturity which made me grow up and be who I am right now. I valued the ubiquitous dedication of being friends with everyone even with teachers since you never know if they can help you out in the future. That's why the community in WHEELS is taken serious. The aiming to make everyone get along was very concrete and settled. Even though I had my ups and downs with people, I always found it important to be kind to everyone. Anyone can help you in anything in life

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While attending high school, there was a set of rules that every student including me must follow such as respecting yourself, the teachers and your classmates, no skipping class, no using phones during the day until dismissal and if you need to use the bathroom or go take a lap you have to ask the teacher to let you go but before leaving the classroom, you need to take a bathroom or hall pass with you to make sure that you really are going to the bathroom or going for a walk. If a student or students was caught skipping class, they are either automatically are sent back to the class or getting into trouble resulting in calling home. Going back to the phones, usually in the morning the staff made us put our phones into yellow envelopes with our names labeled on it and after that they locked it in a closet before the school day ends to minimize any distractions. When we entered the property, we always have to go through the metal detectors and remove any sharp objects even though I never bring weapons to school I still had to walk through the metal detectors on a daily basis. I never saw teachers and staff members going through these metal detectors possibly because all of them followed guidelines of not bringing sharp objects to school, but some students are against that idea and they still can get into trouble. Despite the strict rules, I viewed my high school as a great support system and a responsible community where they really wanted their students to be welcomed into a safe environment without anything holding them down and putting their efforts in teaching these students to get them prepared for college, university, workforce, etc whatever they chose to do after graduation.

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Being in school from kindergarten to 12 grade and now to college. Increased my experiences in behavior towards others. Schools have highly expressed to not bully others. I have gained the most expressing in socializing through school. Interactions and treating other with kindness and respect are taught in school. Going to college now opens the doors to socializing with future connections and adults. Our values are being taught to us, everyday we attend to school because of these experiences. Also with the teachers/ professors who teach us about our social skills.

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Being Catholic was very strict from my family having to follow the faith, going to church on Sundays, going to school on Saturdays to complete my communion, having to read to bible and know scriptures by memory. I hated it cause it was more pressure, more interactions and more socializing and at the time I struggled to speak out and to interact with the classes. Overtime, being in there I had to force myself to remember all the commandments, and the prayers said in mass which was a headache to remember. Then having to wake ups to go to church at 9am and waiting for 3-4 hours to end. Growing up overtime and being way from the faith I just started to question myself on why do I do this, why do I pray to god or whoever listens to me, having to listen to the Father or the teachers filling us with all these stories. I just started to hate it.

Now, that I'm 18 I have to go back cause I made excuses and life always made me just want to be away from it but my parents are now forcing to finish and complete my confirmation. The difference being I have to go on Friday nights and listen to instructions and going to mass, and getting that signature by the pastor to show proof I was at church. In my mind, I'm saying I did it once; I can do it again by just passing by and do what I gotta do. STUDY STUDY STUDY but it's not that easy with now me being in college and just wanting to be my own person. Now I feel being that kid being entrapped by rules and religion.

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I was in the same charter school from 6th to 12th grade, always introverted and much to myself. Apart from this, I was embarrassed to ask for help. I would struggle with certain materials and try fixing them myself instead of asking for help. This brought immense pressure on me because I was in a school that valued our grades above all else. It was extremely competitive, and I was always on the honor roll, I didn't want to miss out on it that quarter. I became extremely frustrated, and it showed in my attitude throughout the school day, A teacher I was close with pulled me aside and told me I would never function correctly in life if I couldn't ask correctly when I needed help. This changed my perspective on help and why pride in education isn't a good thing. In college, nobody cares about how you're feeling; everyone is just there to get their degree, and we don't get to know the faculty that well. We as students have to put ourselves in the place to talk to our professors, our counselors, and our tutors. To get the tutoring we need, we must be able to speak about the struggles we have in class. That conversation taught me it's okay to need guidance sometimes.

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Through out my life, my parents (my mom mostly) would always tell me about how dangerous the outside world can be, but of course she knew that she couldn't always be there to help me through the city, so I learned by watching how she delt with certain things like crossing traffic or interacting with people when we would go out to get a few things. At a young age, I was told that in case I ran into weird people, I should either ignore them or walk away and to be vigilant of my surroundings. To this day, I still implement some of that advice whenever I go out to buy something or when I'm at the train station. Regardless, I am always carful wherever I go, and I'm sure other people have done the same to survive living in the city.