GENDER EQUITY

1. GENDER EQUITY Oakland University Student Teacher Seminar

2. What are things that we attribute to boys and to girls? • Take three minutes and list all of the things you have heard in the past about girls and about boys. • Compare your list with your snowflake partner.

3. What are things that we attribute to boys and to girls? • Add another set of partners to your group. • Look at your lists to determine what is true and what is a stereotype. • Report out one group at a time, adding only things that you haven’t heard shared.

4. What are things that we attribute to boys and to girls? • Next, are there things on your list that you believe are true? • Where did all of these ideas come from? • What makes them continue to be shared?

5. Gender Inequity • Gender Role Development • Statistics • Math and Science preferences • Sexual harassment • Drop outs and GED • Mirrored in society with jobs • Teachers use their past frame of reference

6. Girls • Want to please • Stay more on task • Take school to heart • Have high self-expectations • Expected to answer and to do well • Generally keep their thinking “in the box” because they want to be “right” • Sensitive • Insecure--seek approval

7. Girls • Prefer cooperation • Build on others’ ideas • Acknowledge others’ contributions • Value understanding over grades • Thrive in cooperative learning settings • Tend to wait longer before answering a question, thinking about how to respond before raising their hands

8. Girls • Gravitate toward reading and writing • Learn better in an aesthetically pleasing environment • Need encouragement to participate in subjects they find more difficult like science, math, and technology

9. Boys • More bouncy and active • More physical • School is ok to good • Expectations are not there for boys to do well • Don’t listen • Don’t come prepared • Excel in certain ways • Willing to try again • Think “out of the box” • Thick skinned

10. Boys • Like competition • Are engaged in conversation more often • Get asked more higher level questions • Respond to hands-on activities • Get more involved when they can move around or play games • Outperform girls on ACT and SAT • Gravitate toward math, science, and technology

11. Title IX • In 1972, Congress passed Title IX amendment to the 1964 Civil Rights Act. • This was the first wave of interest in creating gender-fair learning environments. • Girls sports • Opening of home economics and industrial arts to both boys and girls • Roles in the home changing

12. Inequity Still Exists • $500 million spent on beauty products for girls age 8-10 • 1/3 of the students feel a girl’s think their job is to get married and have children • Math/science toys are out there for boys • TOYS ‘R’ US definitely has a pink aisle and aisles that are toward boys. • Girls test well until the SAT/ACT • More girls are going to college and in other careers • There is still an economic gap.

13. Stereotypes still exist • Men are stereotyped earlier and more harshly • Males are locked into their gender • Males are competitive and tough • Careers are locked in • There is still an unrealistic view • Boys’ hearing isn’t as good—place in front of the room • Give males shorter lessons due to their shorter attention span

14. Stereotypes still exist • Boys need more harsh discipline, physical games, tough competition • Need to yell at boys because they need clear direction and boundaries • Give the eye to eye stare—don’t smile • Boys are natural leaders • If boys read and don’t like sports, check out parenting skills • Put them in an all male school • Surges of testosterone make them good at math

15. Stereotypes still exist • Girls are concrete thinkers • Stuck in their menstrual cycle • Placid • Like comfort • With gender different schools, it seems we have gone backwards…

16. Neuroplasticity • Brains can be trained to grow in new ways. • We don’t need to let the stereotype “mold” run the way we live.

17. Sadker’s research • Boys are more likely to receive praise or remediation from a teacher than were girls. • Girls were most likely to receive an acknowledgement response from their teacher. (Sadker, 1994)

18. In Schools • Girls are praised for being neat, quiet, and calm. • Boys are praised for being independent thinkers, be active, and speak up. • Teachers give boys greater opportunity to expand ideas and be animated than they do girls • Teachers reinforce boys more for general responses than they do for girls • Lining up by boys and girls—should be done differently according to Title IX.

19. Discussion • Find your snowman partner • Talk about any surprises that you found in this information so far • Report out on something your partner said • Stacking of five responses

20. Six Teacher Responses Four types of verbal teacher responses to students: • Praise--providing positive feedback for a response • Remediation--encouraging a student to correct or expand their answer • Criticism--explicitly stating that the answer is incorrect • Acceptance--acknowledging that a student has responded

21. Six Teacher Responses Two types of nonverbal teacher responses to students: • Wait Time—giving students time to think about their answer • Physical Closeness—standing within arm’s length of a student

22. Acceptance • Given more to girls than boys • Acknowledgment that the answer is appropriate or correct • O.K. • Uh-huh • Right • Yes

23. Praise • Given more often to boys • Positive reinforcement • More exuberant than acceptance • Voice more punchy • Good job! • That’s exactly right. • This paper shows much improvement. • Give praise similarly to boys and girls • Don’t call boy-girl-boy-girl • Bucket fillers

24. Higher Level Questioning • Given more to boys than girls • Challenges the student to think • Take that thought and branch off of it • How can we further answer that question? • Be good thinkers • Do you want someone to help?

