Gender Representation Within The Classroom

In Emma Watsons’ text, she explores issues relating to Gender, and how both Genders, regardless of their sex, are repressed by gender-based social standards and gender roles. She

Within this framework, construction of gender is produced largely “by language and discourse” (Sunderland, 2004, 14). Children’s literature reflects and represents both discourse’s acceptable models and prominent concerns. Representation, then, as drawing from ideological discourse, seeks to “instruct … the reader in what counts as gender-appropriate behaviour” (Cameron, 2008, 50). For Cameron (2008), this is particularly interesting as it means discourse has potential for recuperation to a system. By ensuing that individuals are positioned to accept the produced notions of identity as their own and internalising it as it “as the norm”, discourse creates the perception of “desirable normalcy” and “undesirable difference” (54). This recognises that recuperation back to traditional ‘systems’ is reliant on representations have the “force of the norm”, intentional or otherwise (56).

Destiny: Our school has to let kids have opportunities to do what they love I do a sport that is not a sport at this school and I love doing it. Not everyone is doing what they love because the school does not have the sport

One of the examples from this book that disturbed me the most was “Boys invent things. Girls use the things boys invent.” These two pages of the book alone showed the sexism of the author. The author was implying that boys are handymen and are capable of using their mind to invent things. He also is implying that girls are not as smart as boys or incapable of inventing anything for themselves because they are ‘girls.’ The author went on to point out jobs that a boy or girl can have. Examples of this include “Boys as doctors. Girls are nurses.” “Boys are policemen. Girls are meter maids.” “Boys build houses. Girls keep houses.” While expressing what boys and what girls are expected to grow up to be this teaches the readers that boys and girls are not equal. They are not allowed to be what they want to be, but what their gender is expected to become based on society’s

Classrooms have sets of formal and informal norms set in place by teachers and schools that are mostly abided by students, consciously or unconsciously.

This critique seeks to provide contextualisation for investigations into gendered representations in children’s literature, and the mechanisms that underpin their construction and reproduction. The key aim is to explore possible shifts within gender representation in children’s literature. Hamilton et al. (2006) argue that although there have been changes, over time, to gender representations, improvements have been mitigated by both the underrepresentation of female characters and a continued tendency to cast girls in “passive roles, boys in active ones” (p. 758). It is important to note that whilst underrepresentation is an important facet of study in children’s literature, it will be excluded from this discussion as to

If one walked into a modern day public school classroom in the United States it would most likely contain an equal number of boys and girls, dispersed throughout the room, being taught and learning as a group. This is society’s visual of what an average public school would include. But what if society’s visual could change? What if there was a new method of teaching students the same curriculum but in a different environment? One could also walk into a classroom filled with all boys learning as a group, and a separate classroom filled with all girls learning as a group. This image might be strange to some, but this concept has raised the awareness of many child education experts in America. The separation of genders in a classroom environment could possibly improve a child’s academic achievements over all.

Gender is a word used to identify the differences between males and females. Educational theory and provisions over the years was defined by gender, meaning that depending on your gender your educational needs were outlined for you, as compared to modern day were all genders receive the same education in Britain. Karen Bradley notes that ‘historically, debates surrounding women’s education have focused on what has been characterised as the competing demands of the private sphere of the family.’ (K Bradley 2002) in this essay I will discuss how the gender issue in the British educational system influenced the educational theory and provisions. This will include looking gender inequality, the problems facing women, the introduction of

All around the world, generations of children have grown up with a history of male leadership. Gender equality has always been and continues to be a struggle, but with more awareness being shed on this problem, it has been improving on a local and global scale. However, governments still lack the gender diversity in their leadership positions that is needed by today’s standards and expectations. With more activism on a local and global level, future generations will grow up becoming leaders without limitations due to their gender.

