Don’t Give Up on Aspirations & Inspiration
- Brainz Magazine
- Jul 22
- 6 min read
Written by Dr. Adam McCartney, Psychologist
Adam is a psychological strategist and writer who equips leaders with insights that elevate performance, culture, and impact. His work bridges evidence-based thinking with practical application, helping organisations create environments where people and outcomes align.
“Why is it easier to imagine a child from Eton running the country than one from your local comprehensive?” Every modern government will, in some capacity, talk about the importance of addressing social mobility. The very notion underpins American society, “The American Dream,” where the pursuit of happiness through economic speculation and action is constitutionally guaranteed. The hidden message is clear: wealth is a key factor in happiness. Wealth reflects the resources one has or can access. Having these resources brings joy and therefore, a better life.
By this logic, the higher up the social ladder one is, the more joyous and thus more virtuous they must be. Being “good” is often equated with being happy. Any democratic government must appear to promote happiness within its population. This is why the question of social mobility arises again and again.
Dr. Faiza Shaheen, in her book Know Your Place, discusses how institutional actions and access maintain the social status quo. She addresses the parental and economic backgrounds of the ruling elite, noting that their paths through Oxford and Eton resemble a blueprint laid out from birth. Meanwhile, the public debate focuses on whether grammar schools should exist rather than addressing the privileged access enabled by institutions such as Eton. The notion that parents “pay for these” schools often serves as justification for their existence, ignoring the reality that teacher resources are drawn away from the state sector as a result. Smaller class sizes in private schools now stand in stark contrast to some state primary classrooms facing single-form entries of 40 children with one adult.
These systemic issues must be addressed, but they lie largely beyond the scope or reach of a single teacher or school. However, awareness of their impact on the mentality of our children is essential. Developing aspirations and resilience in children who see little to no representation at professional, political, or financial levels presents clear challenges. The first is the difficulty of imagining oneself in those realms.
The academic, behavioural, and curriculum pressures placed on teachers also leave little room to foster such imagination, let alone embed the resilience needed to pursue roles for which no clear roadmap exists. Dr Shaheen reminds us that the social and economic agility of Britain’s most privileged class minimises opportunities for people from lower socio-economic backgrounds and further reinforces the status quo. As the salary gap between CEOs and employees continues to widen, so too does the educational opportunity gap at elite institutions. Over a third of Oxford places are offered to private school students, who make up just 7% of the national school population. Estimates suggest one is 25% more likely to gain a place at Oxford if they attend a private school compared to a state-funded school.
Although this may seem bleak when discussing aspirations, it is important knowledge. Children attending state-funded schools can gradually disrupt the social order by seeking representation, for instance, by applying to institutions like Oxford regardless of perceived ability. The role of educators is to build resilience in the face of such challenges. We must collectively reject the false narrative that if one person can succeed through hard work, everyone can. This is unrealistic. Historical evidence suggests that access to resources and privilege is the more reliable route to positions of influence and status.
Children from less privileged backgrounds may develop a fixed mindset. Without visible role models in aspirational roles, they struggle to imagine themselves there. This is where enquiry-based learning becomes crucial. A student asked to find out what a hedge fund manager does is no longer reliant on access to a select few individuals. With thoughtful planning, questioning, and the use of AI, insights into such roles can now be explored. Enquiry-based learning allows students to deconstruct the skills required for such positions and to begin seeing links between those and their own skillsets. They start to imagine a possible future. They disobey fate.
With mass social mobility comes a shift in cultural values. In the age of populism, the teacher plays a vital role in shaping critical thinking. We have seen what enquiry-based learning can do. Now, we must explore reflective learning, the journey of finding out who we are.
The ancient Greeks had paideia, an education system designed to promote arete (virtue or excellence). In Athens, the birthplace of democracy, long hours were spent contemplating how citizens should be cultivated to serve the polis. Socrates was sentenced to death, accused of corrupting the youth, arguably because the Athenians feared another tyrant might rise. They understood that education underpins the stability of democracy.
Western societies do value education, but arguably as an economic tool rather than a moral or societal one. Recognising one’s own potential to become a hedge fund manager is one aspirational barrier. Recognising that role’s moral and social implications within a community is another. Reflective learning is vital in promoting arete. Exploring identity creates a framework for understanding one’s place in society. From this, students can examine what matters to them versus what matters to society and where their actions might serve others, themselves, or both.
Recently, I introduced an identity exploration lesson in a school with a high proportion of children who speak English as an additional language. The Year 4 class produced insightful responses. Children spoke proudly about their cultures in front of their peers. They shared new concepts and explained their significance. They also reflected on vulnerabilities, questioning whether peer conflict was racially motivated or simply interpersonal, and the confusion this brings. Some children formed new friendships upon discovering shared cultural identities. One child expressed happiness and eagerness in sharing their experience of foster care, saying they were excited to be seen.
This celebration of identity helped the teacher see that, by reflecting on children’s journeys and values, their sense of worth is brought to the forefront. When this is met with acceptance and curiosity, children become less anxious and more resilient. Resilient children are more likely to apply to Oxford. Resilient children are more likely to be aspirational. Resilient children are more likely to be happy. When children are supported to reflect on their identity, they begin to build a stronger sense of self-worth and belonging. This self-knowledge becomes the foundation for resilience, the kind that is necessary to imagine oneself in elite institutions, and to pursue those aspirations despite the absence of role models or obvious roadmaps.
As Etienne Wenger (1999) explains in his theory of Communities of Practice, identity is not formed in isolation but emerges through participation, dialogue, and shared meaning within a social group. When individuals engage in joint activities and reflective conversations, they begin to negotiate a shared identity, a sense of “who we are”, and from this collective understanding, each person also explores “who I am.” This dual process of social and individual identity formation is deeply embedded in both enquiry-based and reflective learning. In enquiry-based learning, pupils collaborate, ask questions, and make meaning together, creating a shared sense of purpose. In reflective learning, they consider how their own stories, values, and backgrounds shape how they think and feel. Both approaches offer children, especially those from marginalised groups, a space to belong while also discovering the uniqueness of their own voice within that community.
Introducing enquiry-based and reflective learning into the curriculum can have a profound and lasting impact on the aspirations of all children, regardless of background. A knowledge-based curriculum serves as an economic framework. An identity-based curriculum serves society.
Read more from Dr. Adam McCartney
Dr. Adam McCartney, Psychologist
Adam is a psychological strategist and writer with a focus on leadership, organisational culture, and systemic impact. He translates complex psychological theory into clear, actionable insights that support better decision-making at every level. His work is grounded in evidence, but always directed towards practical, real-world outcomes.
He is particularly interested in the intersection of human behaviour and organisational systems, and how thoughtful leadership can unlock both wellbeing and performance. Through his writing and advisory work, he supports professionals to lead with clarity, empathy, and impact.
