Chapter 4

2. Chapter 4 Group Differences

3. Group Differences • Consistently observed differences (averages) among diverse groups of students • ethnicity or cultural background • gender • socioeconomic status • Considerable variability within groups • Considerable overlap between groups

4. Cultural and Ethnic Differences

5. Culture and Ethnicity • Culture • behaviors and belief systems of a social group • Ethnic group • individuals who have common historical roots, values, beliefs, and behaviors • members share a sense of interdependence

6. Navigating Different Cultures • Cultural mismatch • different cultural norms at home and school

7. Language and dialect When to talk, when to be quiet Verbal assertiveness Emotional expressiveness Eye contact Personal space Responding to questions Waiting vs. interrupting Private vs. public performance Views about teasing Cooperation vs. competition Family relationships & expectations Conceptions of time Worldviews Examples of Diversity

8. Culturally Inclusive Classrooms • Identify your cultural lens and biases. • Learn about students’ backgrounds. • Be sensitive to “culture shock” of recent immigrants. • Incorporate perspectives & traditions of many cultures into the curriculum. • Adapt instructional strategies to students’ preferred ways of learning & behaving. • Work to break down stereotypes of particular ethnic groups. • Bring cultural diversity to culturally homogeneous classrooms. • Foster democratic ideals, & empower students to bring about meaningful change.

9. Gender Differences

10. Physical Activity & Motor Skills • Girls • less well developed overall • better fine motor skills before puberty • Boys • predisposed to be more active • biological advantage in height and strength

11. Cognitive & Academic Abilities • Differences are small; gap is decreasing • Similar on tests of general intelligence • Girls • better at some verbal tasks • reading, writing, vocabulary • higher grades in school • Boys • better at visual-spatial tasks & mathematical problem solving • spend more leisure time with technology • greater variability overall

12. Motivation in Academic Activities • Girls • more engaged • more motivated to do well in school & go to college • Boys • more willing to take academic challenges and risks • less concerned about failure

13. Sense of Self • Self-worth similar until puberty • consistent with stereotypes • boys overestimate abilities; girls underestimate

14. Interpersonal Behaviors • Girls • more likely to engage in relational aggression • more intimate friendships • more cooperative, affiliative • closer attention to emotions, nonverbal cues • Boys • more physically aggressive • larger playgroups • more competitive

15. Classroom Behavior • Boys • more likely to misbehave • more participatory • Girls • less likely to volunteer answers • more likely to lead in same-sex groups than in mixed groups

16. Career Aspirations • Boys historically more ambitious • but girls today are also ambitious • Both boys & girls tend toward stereotypical goals

17. Biology hormones brain differences Parenting expectations & encouragement toys & other resources Peers prefer stereotypical behavior Popular media stereotypical models Self-socialization gender schema theory—children construct their own beliefs Origins of Gender Differences

18. Socioeconomic Differences

19. Socioeconomic Differences • Socioeconomic status (SES) • general social & economic standing in society • family SES includes income, parents’ occupations, parents’ education levels • Academic achievement is correlated with SES • lower SES students are at greater risk for dropping out of school

20. Challenges of Poverty • Poor nutrition & health • Inadequate housing & frequent moves • Exposure to toxins • Unhealthy social environments • Emotional stress • Gaps in knowledge • Lower quality schools

21. Fostering Resilience • Be a dependable source of academic and emotional support. • Build on students’ strengths. • Identify and provide missing resources and experiences important for successful learning.

22. Students at Risk

23. Defining “At-Risk” • At-risk student: High probability of failing to acquire minimal academic skills necessary for success.

24. History of academic failure Emotional and behavioral problems Lack of psychological attachment to school Increasing disinvolvement with school Characteristics of Students At Risk

25. Why Students Drop Out • Little family or peer encouragement • Extenuating life circumstances • Dissatisfaction with school • Pessimism about ability • Lack of teacher support

26. Supporting Students at Risk • Identify at-risk students as early as possible • Create a warm, supportive atmosphere • Make long-term, systematic efforts to engage students in the academic curriculum • Encourage and facilitate identification with school

27. The Big Picture

28. The Big Picture • All people’s cultural backgrounds influence their interpretations of events. • All students have strengths and talents on which they can build. • All students have considerable potential to develop new skills and abilities. • Variability exists within any group. • Overlap exists between any two groups.