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... , 1994; Sadker & Sadker, 1994). Keyes (1976) interviewed adults that attended high school during the 1970 s, and found that being popular was a top priority for girls. This was also true in the 1960 s, when James Coleman conducted his classic study, The Adolescent Society. Sadker and Sadker (1994) found that in our present society, many girls think that being intelligent conflicts with popularity.
High school dreams consist of the following: to go to the prom with the right date; to be a cheerleader; to be chosen as most popular; and to be elected class officer. During most of the twentieth century an invisible line dissected the courses offered in our nation's high schools. In the division of curricular, home economics was a female field, preparing girls for their roles as wives and mothers, while shop was reserved for boys. Women considered incapable of learning math and science when they were girls were written off by both teachers and parents and bear the scars of sexist schooling (Sadker & Sadker, 1994). Finally, girls are now learning the lessons that math matters. Girls are at last staying in math courses longer.
Often school counselors harm young girls when they only want to help. Feeling sorry for girls enrolled in math and science courses, which they find difficult, school counselors often dismiss girls. This dismissal is less likely to be offered to male students. Young girls, though, tend to neglect to realize the high cost of their math/ science course dismissal. When girls self-select out of math, science, and computer technology, they are making decisions that will affect the rest of their lives (Sadker & Sadker, 1994). While girls appeared to gain ground in the sciences between 1960 and 1980, there is evidence that this trend is reversing.
It is well documented that something occurs between junior high and high school that causes girls to lose interest, perceive science, mathematics, and computer technology as masculine endeavors and opt out of more difficult courses (Wellesley College Center for Research on Women, 1992; Chapman, 1997; Sadker & Sadker, 1994). Denied their history, discouraged from taking crucial courses that lead to key careers, concluding that the appearance of their bodies may be worth more than the quality of their minds, realizing they are not the gender of choice, and doubting their intelligence and ability, high school girls make the journey from adolescence to womanhood. It is abundantly clear that they pay a steep price for their passage (Sadker & Sadker, 1994). Practical Solutions Achieving equity will require more than gender-balanced textbooks and gender-fair teaching practices. The traditional curricula should be transformed to include the contributions, experiences, and scholarship of women.
Boxer (1989) and Reis (1990) pointed out the considerable time needed for significant change to occur in educational practices, and the need for systematic support for effective implementation. However, the authors believe that teachers and educational leaders do have the ability to create transformative classrooms. Epp (1995) found the lack of women in leadership positions did not create a positive image for girls. For example, a female teacher with a male principal sends a powerful message to girls about their leadership capabilities and their position in society. In 1995, only 19 percent of all principals at a secondary level were female. Despite many qualified female applicants in the job pool, females are often overlooked for leadership positions.
Teacher education programs contribute to the problem. Rarely do students in teacher education programs receive gender equity training and instruction in gender-balanced teaching strategies. Teachers need to learn how to identify gender equity in instructional materials as well as learn about specific scholarship and contributions made by women in their content areas. Teachers who receive this training may become important change agents once they arrive in the classroom (Eckert & Tracy, 1995; Sanders, 1996). To achieve equity educators should begin the process early in the lives of girls. Guidance counselors and vocational educators need to provide career information to girls when they are in elementary school.
Self-perception of ability in mathematics, science, and technology has been found to be a high predictor of course selection and of choosing these areas as major fields of study. The relationship between self-esteem and success in these fields appears to be circular. Girls need female role models as mentors and opportunities to interact with women in the community who work in technical and nontraditional fields (Kane, 1991). It must no longer be acceptable to parents or guidance counselors for students to opt out of difficult science or mathematics classes. Students in China and other countries which require these courses do not perform differently by gender. Teachers must encourage girls as much as boys to pursue rigorous courses.
Parents can increase science achievement by providing their daughters with science-related experiments at home, toys that are mechanical in nature, and science-related excursions (Kahle & Meece, 1994). Educators can help parents become aware of the impact of the culture and teach them to empower their daughters with their support and active involvement (Baldwin & Kielbaso, 1990). Parents begin treating their female and male children differently as soon as they enter the world. This is reflected in several ways: (a) the way parents hold and plan with their children as infants, (b) the toys, books, television programs, and activities their children are exposed to as toddlers, and (c) the type of encouragement children receive when trying new activities (Wellesley College Center for Research on Women, 1992; Sadker & Sadker, 1994). Chapman (1997) and Hammrich (1997) recommend to parents that they should provide girls with puzzles, building blocks, and teach them to use common household tools as prerequisite skills needed for science (Chapman, 1997; Hammrich, 1997). Conclusion It is imperative to spotlight the cost of gender equity to society and to change the instructive strategies used in all schools.
Educators must take the responsibility to expand and enhance commitments to gender equity. Presently, the need for qualified scientists and engineers can not be met. Therefore, the norm in the schools must include enticing female students to pursue the sciences. To understand the position of girls and women in education requires an understanding of changing structures and complex processes and a commitment to breaking down the barriers which continue to result in female disadvantage. If America is to hold the best possible future for our people and civilization, she cannot afford to waste a primary resource -- our nation's girls and women. References Baldwin, J. , & Kielbaso, G. (1990).
Working together: A sex equity training manual. MI: Michigan State Department of Education. Boxer, M. (1989). Enhancing diversity: Curriculum for a more inclusive society.
Unpublished manuscript. Panel presentation at the meeting of the American Council on Education, San Diego, CA. Chapman, A. (1997). A great balancing act: Equitable education for girls and boys. Washington, DC: National Association of Independent Schools. Coleman, J. (1961).
The adolescent society. New York: The Free Press. Eckert, J. , & Tracy, D. (1995). Gender socialization in schools: A course for change agents.
Teaching Education, 5 (1), 59 - 64. Epp, J. (1995). Women, authority, pedagogy, & violence. In AAUW (Ed. ), Achieving gender equity in the classroom and on campus.
Washington, DC: AAUW Educational Foundation. Hammrich, P. (1997, January). Yes, daughter, you can. Science and Children, 21 - 23. Hill, E. V. , & Conway, C. (1994).
Gender equity in education. Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation, 7 - 17. Kahle, J. , & Meece, J. (1994). Research on gender in the classroom. In D. Gabel (Ed. ), Handbook of research on science teaching (pp. 542 - 557).
New York: Macmillan.
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Research essay sample on Female Gender Bias In Schools
