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GENDER EQUITY. Oakland University Student Teacher Seminar. 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.
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GENDER EQUITY Oakland University Student Teacher Seminar
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.
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.
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?
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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…
Neuroplasticity • Brains can be trained to grow in new ways. • We don’t need to let the stereotype “mold” run the way we live.
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)
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.
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
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
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
Acceptance • Given more to girls than boys • Acknowledgment that the answer is appropriate or correct • O.K. • Uh-huh • Right • Yes
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
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?
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?
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
Wait Time—Equity Ideas • With your mittens partner, walk and talk about ways you have seen teachers use wait time • Report out by stacking
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
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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
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
Sharon Hiller • Director of School and Field Services • Oakland University • 381 Pawley Hall • 248-370-3083 • hiller@oakland.edu