Gender Equality in Education

Gender in the Classroom

Achievement

(Gur et al., 1999)

Classroom Behaviour & Treatment

• Males and Females score differently on academic achievement tests.
• Males tend to score higher on achievement measures in math & science
• Females usually receive higher grades in math & science
• Females (gr 7-12) scored higher on stdd tests and higher grades in SSE than Co-Ed
• Males (gr K-5) showed improvement in grades & test scores in SSE than Co-Ed
• 2x the %age of males were more proficient in English/Lang. Arts and Math than males in Co-ed

(NASSPE, 2005)

• Both males & females had higher math scores in SSE

(Pipher, 1994)

• Females received 1/3 the amount of teacher attention that males received
• Males are called on more by teachers, tend to prompt, encourage, & clarify thinking more
• Males have a higher risk-taking threshold
• Females tend to lose self confidence, beginning in middle school
• Males over-estimate abilities, females under-estimate
• Males often do not make eye contact in Lang. Arts discussions
• Males prefer debates, mock trials, games, & simulations
• Males prefer non-fiction, humour, graphic or action-oriented books,

(Sax, 2005)

The Female Brain

• prefer small group discussion on what was read

• More P ganglion cells - more sensitive to color variety and fine sensory activity
• Use words, colours and othe fine sensory info when they write.
• Less impulsive because front lobe develops sooner and is more active (decision making)
• Better cross communication between brain hemispheres - multi-task
• More successful at verbal and memory tasks
• Use language to solve problems - name-calling, rumours, innuendos, threats

(King & Gurian, 1999)

(Gur et al., 1999)

Historical Perspective of Gender

Teaching Strategies

(Sousa, 2001)

• Brains love variety - Change up activities, Movement helps students retain learned material
• Reading - Let students choose - interest in material increases drive to read
• Groupwork - rotate tasks/roles. Allow females to have leadership roles, and males to be scribes. Develops communication and negotiating skills. If well structured, avoids misbehaviour
• Equally call on both genders - popsicle sticks
• Equality of access, equality of opportunity, and equality of outcome

• Colonial Period - education of young boys and girls in dame schools (women who had time)
• Girls were taught domestic skills and reading
• Boys were taught how to write and prepared for formal education
• Progress led to female education in seminaries (those financially able)
• Dr. Edward Clarke - Education would cause mental challenges, health risks, and sterility,
• Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972 - no sex discrimination in education under federal financial assistance

The Male Brain

Banks & Banks (2013)

• Physiologically - more M ganglion cells -> greater detection of movement
• Rely on pictures and moving objects when they write.
• Single-task oriented, require more time to transition from one task to the next
• Able to focus when provided sequential steps to follow
• More successful at spatial tasks
• Developmentally 2 years behind in reading and writing in first few days of school.

Education and Gender Equality - USAID 2008, CIDA 2010

(King & Gurian, 1999)

(Gur et al, 1999)

http://www.ungei.org/resources/files/Education_from_a_Gender_Equality_Perspective.pdf

(Streitmatter, 1997)

http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2010/acdi-cida/CD4-62-2010-eng.pdf

• Less patient - aggressive

Equality & Equity

Equality/Parity is providing the same education to all students - equal enrolment in classes, admission, retention, and graduation.

References

Equity is providing the same educational opportunities to all students - curtailing to different learning styles

Gur, R. C., Turetsky, B. I., Matsui, M., Yan, M., Bilker, W., Hughett, P. et al. (1999). Sex Differences in Brain Gray and White Matter in Healthy Young Adults: Correlations with Cognitive Performance. The Journal of Neuroscience, 19 (10), 4065–4072.

King, K., Gurian, M. (1999). The Brain – His and Hers. Educational Leadership, 64, 59.

Kommer, D. (2006). Considerations for gender-friendly classrooms. Middle School Journal. 38(2) 43-49.

McFarland, M., Benson, A.M., & McFarland, B. (2011). Comparing achievement scores of students in gender specific classrooms with students in traditional classrooms. International Journal of Psychology: A Biopsychosocial Approach. 8, 99-114.

Pipher, M. (1994). Reviving Ophelia: Saving the selves of adolescent girls. New York: Ballantin.

Sax, L. (2005). Why gender matters: What parents and teachers need to know about the emerging science of sex differences. New York: Doubleday.

Sousa, D. A. (2001). How the brain learns (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: The Corwin Press.

Spender, D. (1982). Invisible Women: The Schooling Scandal. London: Writers and Readers Publishing Cooperative.

Streitmatter, J. (1997). An Exploratory Study of Risk-Taking and Attitudes in a Girls-Only Middle School Math Class. The Elementary School Journal, 98 (1), 15–26.

Form more gender-equitable norms among adolescents

Both male & female perspectives in history, science, literature, & math.