“A major finding of that study was the high degree to which the nature of adolescents’ school careers correlated with their class status: Affluent students were making good grades and were on or above grade level and in advanced-track classes, whereas 35 percent of low-income participants were identified as learning disabled emotionally handicapped, or mildly retarded and were receiving special education services. Also 37 percent had been retained one or two years, and few of those on grade level claimed to be making decent grades.” (Brantlinger, 2008, p. 154)

I never thought that social class could have such great influence on students’ school achievement in U.S. I would like to share something about influence of socioeconomic status on school careers in China. Though I do not refer to research findings, from what I have experienced in my school life and what I have observed as a one-on-one tutor of high school students in China, many students from poor economic condition work harder in school than students from rich families. I think one of the reasons is that in China the class divisions are not so overwhelming in school. What I mean is that school personnel, parents and students do not base their expectations of school achievement on socioeconomic status of students. In other words, students from low-income families, as well as their parents and teachers, do not believe those students cannot do well in school. Furthermore, students from working class hope they can make a difference to change the families’ economic condition by studying hard and entering a name-brand college. (Colleges in China are not so unaffordable as colleges in U.S. The average tuition fee, including housing, is 1,000 dollars per year. ) Thus, students from low-income families have stronger aspirations and more clear goals, while some students from rich families rely on their parents, believing that whether they work hard or not in school, their parents can help them find a good job in the future. Unfortunately, not only those students think like this, society also believes so in an implicit way.

Thus, though social class influences student identities in a different way in China, expectations from people around students contribute to student identities in the same way as in U.S. and China. What educators can do is to have an open mind, really care students from different social background, and help them. Otherwise, it will be disaster for students when they feel that teachers believe they cannot make it.