REFLECTION PAPER

Submitted by:

Danna Lou I. Ramos

Submitted to:

Prof. Florence H. Guerra

Often times, when we hear the word sociology this particularly refers to the kind of society
an individual is in and somehow it is a part from the whole context of sociology. According to
Andrew & Taylor (2004), sociology is the study of human behavior in the society. Moreover,
Barnard, Burgees & Kirby (2004) also state that this systematic study of human society is
dedicated to the understanding of social interaction as people form groups, communities and
societies. Taking into a deeper sense on these definitions, I have reflected that it is really
important for us to know what is the kind of society that we belong to and how are we going to
fit in that kind of society. Putting it in the educational category, the role of society is very
important to our students probably because a part of our students’ characteristics are shaped by
the kind of society that they are in. Therefore, as teachers, we need to know more our students
especially where are they situated or where they came from so that we can understand their
behaviors inside the classroom and we can find better ways on how to deal with them.

I can sense that sociology is very important since it obtains factual information about our
society and the different aspects of our social life. It enables us to see the connection between our
own personal experiences and the social forces. With this, I would say that a person is shaped
both by nature and nurture.

For me, it serves as a big help for us teachers also since sociology helps improve the way of
our thinking about the attitude of the different people in a society especially our students and the
other stake holders of the school. Truly, sociology helps us as teachers to be aware of certain
outcomes of a group’s behavior and to understand that attitudes, values and beliefs of those
around them also affect teaching-learning process.

Moreover, I would say that sociology is very important for us teachers as it introduces us to a
collection of techniques that are required in classroom teaching. Such techniques may include
understanding and applying interaction in the classroom, the disposition of norms to the students
by the teachers, understanding teacher-student relationship and communication, provision of
career guidance and finally, understanding social roles of teachers and students.
 Many sociological perspectives were also explained to us since these perspectives also help
us to understand how a person may interact to a certain community depending on their own
views. Thus, as teachers, we also have to study the different sociological perspectives so that we
will know where to anchor our views towards the different attitudes and behaviors of our
students.
 II. STUDY OF CULTURE AND SOCIETY

Questions were arising from everywhere about the role of culture in the society and how this
society is affected by culture. Many would ask if these two influence one another and how these
two help the individual person. Well, for me, culture plays a very big part in shaping a person’s
personality. The kind of culture a person may have defines the kind of person s/he is and the kind
of community s/he is in.

Culture helps the individual person fulfill his/her potential as a human being. The
development of culture helps a man overcome his/her physical disadvantages and allows
himself/herself to provide food and shelter and everything s/he needs. Furthermore, culture
provides our rules of proper conduct for living in a society. With this, I have reflected that each
of our learners bears different culture that contributes to the kind of person they are. Teachers
should not be biased and should not generalize all as the same. Every individual possesses
different personality depending on the kind of culture s/he is used to. As teachers, we need to
know and study what culture do our students have and why they act such. Definitely, we should
take into consideration the different aspects of an individual person in connection to his/her
culture.

In addition to, we need to understand that culture is not innate rather it is shared so as
teachers, we should always keep in our minds and in our hearts that our students behave
differently from each other and have different preferences in different areas because they are
shaped with different cultures from different people, geographical conditions, communities and
beliefs that they have.

In an educational aspect, culture plays a big role as this will also be considered by the school
in developing their mission for the students. Culture and society work together to make a person
define his/her standards of living and these two influenced an individual to strive more for
human survival. The norms, values and sanctions that make up a culture also contribute to the
kind of personality and behavior a person should try to consider and show for it is through
culture that a person have his/her sense of being a thinking individual.

In the end, I have reflected that through culture, people in the community will be able to
interact successfully and social relationships are established. If one cannot adapt or understand
the culture of another person then probably there is less social relationship because in human
nature, someone will have to find a community suited to his/her preferences and the kind of
culture s/he was used to have.
 III. SOCIALIZATION AND PERSONALITY

According to Panopio (1996), socialization refers to that lifelong process of learning and
relearning as people move from different stages of growth and development or from one social
group to another. Based from this definition, I have reflected that socialization is important in
order to learn how to interact accordingly with one another. In connection with this, I always
believe on the adage “No man is an island” and truly, socialization proves this. Through
socialization we are able to develop our personality. This means that personality is the product of
socialization. Therefore, there is really a need for a person to socialize. Putting it into the
educational context, as a teacher, we must design differentiated tasks in a group activity so that
every student has the chance to socialize others and share his/her own ideas. Furthermore,
through group activity, students will be able to discover more about his/her classmates and
develop more his/her confidence in expressing himself/herself to others.

Another definition of socialization from Boom and Selznick (1977) states that socialization is
the process of fitting into an organized way of life and established cultural tradition; Moreover,
it is the learning process where the individual acquires a status, plays a corresponding role and
emerges with a personality. Therefore, as a teacher, I need to understand that students have to
learn the process of socialization for there are some who prefer to be alone on the corner of the
classroom and it is now the role of the teacher to think of an appropriate activity, strategies and
techniques in order to boost in the students the confidence to socialize with others. More so, it is
through group activities that students learned to establish and play a corresponding role where
they can develop the deeper sense of their personality. Thus, with the personality established and
the understanding of the interrelationships of personality and environment, these can lead to a
better understanding of human behavior.

