In Honor of Women's History Month
Wear this dress, act like a
lady, pink is a girl color, play with your dolls.
Blue is a boy color, boys like trucks,
cars, and sport.
Some common phrases I am sure majority of us heard throughout
our childhood. A great way to start teaching social, cultural roles and
behavior of gender *sarcasm*. However, we know the older children get gender attitude
and behaviors become more intense and new gender roles appear. Inequality becomes
even more visible. And it tremendously affects girls.
It is not so much
about what toys girls can play with anymore.We know women deal with problems such as the unequal
pay in the work force, lack of women in leaderships, discrimination in
education settings, violence and human trafficking.
If we want change then we have to stop continuing the myth
of gender roles. And that means helping women and also men overcome societal dictations that cause unequal and unfair treatment.
Why do we allow such sexism and oppression?? Why does one
gender face more repercussion than another? Who can we start with to break the cycle?
“Gender realities are the most important thing we can learn
about at our age!” – young students
Yes. By using pedagogy that promotes girl power. No, it’s not dismissing boys. But creating a balance in classrooms....creating gender equality. Glancing at the word “feminist pedagogy” I was kind of like
What would this look like? I had to do some extra research on what this exactly meant. Here’s a version of breaking it down:
And a quote to go along with defining the term: “The vision of a feminist pedagogy is of the classroom as a liberatory environment in which we, teacher-student and student-teacher, act as subjects, not objects. Feminist pedagogy is engaged teaching/learning—-engaged with self in a continuing reflective process; engaged actively with the material being studied; engaged with others in a struggle to get beyond out sexism and racism and classism and homophobia and other destructive hatreds and to work together to enhance our knowledge; engaged with the community, with traditional organizations, and with movements for social change” (Shrewsbury, 1987).
Sooooo where do we being with teaching “gender realities”?? Or the question from the article, “How do we begin to achieve equity and justice in classrooms” with a feminist pedagogy? According to the article, “This means choosing literature that invites critical thinking, developing writing assignments that recognize students as thinkers and facilitating discussions that are illuminating while not polarizing”.
“There too many other things we need to focus on” “We need to prepare for texts” “Nobody got time for that” — a lot of teachers
“We know many teachers are constrained by curricular mandates; however, we need alternatives to open discussion about gender, race, and class inequalities”.
Start with powerful women and the obstacles they faced! Integrate it into curriculum, specifically literature. Maybe start with these questions...
“Who is speaking?” “Who is silenced?” “What’s missing in this story?” “How do race, gender, class, and sexual identities of characters or persons affect the trajectory of the narrative?” “How might it be otherwise?”
The article has 4 sections that include ways through literature how to start these discussions about gender socialization.
Making visible the invisible- Gender affects giving voice to some and silencing others. Reevaluate traditions.
Text rendering to level voices - “Choosing similar texts that raise gender questions provides key elements in developing students’ critical awareness of gender as an analytical tool”.
Opening the discourse of argument with paired nonfiction texts - Pairs of nonfiction texts, one that suppressed certain voices and another that provides those voices a chance to talk back.
Using poetry to help girls write - “Poetry can assist students in discovering self-identity, increasing self-esteem, examining gender socialization, and providing an outlet for releasing inhibitions. Poetry can help students evaluate past experiences and provide life lessons towards unpredictable results”.
Additional links with strategies/information:
(promoting gender equality in classrooms) https://www.teachthought.com/education/6-ways-can-promote-gender-equality-classrooms/
(supporting girls and women) https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/resources-for-educators/girls-equity-and-empowerment-resource-list
At the end of the day we want students to have equal access, to have their own voice, to be positively represented, to be valued, etc. Especially our girls.
