Statistics shows that there are daily cases of gender issues in school. Girls are usually asked simpler questions and are given lesser encouragement and positive feedback than boys are given.
Gender issues in schools are gradually declining but they’re still a major problem in modern American education. Even though there are laws created over thirty years ago to correct gender inequity in schools, this in and of itself was not successful in solving the problem. Recent studies reveal that although huge efforts have been made in this area, there is definitely more work to be done.
Gender issues in school occur when boys are allowed to call out in class more often than girls, mainly because when boys get the teacher’s attention, they are not corrected for doing so and therefore, boys see this as an encouragement in taking risks. However, when a girl calls out in class she is admonished and told that such behavior is simply “inappropriate”.
This clearly states that boys should be assertive and girls should be passive, so it’s no wonder why girls are less likely to volunteer responses in class. And if girls will not develop risk taking in school, they won’t do it anywhere else in their lives. Bias and inequality are harmful to teenagers’ development and learning, as they promote hostility, estrangement, poor school performance and failure.
Other examples of gender issues in school include teachers who spend more time with boys and explain a problem or clarify certain difficulties, whereas the same teacher would rather solve the same problem for the girl, instead of giving her a detailed explanation. Teachers tend to unconsciously make boys the focus of their explanations, giving them more frequent and more precise attention. Increased attention from the teacher contributes to a better learning performance and unfortunately, girls tend to lose ground in this matter.
Class participation is extremely important to the learning process and teens who are actively involved learn more and are much happier with their education. Equality in the educational system challenges teachers both to treat all teens equally and to recognize and use different learning styles.
More resources from DRPF Consults
Why Equity Issues Continue to Exist in Education
Analyzing the Single Gender Classroom
Pros and Cons of Single Sex Classes in K-12 Education
Surprising Facts About How Boys are Treated in School
Girls Deserve Same Education as Boys
Ways to Improve Girls’ Involvement in Class
Make Single Sex Classes a Priority in Your School
Girls Denied Same Opportunities as Boys to Excel in Math
