Schools reflect the society which surrounds them but they must also be agents of change. The last few decades have seen an explosion of research on gender and education and, in this volume the author examines in a rigorous but highly accessible way, new research findings and new strategies for change, continuing to argue that both sexes lose out from sexist schooling.
Originally published in 1988. This book provides a unique perspective on the creation of gender and the way in which sex education programs in schools contribute to this. Through a series of conversations with young people, a picture is developed of the way in which young women and young men view their own sexuality and that of the opposite sex. The book demonstrates that, in spite of the ‘sexual revolution’, young people’s sexuality is still expressed within traditional gender constraints. The research reveals that, in spite of its ‘radical’ reputation, current sex education policy is consistent with the rest of the school curriculum: in failing to address the links between gender stereotypes and the social construction of sexuality, sex education implicitly and explicitly reinforces traditional attitudes to women’s sexuality. The book provides a conceptual framework for the discussion of the construction of gender and the place of theories of sexuality within this: examples of young people’s attitudes and practice; an historical perspective for and current analysis of the provision of sex education; and, most important, practical strategies for change.
Despite many years of equality of choice, boys and girls continue to differ in both the subjects they study at school and later in the careers they decide to pursue. In this collection of papers by leading researchers from academic and practitioner backgrounds, the current evidence from a range of fields is reviewed. Drawing on both their own original research and that of others, the contributors consider topics as diverse as subject choice in secondary school, differences in brain functions between the sexes, the comparison of men and women in management and recruiting women to science and technology.
Issues related to gender and sexual diversity in schools can generate a lot of controversy, with many educators and youth advocates under-prepared to address these topics in their school communities. This text offers an easy-to-read introduction to the subject, providing readers with definitions and research evidence, as well as the historical context for understanding the roots of bias in schools related to sex, gender, and sexuality. Additionally, the book offers tangible resources and advice on how to create more equitable learning environments. Topics such as working with same-sex parented families in elementary schools; integrating gender and sexual diversity topics into the curriculum; addressing homophobic bullying and sexual harassment; advising gay-straight alliances; and supporting a transgender or gender non-conforming student are addressed. The suggestions offered by this book are based on recent research evidence and legal decisions to help educators handle the various situations professionally and from an ethical and legally defensible perspective.
This book presents a comprehensive review of the progress in equal education for females through an introductory discussion and six readings. The introductory discussion examines the theory that the state and consequently, the education system are seen as having the promulgation of the dominant class hegemony as an important part of its function. The document also traces the interaction between gender and education in the domestic curriculum, vocational opportunities, and the working conditions of women teachers. In the first three readings, Sara Delamont looks at ways to counter sexism during the child's formative years; Dale Spender discusses the different ways that males get more attention in the classroom; and R. W. Connell, D. J. Ashenden, S. Kessler and G. W. Dowsett point out that schools differentiate between male and female students in ways which reinforce sex stereotypes. The results of the study carried out in 1974 by the Schools Commission on "Girls, School and Society," is discussed in reading four. In reading five, Jean Blackburn discusses removing formal barriers to access to education for girls and boys, and in the final reading Jane Kenway and Sue Willis offer alternatives to single-sex schooling as a solution to unequal education. An annotated bibliography is appended. (SM)