25. Criticism • Boys get 6 times as much criticism as girls • Make a better choice • Suggestions • Consider this • You’re on the wrong track • The look • I noticed… • Do you need help?

26. Wait Time • Don’t look for the immediate answer • Typical wait time is 1.1 seconds—lengthen it • Give 5-10 seconds of think time • Use a phrase or behavior to lengthen • Hold on to your answer • Ignore call outs • Turn and talk • Raise your hand if you want to share • Call on people who don’t get called on often

27. Wait Time—Equity Ideas • With your mittens partner, walk and talk about ways you have seen teachers use wait time • Report out by stacking

28. Wait Time—Equity Ideas • Giving a public voice—confident, competent • Use a 30-sided dice to call on someone • Sticks with names • Sticks with numbers if your students use numbers • Names on 3 x 5 cards • Cards of different colors for different hours • Two sided chips—start on one color, flip as you talk

29. Physical Closeness (Proximity) • Keeps people doing what they should do • Be careful about setting up your room—no tight spots to get through • Walk around often and students will be more engaged • Stand near those who need more monitoring • Need to be able to get arm’s length away from each student within a short time • You establish rapport when you stand by someone.

30. Physical Closeness (Proximity) • Change seats at least once a month • Mix it up during group times • Move, look, talk • Check on work • Keep students focused • Complete formative assessments • Stop poor behaviors • One nurturing adult who cares may save students from drastic behaviors.

31. Classroom Planning • Make eye contact with students • Call them by name • Balance cooperative and competitive activities • Give girls and boys an equal amount of assistance and feedback • Stress safety precautions rather than dangers • Insist that both boys and girls be involved in math, science, technology, and the set up of electronic equipment

32. Classroom Planning • Provide learning experiences to develop spatial visualization skills • Use writing to help students clarify feelings and thoughts especially with math and science journals • Create an attractive classroom environment • Acknowledge career choices with both male and female roles

33. Sharing • With your turn and talk partner at your table, talk about three things you want to incorporate into your teaching. • As a table group, decide what would be the most effective things you could do to increase gender equity.

34. Gender Equity Assignment • Paperwork is on the website in your area under “Intern Seminar Materials” • Follow the school’s video policy • Complete this video between the second and third observation • Decide to tape a lesson where you plan to have some interaction • Get the video equipment the day before and try it out

35. Gender Equity Assignment • Videotape yourself for one lesson • Take time to look at the tape outside of your classroom • Watch at least a 15 minute segment • Do a self-inventory

36. Gender Equity Assignment • Look at Dyanne Tracy’s article on page 100. • Look at the instructions. • Definitions we went over are there as a reminder. • Page 101 has the form you use. • For each interaction with students, note male or female, ethnic group, and first conversation or repeat. • Note the response you gave. • Move to next interaction…until finished.

37. Gender Equity Assignment • As you analyze the grid consider, “Am I being gender equitable?” • Are your answers in proportion to the class make up? • Be within 20% of boy/girl behaviors, within 10%--doing well • Note the areas to work on • Keep the papers together. • Complete the “Survey of Gender-Equitable Teaching Strategies” • Hand in all the paperwork at your culminating seminar.

38. References • David Sadler, Part 1, Briefing on STEM Education http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW49eH9yg7E • David Sadler, Part 2, Briefing on STEM Education http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHBffQCUMSk • Equitable Classroom Practices Institute, http://www.bioc.rice.edu/precollege/ei/best_practices.html#classroom

39. References • Gender Bias in Educationby Amanda Chapman of D'Youville College, http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/papers/genderbias.html • Gender Equitable Teaching Behaviors: Preservice Teachers’ Awareness and Implementation by Dyanne M. Tracy and Michelle B. Lane, Equity & Excellence in Education, December 1999 • Is There Gender Equity in Your Classroom? By Rebecca Stefanelli, student at Northern Illinois University http://www.cedu.niu.edu/~shumow/itt/Gender%20Equity.pdf

40. Sharon Hiller • Director of School and Field Services • Oakland University • 381 Pawley Hall • 248-370-3083 • hiller@oakland.edu