ABSTRACT
Reality is socially constructed. According to Berger and Luckmann (1966), "the man in the streets inhabits a world that is "real" to him, although in different degrees of confidence, which this world possesses such and such characteristics. Children's reality is also socially constructed and this construction is influenced by the same factors that forge the common sense world of their adult counterparts. However, authority figures, social economic status, others' perceptions, the setting, and many significant factors are also critical in the construction of this reality. The students attend a school that is 99.6% African-American, and 84.8% of the school population is classified as low-income. A qualitative study conducted by the Consortium on Chicago School Research (1996) sought to provide a chance for Chicago students to articulate how they perceive the relationship between their school experiences and their lives. The students discuss their school experience and its impact on the construction of their meaning of schooling.
