actual gender roles and responsibilities assigned in school and classroom
INTRODUCTION
Gender stereotypes are perpetual in every social
institution and school are no exceptions. It is generally believed in our
society that this is the proper way to act in classroom situation for both boys
and girls. This is known as gender roles in schools and classrooms.
GENDER ROLE
The
term “gender role” was first coined by John
Money in 1955. The World Health
Organization (WHO) defines gender roles as “Socially
constructed roles, behaviors,
activities and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for men
and women”. A gender role is a
set of social norms dictating the types of behaviors which are generally
considered acceptable, appropriate or desirable for people based on their
actual or perceived sex or sexuality. Gender roles are usually centered on conceptions
of feminity and masculinity, although there are exceptions and variations. The specifics
regarding these gendered expectations may vary substantially among cultures,
while other characteristics may be common throughout a range of cultures.
SCHOOL AND CLASSROOM
According to S. Balakrishna Joshi, “School is a dynamic community center which stimulates life and power all
around.” According to T.P. Nunn, “School
of nation is those parts of its life whose particular work is to make firm of
its spiritual power, to keep its future”. Schools socialize children into
their gender roles. Much of the gender constructions in schools create a
distinct notions of what it means to be a man and a women. Classroom is a room
or place the students are taught. Classroom also plays an important role in
gender stereotype.
GENDER ROLES IN SCHOOLS
Schools play a large part in creating our gender
roles. It is at school that we
are exposed to peers of both sexes. There, we learn
what our peers see as the proper ways for us to act based on what sex we are.
Psychologists sometimes distinguish gender differences, which are related to
gender roles, from sex differences, which are related only to physiology and
anatomy. On average, girls are more motivated than boys to perform well in
schools, at least during elementary school. By the time girls reach high
school, however some may try to downplay their own academic ability in order to
make themselves more likeable by both sexes. This is according to Davis (2005). Even if this occurs,
though it does not affect their grades: from kindergarten through twelfth
grade, girls can earn slightly higher average grade than boys (Freeman, 2004). There is a role of
gender even in the selection of course they make, that is, maths and science
for boys and arts for girls. Bernstein states that recreation for boys and
girls are strongly differentiated. That is , boys are given balls and bats to
play with and girls are expected to play their sex-approved plays such as jacks
and jumping rope.
GENDER ROLES IN CLASSROOM
Classrooms play a major role in gender roles. In
classroom, the differences between boys and girls are sometimes celebrated and
sometimes laminated. Boys and girls have differences which may lead to
inequality. Even though the number of female children is majority in the
classroom, the classrooms are maximum male dominated. Even it is very difficult
for teachers to treat them equally and overcome the gender stereotypes they
have already been taught. In classrooms, boys simply tend to demand more
attention, while girls tend to be quieter and more reticent. This may arise to
gender stereotype in classrooms. Even praises were given to boys in the
classroom. Bernstein has explained that “Sexism
starts with kindergarten activities in which little girls are directed to the
house keeping corner, while boys are steered towards blocks and trucks. Thus
schools provide a shrinking of alternatives instead of expansion”.
ROLE OF TEACHERS IN CLASSROOM TODAY
Teachers often intend to interact with both sexes
equally, and frequently succeed at doing so. Research has found, though, that
they do sometimes respond to boys and girls differently, perhaps without
realizing it. Three kinds of differences have been noticed. The first is the
overall amount of attention paid to each sex; the second is the visibility or
“publicity” of conversations; and third is the type of behavior that prompts
teachers to support or criticize the students. Few teachers would admit to bring
gender bias in the classroom. Teachers may also reinforce gender bias by
drawing distinction between boys and girls. Research says that teachers are
more likely to respond to boys with praise or encouragement and respond girls
by simply accepting and acknowledging a response without evaluating it. As girls
are typically socialized to be quiet and active, teachers may need to actively
encourage their participation in the class in order to avoid boy-dominated
discussion, or a situation in which boys receive more feedback from teachers.
RESPONSIBILITY OF SCHOOL OR
CLASSROOM
In the classroom boys and girls should be treated
equally to avoid gender bias. Studies in classroom behavior have shown that
boys are far more active than girls in classroom, while girls remain shy and
hesitant. Teachers may have to call on the girls to consciously participate and
take leadership roles in classroom discussion. In group discussion, there must
be a mix of genders rather than segregating them. Tasks can be given by the teacher
that cooking for boys and gardening for girls. This may erase out the gender
stereotype. Teachers can shatter the gender stereotype by giving equal sports
to both boys and girls. It is common that peer criticizing a girl who wants to
become a pilot and a boy who is inclined towards craft. But teachers can guide
them towards positive direction without gender stereotype. Best way to crush
gender stereotype is boys were given knitting and sewing and girls were given
tasks to dig mud for planting.
CONCLUSION
It is generally believed in our society that there
is a proper way to act in classroom situation for both boys and girls. And they
assume that boys have right and females don’t have to do anything and women are
portrayed as less confidential. This gender stereotype can be crushed by the
teachers by treating both boys and girls equally and to make a situation and
environment without having the essence of gender stereotype.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hurlock, E. B. (1981). Developmental psychology: A life span approach. New Delhi:
Tata
McGraw
Private Limited.
Campbell, D. E. (2010). Gender roles and schools.
Retrieved from
Rayaprol, A. (2010). Gender equality in the
classroom. Retrieved from
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