This document discusses how gender stereotypes can impact student success and achievement in schools. It identifies several barriers to an equitable learning environment for all students, such as teacher expectations, assessment techniques, and traditional views of gender roles. Several potential solutions are proposed, including differentiated assessment, professional development on gender awareness, and incorporating critical perspectives on gender into the curriculum. The document argues that teachers must reflect critically on their own assumptions to avoid unintentionally reinforcing limiting gender stereotypes.

1. Do you believe that gender impacts greatly
or not at all on the notions of students
success and achievement in schools?
The Human Continuum

2. Ashman & Elkin
(2009) recognise
gender to be
“ the social
formation of roles
that society
imposes on males
and females”.

3. Kitchenham, (2002).

4. “What can we do within
our classroom to avoid
creating gender
limitations in regards to
student educational
success, and ensure an
equitable learning
environment for all”.

5. The Problem Solving Model
Possible Model
1. What am I trying to accomplish? What is my goal?
2. What are the limits or barriers
that are in the way?
3. What are some solutions for
overcoming the limits or barriers?
4. Which solution will I try?
5. Try out the solution that appears to
be the best.
6. How well did it work? Should I try
another solution.

6. Step One of the Problem Solving Model.
What are we trying to accomplish?
What is our goal?
• To break down the barriers that gender stereotypes
create to ensure an equitable learning environment
for all learners

7. Step Two of the Problem Solving Model.
Neurological
Makeup
Biological
Factors Behaviour
Nature and
Nurture
Teacher/Peer
relationships
What are the School Teacher
limits/barriers Factors ideals/expectations
standing in the way?
Assessment
techniques
Traditionalist
perspectives on
Gender gender roles
Stereotypes
Socio-cultural Childhood
perspectives Socialisation

9. “ There is almost nothing we do with
our brains that is hard wired. Every
skill, attribute and personality trait is
moulded by experience”
(McKie, 2010).

10. GENDER STEREOTYPES
THE SOCIALISATION OF CHILDREN INTO GENDER
“Research confirms that children do not learn how to
be female and male in passive ways rather
individuals actively develop a sense of themselves as
gendered people by interacting with the myriad of
messages and practices which they encounter”.
“As girls and boys develop a sense of self as gender
beings they may come to actively desire ways of
being that can be potentially limiting rather than
liberating”.
Clark & Page (1997)

11. Teacher: “Now I need some
big strong boys to come
and help me lift this desk.”

12. Text
Assessment techniques
Teacher/Peer relationships
Teacher expectations

13. GENDER DIFFERENCES
The following graph shows that in
Spelling, Writing and Grammar and
Punctuation the girls’ results
were better than the boys’ with the
girls generally performing at the
national average except at the
Year 3 level. The gap in reading is not
nearly as significant, while the boys
have a slight edge in
numeracy overall and are close to the
national average at Year 9
(NAPLAN Performance Report, 2008).

14. Do you believe that gender impacts upon
learning, and student success? If so elaborate.
• “Yes especially in the early years. Girls are often able to concentrate
and focus on text. Boys can be more active and hands on.” Teacher A
• “Yes it can in the area of behaviour management, where sometimes
a make teacher can have better control of a class and therefore
enhanced learning; particularly with boys in education.
Conversely, girls may have problems relating to a ale teacher which
could lead to learning problems. Teacher B
• “No.” Teacher C
• “I believe gender has a limited impact upon earning and student
success. As an effective learning manager you need to take into
account individual differences and preferences among learners.
Whilst gender sometimes effects this {eg. Boys may need more
outside time) it is not the rule. Teacher D

16. “In school you are taught
things that you will
supposedly use later in
life, but you have no
understanding of how
they are going to be
useful”
(Stated by a male student).

17. Step Three What are some solutions
for overcoming the limits or barriers
Authentic PD to develop
Assessment to an awareness
Differentiated make learning
assessment of gender
relevant to
students
stereotypes
Single sex and Gender
co-ed schooling inclusive
SOLUTIONS curriculum
and content
Development
Critical
via biology /
audits
experience

18. As identified by Davis &
Dargusch (2010)
“the research found
around authentic
assessment indicates
that students are more
likely to learn when
they need to use their
knowledge and skills in
meaningful ways”.

19. • “Adjustments are always made at the
individual level”. Teacher A
• “I think that besides being male or
female, there are so many individual needs
providing assessment that allows choice and
freedom, brings out the best in students”.
Teacher B

20. Ryan & Cooper (2010)
discuss how
“the messages of the
hidden curriculum are
usually conveyed indirectly
and deal with
attitudes, values, beliefs
and behaviour. These
messages can either
support or undermine the
formal curriculum”.

21. What kind of values
and masculinity and
femininity do you
think this kind of
teacher response
could be giving
students?

22. The Inclusive Education Statement (2005) believes that an inclusive education
in Queensland is one that,
• “Maximises the educational and social outcomes of all students through
the identification and reduction of barriers to learning, especially for those
who are vulnerable to marginalisation and exclusion.”
The Inclusive Education Statement (2005) suggests the following indicators
can be used initially as guidelines to review current practices, promote
dialogue, plan for change and implement reform. Later, they can also be
used to help evaluate outcomes.
• Professional learning opportunities are provided to enhance
understanding of the recognition of difference and the factors that
contribute to educational disadvantage, especially an appreciation of
factors such as: poverty; gender; disability; cultural and linguistic diversity;
and sexuality.
• Plans reflect an ethos, organisation, culture and values underpinned by
principles of social justice and by democratic processes.

23. “Unless teachers
engage in critical
reflection and ongoing
discovery they stay
trapped in unexamined
judgments, interpretati
ons, assumptions and
expectations”
(Larrivee, 2000).

24. The Boys Literacy and Schooling Report (2002)
refers to the “explicit considerations of how
both popular and curricular texts
may, whatever else they may do, reinforce the
already heavily patrolled gender borders of
daily social justice”.

25. “Transformative remedies would focus on
recognising diversity and difference, through
promoting multiple ways of being masculine and
feminine but within an affirmative and discerning
critical framework that seeks to promblematise
and transform rather than reinscribe the
gendered ways of being, practises and structure
that limit and constrain students life-worlds and
future pathways”
(Keddie, 2005 from a framework for gender justice).

27. BIBLIOGRAPHY
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