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Gender Equitable Environment. Equal chance at: Learning (regardless of subject Preparing for future (education, jobs, careers) High expectations Developing, achieving, and learning Equitable treatment & outcomes in school and beyond. Girls. Ahead or equal to boys early in school
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Equal chance at: • Learning (regardless of subject • Preparing for future (education, jobs, careers) • High expectations • Developing, achieving, and learning • Equitable treatment & outcomes in school and beyond
Girls • Ahead or equal to boys early in school • By graduation, lower (achievement & psychological well-being) • Less active instruction • Higher sexual harassment • Declining self-esteem • Programmed for specific occupations
Boys • Labeled as problems, more likely to: • Fail a course • Miss promotion to next grade • Drop out of school • Misbehavior results in harsher penalties • Prone to risk-taking, jeopardize lives and futures due accident, suicide, and homicide.
Gender-Responsive Middle Schools • Take active stance against sexist and discriminatory practices • Take deliberate professional action to provide gender-equitable middle schools • Find additional sources of information
Middle School Educators should… • Recognize gender differences among learners and realize how these differences affect learning, development, socialization, and perspectives toward motivation & competition.
Middle School Educators should… • Understand research on gender, especially on topics such as how gender affects young adolescents’ socialization, self-esteem, academic achievement, school participation, sex role attitudes and behaviors, health concerns, and moral development.
Middle School Educators should… • Understand how essential middle school concepts (exploratory, etc.) and the essentials described in This We Believe & Turning Points, can be used to make schools more gender-equitable.
Middle School Educators should… • Understand how the middle school curriculum can reflect gender concerns; for example, through gender-responsive curricular materials, the integrated curriculum, and exploratory curriculum.
Middle School Educators should… • Understand where to locate additional information such as journal articles, books, state department publications, and professional association publications. www.gendercenter.org
Traditional schools… • Focus toward male perspectives • Allow males to dominate classroom activities • Provide curricular materials focusing primarily on male accomplishments & male figures • Allow females to experience various inequities
Principles for Thriving Girls • Celebrating girl’s strong identity • Respecting girls as central players • Connecting girls to caring adults • Ensuring girls’ participation and success • Empowering girls to realize their dreams • AAUW Education Foundation, Growing Smart
Self-Reflection Questions • Examine your own attitudes regarding gender bias. Can you remember instances of your own sexist comments or actions? • How has gender bias affected your life? How might gender bias affect the lives of your students? • Who do you ask to perform heavy chores and special tasks, males or females? • Secretarial tasks?
Self-Reflection Questions • Do you display affection and displeasure in the same way toward girls and boys? • Do you censure girls and boys for different behaviors? If so, what? • Do you punish/reward girls and boys for different things? With different methods? • What are the behavioral expectations you have of boys/girls? Are they different?