Chapters 5-7 Class notes from Multicultural Education Issues and Perspectives, by Banks.

1. • Identify specific areas of current gender biases in
education
• Explain the role the teacher plays in gender bias and of
what should the teacher be conscience
• Understand how teaching styles and assessment
choices affect student learning
• List the possible effects of gender bias
• Develop a list of ideas to reduce gender bias
Chapter 5-7 Gender Bias
Class notes

2. Sexism In Schools
A common response from teachers when asked about gender inequity in
classrooms is that they treat ALL their students the same. There are two
problems with this statement.
1. Students are diverse and have different learning issues, thus treating all
students in the same way means that some students will have a better
learning experience than their peers.
2. Teachers may be ignoring their unconscious gender biases towards their
students, their schools and themselves.
--- Katheryn Scantlebury

4. 2013 Interesting Statistics
• ratio of women’s to men’s earnings, for all occupations, was 82% (82:100)
• 57.2% of women worked outside the home.
• 19.5% of households were headed by women.
• There is an increasing % of women and their dependents who are
constituting the nation’s poor (feminization of poverty).
• 53% of families below the poverty level in the US were headed by women.
So… As you can see gender and socioeconomic status are somewhat
connected.

5. • Gender bias occurs when people make
assumptions regarding behaviors, abilities or
preferences of others based upon their gender.
• There are strong gender role stereotypes for
masculinity and femininity, students who do
not match them can encounter problems with
teachers and with their peers.
• Within the classroom, these biases unfold in
students' practices and teachers' acceptance
of certain behaviors from one student or
another based upon the students' gender.

6. • Bias due to a person's gender is not
mutually exclusive of other social categories
such as race, ethnicity, class, religion, and
language.
• Gender bias can occur within subject areas
and school activities. (science, math, sports,
career technical classes etc…)
• Males are also more likely than females to
be in remedial programs, and students' race
also impacts these patterns.
• Teachers are critical components in
challenging gender bias in schooling, but
they also can be major contributors to it as
well

7. Strategies for creating a Gender –Fair Classroom
(5.6 in text)
• Pay attention to your textbooks to see if they are biased. If so,
supplement it with other literature. Don’t ignore.
• Asking students to list famous Americans. Who’s missing. Find ways
to learn more about those “missing” Americans.
• Analyze your seating assignments, to be sure there are not pockets of
racial, ethnic, class, or gender segregation. Move around the room
while teaching. Make sure student groups have equitable
participation and decision making.
• Do not tolerate bullying!
• Continue your reading and professional development in gender
equity.

8. Strategies for creating a Gender –Fair Classroom
• Use a variety of strategies to group students. (skittle divide, counting off,
world café)
• READ Children’s literature that reflects “everyone”.
• Be careful of your posters in your classroom. Are they gender biased?
Showing only males in certain roles, females in others. (think of races as
well)
• Use equity sticks when calling on students to be sure everyone gets equal
opportunities to speak. Use a method for student helpers that is fair as
well.
• Provide “wait time” time for students to think before students respond.
Students have to be trained to do this. No yelling out. Teacher may use
hand signal. (My Mouth is a Volcano)

9. Supporting Gender Equity among Diverse
Populations ( Chapter 7) Strategies:
1. Confront and address stereotyping
2. Obtaining knowledge about cultures
3. Building on students’ assets and strengths
4. Increasing the number of female and male teachers who represent
diversity in race, ethnicity, disability, sexuality, and other statuses

10. Gender Bias in TV ADS for Children
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3rBGaF-wtI

11. HW: How does Social television affect gender
bias in today's society? Discussion
How are characters
portrayed? (male, female,
LGBT, race, and
ethnicity) Look for
stereotypes, positive and
negative traits, what
perception is it sending to
everyone watching that
character and/or show?