Gender and Achievement Flashcards
Which gender do teachers tend to respond more positively to?
Teachers tend to respond more positively to girls whom are seen as cooperative and hardworking compared to boys
What did Francis find out about girls and labelling?
Francis found out that girls have become labelled as hardworking and capable - many boys (particularly WC) are seen as less able and more disruptive which leads to some cases of students developing a self-fulfilling prophecy
Why can gender stereotypes lead to the misallocation of sets?
Girls are more likely to be put up a set while boys are put down a set
How can set impact students self confidence?
Boys at the bottom set will likely develop a self-fulfilling prophecy believing they are stupid, give up and underachieve
What policies are in place to provide equal opportunities for girls in education?
Policies like GIST (girls into science and technology) encourage girls to study subjects that are traditionally male dominated
Also WISE (women into science and engineering)
What did Mitsos and Browne argue about girls and coursework?
Argued that girls are more successful in coursework because they work harder and are better organised than boys - girls spend more time on their work, are better at meeting deadlines and bring the right equipment to lessons
What do sociologists argue about characteristics and skills commonly found among girls?
Argue they are the result of early gender socialisation in the family - girls are more likely to be encouraged to be neat, tidy and patient which help them in their school work
What did Epstein find out about working-class boys?
Found they often feel pressured by their peers to be seen to be working as little as possible or else they will experience bullying or harassment
What do working-class boys see school work as?
See school work as ‘girly’ and a waste of time because they want to get manual jobs - the boys feel under pressure to rebel against school to avoid being labelled as gay
What does the feminisation of education refer to?
Refers to the way in which education has become a female-dominated environment - particularly in primary schools where most teachers are female, which benefited girls
What does Sewell argue about schools being increasingly feminised?
Argues schools value feminine traits such as attentiveness and consistent work patterns, rather than competitiveness and leadership that are seen as masculine traits
When given a choice what subjects do girls tend to choose at school?
Girls tend to choose subjects like languages, English literature and Health and social care - leads them to traditionally female roles later in life
When given a choice what subjects do boys tend to choose at school?
Boys tend to choose maths and science - often lead to higher status jobs
From a young age what are girls encouraged to be?
Encouraged to be kind, caring and pretty - results in them choosing subjects like health and social care and beauty
From a young age what are boys encouraged to be?
Encouraged to be outgoing and adventurous- results in them choosing subjects like sport and physics
What did Paetcher find out about girls and peer pressure and subject choice?
Found out girls feared being labelled ‘lesbian’ or ‘butch’ if they took part in traditional male sports (e.g. rugby) and boys feared being labelled ‘gay’ for participating in performing arts
What is the science stereotype?
That science is for boys, the middle classes, white and south asian students
What do many girls believe about physics?
Many believe physics is ‘too hard’ and that boys are naturally good at physics
How are boys and girls encouraged to act accordingly to gender binary in schools?
Boys told to ‘man up’
Teachers tell boys to stop acting like girls
Peer pressure - girls tell their friends they need to look pretty
Male gaze - girls feel they need to look good
Teachers are stricter on girls if they are rude in class
What is hegemonic masculinity?
The idea that men should be dominant, tough, aggressive and misogynistic (hate women)
Femininity is devalued - girls are seen as weaker and passive
What effects can hegemonic masculinity have?
Can normalise sexual harassment towards girls (to show they are dominant)
Can normalise homophobia to prove boys are not girly or gay
What does toxic masculinity refer to?
Refers to the harmful aspects of masculinity
What are some examples of sexual harassment in schools?
Unwanted sexual touching - one third of 16-18 year olds claim they have experienced unwanted sexual touching at school
Unsolicited dick picks - they feel ‘provoked’ and don’t know what to do or how to report it
Non consensual sexting - girls are pressured for naked photos
What double standards are their in regards to sexual behaviour?
There is a ‘lad culture’ boys are rewarded for getting with girls, girls are blamed and labelled
What does Ringrose claim about schools and sexual violence?
Claims schools dismiss sexual violence - schools don’t want anything to do with sexual harassment and cases are not dealt with
Ringrose claims this confirms toxic masculinity- it keeps happening and girls continue to be sexually harassed
What comparisons did Sharpe make between ambitions of girls in the 1970s and 1990s?
1970s girls priorities were home centered focusing on marriage and family
1990s girls prioritised their career
What did many girls changes in ambitions mean they wanted?
Many girls wanted careers, motivating them to work hard at school - they know they need good qualifications to achieve well paid high status careers
What did many single mum households provide for girls?
