Gender Education Boys achievement Gender identity Subject choices Flashcards
Boys achievement
Growing gender gap in educational achievement - A concern that boys are falling behind
Boys achievement - Boys and literacy
The gender gap could be due to boys poorer literacy and language skills
This is because parents spend less time reading with sons Most reading done by mother Reading appears ‘feminine’
Boy leisure pursuits : Football and computer games Do not help develop language skills
Girl leisure pursuits : Communication and relationship building Help develop language skills
Boys achievement - Decline of traditional men jobs and roles
Since 1980s : Decline in heavy manufacturing, mining, steelworking jobs E.g. Industry ‘outsourced’ to China
Eirene Mitsos and Ken Browne 1998 study :
Decline in these sectors has led to ‘crisis of masculinity’ With no job prospect W/c boys lose self-esteem and motivation to work conscientiously in education to get qualifications
However critics of this say :
These manual jobs did not require many (if any) qualifications so their disappearance has probably had little impact on boys motivation to work conscientiously in education to get qualifications
Boys achievement - Feminisation of education
Tony Sewell 2006 study say :
Schools do not nurture ‘masculine traits’ E.g. Competitiveness Leadership
Instead they celebrate traits more closely associated with girls E.g. Attentiveness Methodical working
Argues coursework should be replaced with a single exam Girls do better in coursework
Sewell say “We have challenged the 1950s patriarchy… but we have thrown the boy out with the bathwater”
Boys achievement - Shortage of male role models
There are a lack of strong positive male role models at home and at school
There are 1.5 million single mother families in the UK
DfES 2007 say Only 16% of primary school teachers are male
YouGov 2007 say 39% 8-11 year old boys have no lessons with male teachers
Boys achievement - Laddish subcultures
This may contribute to underachievement
Epstein 1998 study say :
Boys harassed Labelled as ‘sissies’ Subjected to homophobic abuse if they work conscientiously at school
Francis 2001 study say :
Boys are more concerned than girls about being labelled as swot/nerd/geek Etc.
W/c culture masculinity = tough manual work ‘Real boys don’t work’ If they do they are bullied
Laddishness is spreading as boys try to construct themselves as ‘non-feminine’
Subject choice Gender identity
There is a fairly traditional pattern of ‘Boys subjects’ and ‘Girls subjects’
Boys tend to choose Maths Physics
Girls tend to choose Modern languages
Schooling reinforces gender identity through Curriculum and Pupil-teacher interactions
1988 Introduction of National Curriculum Restricted pupil choice Up to age 14
Within secondary education (GCSEs) and post-16 boys and girls follow gender routes
Up to 16 : Girls choose food tech Boys choose graphics and resistant materials
Vocational courses (post-16) : 1 in 100 construction students are female 9 in 100 health and social care students are male
Subject choice Gender identity : Early socialisation
Gender domains : There are tasks and activities which boys and girls see as their ‘territory’ and relevant to themselves E.g. Mending a car is male territory Helping a sick child is female territory
Children are more confident in tasks which are their ‘domain’ E.g. Maths girls more confident tackling equations when explained than food or nutrition Boys prefer cars
Patricia Murphy 1991 study :
Allocated to children a task to design boats and vehicles and write an estate agent advert for a house
Boys designed powerboats and weaponry with little living accommodation. Girls designed cruise ships with social and domestic details
Boys designed sports cars and army vehicles. Girls designed family cars
Boys focused on ‘man space’ E.g. garages. Girls focused on ‘womens sphere’ E.g. kitchen and decor
= Boys and girls pay attention to different details when tackling the same task This may be why they choose different subjects
Subject choice Gender identity : Gendered subject images
Gender image of a subject
Science : Tends to be taught by men Boys monopolise apparatus in science labs
Computing : Involves working with machines Seen as ‘masculine’ Less opportunities for group work which tends to favour women
Subject choice Gender identity : Peer pressure
Boys opt out of E.g. Dance or music to avoid negative response from peers
Sports considered more masculine Girls who opt for sport have to deal with image that contradicts traditional female stereotype Boys say girls ‘butch’ or ‘lesbian’ if they care more about sports than themselves
Subject choice Gender identity : Gendered career opportunities
Jobs are sex-typed
E.g. Womens jobs emulate role of homemaker Childcare Nursing
Womens roles usually are clerical, secretarial, or personal
Only 1/6 of male workers work in these industries
This sex-typing affects perception of acceptable or possible jobs This moulds subject choices
Gender identity
Bob Connell 1995 study say :
Verbal abuse Male peer groups Teachers and discipline Male gaze Double standards Can lead to - creation of ‘hegemonic masculinity’
Gender identity : Verbal abuse
Verbal abuse reinforces gender and sexual identities
E.g. Boys calling girls ‘butch’ if they act or dress in certain way
Boys call girls ‘slut’ if they have sex and ‘frigid’ if not
Negative labels ‘queer’ ‘gay’ f slur ways in which students police each other sexuality
Boys labelled gay for talking to girls or friendly with female teachers
Gender identity : Male peer groups
Use verbal abuse Especially in anti-school subcultures Boys who do well labelled gay
Role of class : W/c ‘macho’ boys criticise or abuse W/c boys who work conscientiously and aspire to M/c careers They call them ‘dickhead achievers’ Therefore M/c boys try to appear to be ‘effortlessly achieving’ working without telling their friends
Gender identity : Male gaze
Male pupils and teachers look at girls as sexual objects
Make comments about their appearance
This is a form of surveillance which : Reinforces hetero-masculinity Devalues femininity
Boys tell stories of sex Those who don’t labelled gay