Personality is the by-product of the socialization process and is largely determined by the
interplay of heredity and environment. Therefore, nature and nurture both plays the role in
personality development. We just have to bear in mind that in an educational context, what is
more important is not just the learning of the content from cover to cover but the development of
the total person with values in them and the appropriate behavior they should possess.
 IV. SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS

On the previous topics, we talk about shaping one’s behavior and personality and the role of
society in shaping these aspects of an individual person. However, these things will not be
realized without also the influence of the different social institutions that serve as factors in
developing one’s behavior and the interaction among human beings in the society.

Social institutions are social structures and social mechanisms of social order and
cooperation that govern the behavior of its members. This means that social institutions play a
big part in the development of individual’s behavior. Family is one of these social institutions
that help a person form his behavior. According to Vega (2004), family is the basic agent of
socialization since it is where the individual develops values, behavior, and ways of life through
interaction with members of the family. Furthermore, it is the smallest social institution with the
unique function. So, as teachers we need to bear in our minds that our students came from
diverse family background resulting to different characteristics and ways of living and beliefs.
They have different family upbringing .Therefore, it is in utmost importance that we need know
them deeper so we can understand why they behave such and we can inject appropriate
techniques in order to handle them properly at school and to help them survive from the demands
of the society.

As I have reflected, social institutions really play an important role in the society because
through these, people assume different roles in the society leading them into more responsible
individual which has the sense of self-concept as well.

Another social institution that plays great role in our lives is the education---the school
because through teaching, training or research, people forms knowledge, skills and habits that are
transferred from one generation to the next. School has an identifiable structure and a set of
functions meant to preserve and extend social order. For me, the school is the place for the
contemplation of reality and our task as a teacher, in simplest term, is to show this reality to our
students who are naturally eager about the world. Through education also, people will learn to
value their worth and functions in the society. Also, through education, an individual becomes
agent of change and gap will not have place in the society since, everyone are well educated and
knows what roles to assume.

Religion is also one of the social institutions that serve as a means of social control and this is
also one of the major contributors upon personality development (Calderon, 1998). With the help
of religion, things that are beyond the comprehension of man were explained accordingly.

In the end, I would say that these different social institutions have different roles to assume
and all of these contribute to a better development of an individual person in terms of behavior
and personality.
 V. TRANSFORMATION OF SOCIETY

The only constant thing in this world is CHANGE. Thus, this is true to all including society.
As time goes by, the society slowly changes and transforms up to what it is at present. Like any
other things, society evolves and changes depending on the needs, wants, and necessities of the
people within it. Also, society transforms depending on the norms and the standards of living of
the people interacting in a community. Hence, we need to understand why social change occurs.

As I try to look deeper on the sense of this social change, I have reflected and I have
understood that the different theories explain why a particular phenomenon in the societal
development happens. Say for example, in the evolutionary theory, this explains that society
passed through a series of pattern from less to more complex and recently, I have found out that
there is a greater change and modification of the society today compared on the previous years.
Long time ago, people were just satisfied without technology. Works in the fields were done
personally by farmers and carabaos whereas today, different farming machineries are developed
for an easier field work.

I have also understood that there is the rise or emergence of different organizations in the
society because conflicting interest also arise and society changes because it needs to address the
needs of the people within it. This is the Conflict Theory.

Reflecting on the constant change in the society and unending demands on it, I could say that
humans are really insatiable. Furthermore, we as teachers must mold our students well to become
agents of change for the betterment of our society.

One of the greatest changes that influence the world and the society today is the age of
computer. Computers have had a number of positive effects on the society especially in
improving communication. However, this should be used properly for when abuse, this
dehumanize the society and may replace the workforce. In the end, the proper use of technology
must be put in our minds for a better social interaction. As teachers, let us design appropriate
activities that will help the future generation be a productive and responsible individual in the
society.
 VI. COLLECTIVE BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL MOVEMENTS

As I try to look deeper on the sense of this course, I have reflected that human beings as we
are, we are influenced more by what we can see and hear around the environment and the
community we are in. The way we think, talk and act are all products of the collective behaviors
that a particular society carries on towards us. Thus, these collective behaviors are often
associated with effort to achieve social change. The bottom-line here is still social change.

As educators, it is our primary role to convey to our students that learning doesn’t just sprout
from what was taught inside the class but rather through the influence of the people that
surrounds us, the culture they carry on and the beliefs that may be different from ours. In an
educational institution, we should teach our students to convey their ideas in a proper manner so
we can avoid chaos like rallies and activists movements. I mean, let us teach our students to
practice and use their rights in a manner that will not destroy the entire community.

In the end, let us just become a responsible individual that may contribute for a better and
progressive community and in a bigger scope, a better and progressive country. After all, if
people will just be responsible enough in their actions towards the society, then probably, the
country will attain its dream of being progressive and commendable to the public. Behaviors of
every human being are all products of the bigger world from the culture they were used to have,
the social institutions that influence them down to the kind of groups and organizations they
attend to. Finally, as teachers, let us not lost sight in giving our students what they deserve to
have in order to become successful individual in the future.
DANNA LOU I. RAMOS MED-LT 1