Gender Flashcards
Gender patterns
Key stages 1-3 girls consistently better
GCSE girls 10% points ahead
A Level girls more likely pass/higher grades
More girls go higher education
External factors for improvements
Influence of feminism
Girls changing perceptions and ambitions
Changes in the family
Changes in women’s employment
How has the influence of feminism led to change
Rejecting traditional stereotypes of women inferior in home/work
Impact womens rights and opportunities e.g. Equal pay, outlawing rape in marriage
Affected self image and aspirations motivating to do well
Why did Sharpe argue there was a change in girls perceptions and ambitions
W.C. Girls 70s priorities: love, marriage, children, job, careers
Saw future terms domestic role
90s priorities: careers and independence
Why did Francis argue there was a change in girls perceptions and ambitions
Girls higher career aspirations
Need educational qualifications
Impacts positive attitude
Why did Beck and Beck-Gernsheim argue there was a change in girls perceptions and ambitions
Independence valued more
Career part of a woman’s life project
Why did Fuller argue there was a change in girls perceptions and ambitions
Girls aimed professional career to support themselves
Many w.c. Girls with poor job prospectus stereotyped aspirations = attainable traditional identity offering status
Outline changes in the family impacting girls improvements
Increase divorce - 40% marriages
More LPF - 90% female headed
More cohabitation, decrease 1st marriages
Smaller families, more women staying single
Changes mean women need more economic opportunity to survive independently - more motivation do well
Changes in womens employment affect girls educational success
More employment opportunity
Womens employment risen
Changes in law: Equal Pay Act 1970, Sex Discrimination Act 1975
Since 1975 pay gap between genders 1/2
More incentive see future in paid work = more incentive gain qualifications
What are the statistics to show employment has risen in women
under 1/2 married women 50s, 3/4 today
Internal factors affecting success for girls
Equal Opportunities Policies Role Models Coursework Stereotypes in Materials Teacher Attention Selection and League Tables Identity Class and Girls Achievement Success w.c. Girls
What are the equal opportunities policies improving girls education
GIST and WISE encourage girls in to science and technology
National Curriculum 1988 - largely study same subject
Result now more meritocratic. Girls equal opportunities able to do better
Evaluation of equal opportunities policies
When choice comes along boys and girls diverge from socialisation to certain roles
What are the role models improving girls education
More female teachers and headteachers - positive pro-educational role models
Presence ‘feminises’ learning environment and encourages girls see school part of gender domain.
Perceive educational success desirable feminine characteristic
Evaluation of role models
Is feminisation not just creating a disadvantage for boys ???
Reversing inequality ???
Not meritocratic ???
How is coursework improving girls education
Mitsos and Browne: girls do better more organised and conscientious
Mature earlier, concentrate for longer
Gorard: gender gap achievement increased when GCSEs introduced 1988, coursework major part of subjects
Evaluation of role of coursework
Elwood: exams have more influence on final grades, so the introduction of coursework had limited effect on gender differences
How is stereotypes in learning materials improving girls education
studies reading schemes, textbooks past women underrepresented, subordinate, in domestic roles
1980s - sexist images removed and replaced more positive images females, impact girls’ perception what women can do and raise aspirations
Where can stereotypes in learning materials link to
LINK TO EQUAL OPP AND IMPACT FEMINISMo
How is teacher attention improving girls education
Early studies - Spender teachers more time interacting with boys
French and French similar amounts attention academic reasons. Boys more attention = more punishments
Francis: boys discipline harshly, felt picked on
What does Swann say to support teacher attention
Swann Boys dominant class discussions, girls prefer group work, better at listening and cooperating. Favours with teachers respond and encourage girls
How are selection and league tables improving girls education
Marketisation policies e.g. League tables competition between schools. Incentive recruit more able students boost results and table position
How does Selection and League Tables link to girls
Girls more successful = more attractive
Girls more likely places in successful schools = better education
Feminist view on selection and league tables
Liberals - welcome progress
Radical - remains patriarchal e.g. Sexual harassment, Limits choices
How is identity, class and girls achievement improving girls education
Archer: conflict feminine identities and schools habitus
Gain symbolic capital through peers or conform m.c. Ideals
What are the outcomes of identity, class and girls achievement improving girls education
Hyper Heterosexual Feminine Identity = glamorous, earn capital through peers = school conflict over appearance. School symbolic violence
