Ritual in education

Abstract

Ritual in animals generally refers to a rigid pattern of motor acts which function as signals controlling behaviour between animals in specific situations. Ritual in humans generally refers to a relatively rigid pattern of acts specific to a situation which construct a framework of meaning over and beyond the specific situational meanings. Here, the symbolic function of ritual is to relate the individual through ritualistic acts to a social order, to heighten respect for that order, to revivify that order within the individual and, in particular, to deepen acceptance of the procedures used to maintain continuity, order and boundary and which control ambivalence towards the social order. Ritual will be considered as an expression in action as distinct from thought of man’s active attitudes towards these non-empirical aspects of their reality, which are expressive of ultimate values. First, we shall examine these notions as they relate to a school as a social form and, secondly, we shall examine the effect of changes in the function of the school on ritualizing processes.