Children are highly acquiescent, and as such the media they consume is highly important in their socialization. Taking into consideration the ubiquity of media and the degree to which it is entwined in the lives of children, it is important that we be concerned with the themes presented in children’s media – including books. As noted by Taylor (2003), Children 's books are an important cultural mechanism for teaching children gender roles. If children are exposed to stereotypical images in children’s books, they may adopt these as normative, and may adjust their actions accordingly (Paynter, 2011). Given this, it is important to examine the representation(s) of gender in children’s books. In this paper I will discuss the depiction of gender in children’s books, focusing – particularly – on the manner in which boys and girls are portrayed in children’s literature. In my discussion, I will draw on Paul Kramer’s children’s book Maggie Goes on a Diet to illustrate problematic themes that are prevalent in the current children’s literature.

The importance for teachers to be positive role models is set out by the government in the Teachers’ Standards (Department for Education, 2011). I believe, as a male teacher, that there is an extra responsibility for me to model gender neutrality. I believe it is important for the boys in my classroom have both a positive masculine role model and a male figure in their life that is not afraid to embrace ‘so-called’ feminine aspects of life. I would like the boys in my classroom to understand that there are not boy jobs and girl jobs both in school and at home. I will model this by explaining my role at home; doing the dishes, hoovering, ironing and being a family man; activities that some may see as not very masculine. I will show that there is no such thing a ‘girly’ colours by wearing a pink shirt from time to time. Most importantly I would like to challenge boys’ perception that education is feminine. Although research totally refutes the assumption that boys’ attainment improves when they are placed with a male teacher (Drudy, 2008; Francis et al, 2008; Read, 2010), There seems to be a particular kudos that some male teachers get from children. Whether this is due to their minority status in primary education (National Union of Teachers, 2016) or due to masculinity being given a superior social standing (Skelton, 2011a). Consequently, it important for male teachers to use this

Over the past few years, there appears to have been exponential growth in discussion surrounding gender identity and the role educators ought to have in gender alignment. Multiple groups in BC have clashed over the issue, resulting in national media coverage. The proposed SOGI curriculum, for instance, has sparked a heated discussion between those for and against it, prompting Chilliwack school trustee Barry Neufeld call allowing children to choose their gender “child abuse” (Global News). The other side of the argument saw bi-partisan MLA support in favor of the new curriculum (Abbynews).

As the most crucial time in development, a child’s educational experience can largely impact the rest of their lives. Many educational aspects impact the outcome of their development from social issues to policy to economic changes. A particular issue that educational systems have a hard time keeping up with, according to Davies and Guppy (2010c), is changes in gender equality. Over time, gender inequality has grown to be an important educational issue. Women are surpassing men educationally, and are increasingly a part of the service sector. Victor Hiller (2014) examines the dynamics of gender inequality in education systems and recognizes the ongoing promotion of gender equality. The influence of culture norms within the educational system is substantial, as this is a primary source for children to learn social cues and norms. To understand the concept of gender inequality it is important to dissect and analyze all aspects relating to education, since it is such an influential environment for children.

Let us start with basics. What is gender? There is no clear-cut definition or comprehensive understanding of the gender concept. In a general fashion, it is a set of socially constructed characteristics – roles, norms, behaviours, relationships – of women and men (World Health Organization, 2017) assigned to them upon their birth. This is the most challenging part of the gender-related narrative – to put division between sex and gender. It became obvious during the discussions among the students within the Gender Day activities that ‘gender’ quite often serves as the substitution of ‘sex’ across the cultures and societies. It is doubly rewarding sometimes to be engaged in group discussions: on the one hand, it is an opportunity to clarify an issue for others and to test or reinforce it for oneself, on the other. At least, this is what happened to me. At the end of the day, I came to the conclusion that I am a follower of the school recognising other dimensions of the gender beyond our biology such as identity and perceptions, our own and those around us as well as expression (Gender Spectrum, 2017). In view of the

The classroom is a transactional space where teaching and learning processes interact in numerous ways. The classroom is therefore a locus of regular and sustained interactions between students and teachers (Talbert & McLaughlin, 1999 cited in Bascia, 2014). As far as classroom processes go, the immediate impact of contextual factors are the influences of an authoritarian government seeking to control the educational agenda; which results in the reduction in resources - human and material; and an increasing reduction in the teachers ' autonomy.