Boyfriends = capital get in way of work and lower aspirations
Being loud = outspoken, assertive, teachers see it as aggressive
Ladettes = tomboy ‘nike’ identity, sporty, truanting getting excluded
How is successful w.c. Girls improving girls education
Evans: girls want to go uni increase earning and help family
Chose live at home reflecting w.c. feminine habitus
Debt averse limited choices and future
Factors affecting boys under achievement
Literacy Feminisation of schooling Lack male role models at home Globalisation decline traditional jobs Laddish subcultures Policies
How does literacy impact on boys underachievement
Parents spend less time reading to sons = mainly mothers who read ‘feminine activity’
Boys leisure activities dont encourage language and communication, girls ‘bedroom culture’ does
Language most important subject
How does globalisation and decline traditional mens jobs impact on boys underachievement
80s globalisation led manufacturing industry relocating developing countries
Decline male employment ‘male identity crisis’
Believe little prospect = cease getting qualifications
Evaluation of globalisation and decline of traditional mens jobs
Traditional mens jobs need few qualifications, unlikely disappearance these jobs affect motivation obtain qualifications
How does feminisation of schooling impact on boys underachievement
Sewell: education feminised, no longer nurturing masculine traits e.g. Competitiveness or leadership
Assessment feminised: coursework
Lack male primary school teachers
Statistics on lack of male primary school teachers to support feminisation of schooling
1 in 6 teachers men
Over 60% 8-11yr old bogs gave no lessons with male teachers
Impression education feminine
Evaluation of feminisation of schooling
Read: women exert same disciplinary discourse as men
Disproving only male teachers provide strict classroom culture
Counter argument for evaluation of feminisation of schooling
Female teachers may adopt masculine discipline traits but is it effective
How does lack male role models at home impact on boys underachievement
Increase female headed LPF
Many boys grow up lacking positive male role model
Less likely see value employment and therefore qualifications
How does laddish subcultures impact on boys underachievement according to Francis
Francis: more concerned about being labelled swots, threatens masculine identity. W.c. Culture non-manual work (incl. schoolwork) inferior
How does laddish subcultures impact on boys underachievement according to Epstein
Pro-school w.c. bogs likely be harassed, labelled gay, subjected verbal abuse
Girls move traditional masculine areas
Boys more laddish identify non-feminine and leads underachievement
Evaluation of laddish subcultures
Connolly certain combinations of gender and class more effect on achievement
Policies to raise bous achievement
Use leisure interests and famous role models e.g. Raising Boys Achievement Project, Reading Champions Scheme
Evaluation of research boys under achieving
Moral Panic about boys - Ringrose neglects problems faced by girls
Patterns gender and subject choice
Different gendered routes
National curriculum - where can pick differently e.g. DT
Post 16 Education - more choice, bigger difference boys - science girls - english
Vocational - 1% construction apprenticeships male
Explaining gender differences in subject choice
Early socialisation Gender domains Gendered subject image Gendered careers Gender identity and peer pressure
How does early socialisation explain gender differences in subject choice
Learning behaviours expected
Family from early age dressed differently, different toys, boys rewarded being active, girls passive
School: teachers encourage boys be tough girls clean, quiet (Byrne)
Leisure reading boys chose hobby and info texts = prefer science. Girls about people = english (Murphy and Elwood)
How does gender domains explain gender differences in subject choice
Tasks/activities male/female territory e.g. Caring elderly = female
View shaped early experiences and expectations of adults
How does Browne and Ross support gender domains
Browne and Ross
When set open-ended tasks e.g. Designing a boy boys designed battleships, girls cruise boats
How does gender domains affect subject choice
Feelings part of female domain = females choose humanities/English
How things work part male domain = males choose science
How does early gendered subject explain gender differences in subject choice
Link to gender domain
Subjects gender image - male or female
E.g. Science taught by men, textbooks traditionally uses boys’ interests as examples
Seen masculine subject, part male gender domain = mainly taken by boys
How does gendered careers explain gender differences in subject choice
Many jobs seen either mens or womens
Dominated 1 gender
W.c. may make decisions about courses based on traditional gender identity
How does gender identity and peer pressure explain gender differences in subject choice
Others pressure individuals to conform
Boys opt our music = negative peer response
Girls pick sport = ‘butch’ ‘lesbian’
Link with subject image and gender domain = sport seen masculine, music feminine
