Why Schools are Shortchanging Girls
What is Taught?
- In the 1970s, various Canadian research studies including Women in Teaching (1975) were conducted to look at sex-role stereotyping in textbooks and all determined that textbooks were biased. (Coulter, 1996, p. 434). It was only in 1987 that every province had guidelines to eliminate bias in textbooks. (Coulter, 1996, p. 434). When women’s voices were added to the curriculum - most notably in the 1970s and 1980s - it was done using an “add women and stir” model (Coulter, 1996, p. 434), for example, through individual lessons and units rather than intertwining women's voices into the general curriculum.
- An Ontario Ministry of Education Report entitled “Engendering Equity” also looked into this issue and advocated a more inclusive curriculum, moving beyond the notion of “adding on” the experiences of women (Ontario Ministry of Education, 1994, p.9). It emphasized that is important to rethink how history is taught. This includes a broader understanding of history and including in the narrative, groups such as women, who have traditionally been excluded.
-According to Blumberg (2007), while there has been some progress in reducing the intensity of sexism in textbooks and the curriculum, there has been less effort to increase the "relative - and less stereotyped – representation of women" (p. 19). For example,Blumberg analyzed recent studies that found women represented 5 percent of names in indexes in the 1960s, compared to 16 percent in the 1990s. In terms of children books, Blumberg also analyzed studies that found that there are twice as many male as female main characters and that male characters appeared 53 percent more times in illustrations, often in gender-sterotyped roles such as showing women in what are seen as traditional roles (Blumberg, 2007, p. 17).
-The American Association of University Women’s well-publicized report How Schools Shortchange Girls (1992) concluded that there is a null curriculum occurring in school. Its research team noted that there is inadequate education on important issues being faced by increasng numbers of girls such as sexual assault and physical violence against women.
How is it Taught?
Math and science
- There is a large gender gap in women entering the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. In the US, only 2.6% of airline pilots are women and females represent just 13.5% of the positions in architecture and engineering and less than 25% in computer and mathematics occupations (Bachman, Hebl, Martinez & Rittmayer, 2008). This stems from course selection in high school where males are overrepresented in advanced math and physics courses, prerequisites for engineering and many other
post-secondary programs (Bachman et. al., 2009). Sadker (2002) found that boys continue to take more courses in advanced math and science courses such as physics and calculus (Sadker, 2002, p. 5). The same trend has been noticed in Canada by many groups including Engineers Canada.
- The AAUW's most recent report is entitled Why So Few? and looked at the lack of women in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics showed there are still negative stereotypes about girls’ innate ability in math and science. While the gender gap in mathematics has narrowed substantially in recent years, an underlying belief that math and science are men's work still exists (AAUW, 2010).
-Teaching Strategies
- Teaching strategies in classrooms geared towards boys (e.g. competition, specific topics in math/science in particular) or do not meet the needs of girls. (SOURCE)
-There is a difference between the notions of equality and equity. While equality results in attempting to treat all students alike, equity results in a different treatment of boys and girls that is conscious and is "designed to achieve equal outcomes." For example, teachers may encourage girls to take more math classes. (Stromquist, 2007, p. 10).
Greater attention paid to boys in class
-According to Sadker (2002), who conducted a review of various studies on the issue of gender in the classroom, boys are more likely to receive praise or constructive feedback while girls are often made to feel "invisible" as teachers ask them less complex question and call on them less by name. Favouritism toward boys continues to exist in more recent studies including by Klein (2007).
-In an overview of various studies completed in a number of countries, Stromquist (2007) notes that results frequently show that boys experience "more challenging
interaction with teachers, dominate classroom activities, and receive more attention than girls through criticism, praise, constructive feedback and help (p. 8).
Outside the Classroom
- The AAUW report outlined a key reason why schools are shortchanging girls occurs outside the classroom. It notes a belief that sexual assult is not being taken seriously. (AAUW, 1992). The AAUW's research shows that a 'boys will be boys’ argument exists, sending a message that girls are not worthy of respect and that it is acceptable for men to exert power over women.(AAUW, 1992, p. 4 )
- A recent Ontario study by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH, 2008) showed that girls faced more sexual harassment than boys in Ontario. Throughout high school, sexual harassment reported by boys decreased but stayed constant for girls. Among Grade 11 students, 46% of girls but only 27% of boys reported being the target of sexual comments, jokes, gestures or looks. (CAMH, 2008).