Provides girls with a new role model - the financially independent woman
What has rising divorce rates led girls to think?
Rising divorce rates have led girls to think it is unwise to rely on a husband for money - also motivates girls to work hard
What did McRobbie argue girls have outside of school?
McRobbie argues that outside school girls have a ‘bedroom culture’ creating their own subcultures in which talking, working hard and being neat is seen as important which helps them at school
What do boys tend to spend their free time outside of school doing?
Tend to spend their free time doing more physical activities which don’t contribute towards their educational achievement
What does gendered socialisation result in for boys?
Results in boys being socialised into being adventurous and physical, competitive and sporty - conflicts with the culture of schools which demand child to listen, conform and sit for long periods of time
What does limited opportunities for boys to learn competitively lead to?
Leads to some believing that the education system fails boys whose learning styles are not necessarily recognised
What do many boys see reading as?
Many boys see reading as feminine activity because it is usually mothers who read to their children
Research shows that by 8 many boys have lost interest in reading
What has globalisation led to?
Globalisation has led a decline in manufacturing jobs in the UK - we now import goods from other countries (because its cheaper)
What has a decline in traditional manual jobs led to for WC boys
Working-class boys don’t see the point in working hard at school - no jobs for them when they leave school
No jobs working-class men would do - shipbuilding, steel industry and mining?
What does the economy place high values on?
Places high value on office-based jobs, presentational and interpersonal skills - often considered being more typically female skills, led to WC boys feeling removed from education and work experiencing a crisis of masculinity - men no longer feel they have a place in the workplace since it demands more skills considered feminine
What equal opportunity policies are there for girls?
GIST
WISE
national curriculum- all children studying maths, English and science to GCSE
Why are there differences in labels given by teachers to pupils?
Labels teachers have of girls and boys differ because girls are more likely to be labelled positively and boys negatively
There may be these differences because girls are closer to the teachers image of the ideal pupil which will mean girls are therefore labelled more positively
How can labels given to girls and boys affect achievement?
May lead to differences in achievement between boys and girls because they may internalise the label given to them and live up to the standards set for them by the label
How might the introduction of coursework lead to achievement of girls in education?
Coursework may have lead to achievement of girls because they are more likely to have organisation and time management skills and meet deadlines
Where do WC girls experience symbolic violence?
WC girls experience symbolic violence from the school but they seek symbolic capital from their peer group
How do WC girls seek symbolic capital from their peer group?
By dressing in a very feminine way
having a boyfriend
being ‘loud’
Why might dressing in a very feminine way bring symbolic capital?
Because it brings status from their peer group and avoided them being ridiculed or called names
What are out of school factors that may lead to girls achievement
Leisure activities
bedroom culture
gender socialisation
changes in the economy - changes in the family, divorce reform act 1969
changing ambitions
impact of feminism
changing laws - more employment opportunities (1970 equal pay act, 1975 sex discrimination act)
Why might the impact of feminism lead to girls success?
May lead to girls success because the feminist movement has challenged the traditional stereotype of women’s role in society and these changes encouraged by feminism may improve girls self image and ambitions with regard to the family and careers
Why might changes in the family lead to girls success?
May lead to girls success because these changes are affecting girls attitudes towards education in a number of ways e.g. increased number of female headed lone-parent families may mean more women need to take on the breadwinner role which gives girls a role model
Why might changes in womens employment lead to girls success?
May lead to girls success because these changes have encouraged girls to see their future in terms of paid work rather than housewives.
Greater career opportunities and better pay for women and the role models that successful career women offer provide and incentive for girls to gain qualifications
What in school factors can lead to boys underachievement?
anti school subculture
feminisation of education
lack of male teachers
What out of school factors can lead to boys underachievement?
lack of male role models - more single mums
globalisation & decline of WC male jobs
boys and literacy skills
Why are boys with poor language and literacy skills more likely to underachieve?
It is likely to affect boys performance across a wide range of subjects
One reason for boys poor literacy and language skills may be that parents spend less time reading to their sons
Why might globalisation and the decline of traditional male jobs lead to the underachievement of boys?
Because many boys now believe they have little prospect of getting a proper job which undermines their motivation and self esteem and so they give up trying to get qualifications
Why might the feminisation of education lead to the underachievement of boys?
Feminisation of education may lead to boys underachievement because schools don’t nurture ‘masculine’ traits such as competitiveness and leadership but instead they celebrate qualities closely associated with girls
Why might the lack of male role models both at home and school lead to the underachievement of boys?
May lead to the underachievement of boys because its argued male teachers are better able to impose the strict discipline boys need in order to concentrate and work harder