Some questions I am curious about:
1. What are your thoughts about feminist pedagogy?
2. What does gender equality look like in your classroom or educational environments you have been in?
3. What strategies do you use to empower girls?
4. What about transgender students? How can we support them?
Feel free to answer other questions I mentioned too :)
Yes. By using pedagogy that promotes girl power. No, it’s not dismissing boys. But creating a balance in classrooms....creating gender equality. Glancing at the word “feminist pedagogy” I was kind of like
What would this look like? I had to do some extra research on what this exactly meant. Here’s a version of breaking it down:
And a quote to go along with defining the term: “The vision of a feminist pedagogy is of the classroom as a liberatory environment in which we, teacher-student and student-teacher, act as subjects, not objects. Feminist pedagogy is engaged teaching/learning—-engaged with self in a continuing reflective process; engaged actively with the material being studied; engaged with others in a struggle to get beyond out sexism and racism and classism and homophobia and other destructive hatreds and to work together to enhance our knowledge; engaged with the community, with traditional organizations, and with movements for social change” (Shrewsbury, 1987).
Sooooo where do we being with teaching “gender realities”?? Or the question from the article, “How do we begin to achieve equity and justice in classrooms” with a feminist pedagogy? According to the article, “This means choosing literature that invites critical thinking, developing writing assignments that recognize students as thinkers and facilitating discussions that are illuminating while not polarizing”.
“There too many other things we need to focus on” “We need to prepare for texts” “Nobody got time for that” — a lot of teachers
“We know many teachers are constrained by curricular mandates; however, we need alternatives to open discussion about gender, race, and class inequalities”.
Start with powerful women and the obstacles they faced! Integrate it into curriculum, specifically literature. Maybe start with these questions...
“Who is speaking?” “Who is silenced?” “What’s missing in this story?” “How do race, gender, class, and sexual identities of characters or persons affect the trajectory of the narrative?” “How might it be otherwise?”
The article has 4 sections that include ways through literature how to start these discussions about gender socialization.
Making visible the invisible- Gender affects giving voice to some and silencing others. Reevaluate traditions.
Text rendering to level voices - “Choosing similar texts that raise gender questions provides key elements in developing students’ critical awareness of gender as an analytical tool”.
Opening the discourse of argument with paired nonfiction texts - Pairs of nonfiction texts, one that suppressed certain voices and another that provides those voices a chance to talk back.
Using poetry to help girls write - “Poetry can assist students in discovering self-identity, increasing self-esteem, examining gender socialization, and providing an outlet for releasing inhibitions. Poetry can help students evaluate past experiences and provide life lessons towards unpredictable results”.
Additional links with strategies/information:
(promoting gender equality in classrooms) https://www.teachthought.com/education/6-ways-can-promote-gender-equality-classrooms/
(supporting girls and women) https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/resources-for-educators/girls-equity-and-empowerment-resource-list
At the end of the day we want students to have equal access, to have their own voice, to be positively represented, to be valued, etc. Especially our girls.
Some questions I am curious about:
1. What are your thoughts about feminist pedagogy?
2. What does gender equality look like in your classroom or educational environments you have been in?
3. What strategies do you use to empower girls?
4. What about transgender students? How can we support them?
Feel free to answer other questions I mentioned too :)
Bruce, H. E. (2008). Feminist Pedagogy Is for Everybody:
Troubling Gender in Reading and Writing[PDF]. National Council of Teachers of
English.
Allen, Carolyn. "Feminist Teachers: The Power of the
Personal," Working Paper Series 3 (1981). Woman's Studies Research Center,
University of Wisconsin
I like the idea of the feminist pedagogy, because our job is to empower young girls so they can become strong successful women. I think from a young age girls can see the inequities that surround them and the women they look up to in their lives. I do think that we have made progress recently and was incredibly proud of our country when we elected women as 23% of our House of Representatives. After reading the article on feminist pedagogy I think that most good teachers probably already do many of these things in their classrooms to encourage gender equality and educational equity. The one thing that stood out to me was where it stated the teacher should "know yourself" and "understand your motivation", because that is exactly what we are trying to teach our girls, so we must first make sure we have a solid understanding of ourselves. In school I always felt the most comfortable around teachers who shared their lives and personal experiences with me. This showed me they cared enough to establish a meaningful relationship and expressed their open mindedness through their actions, not just their words. I think as long as we all make a conscious decision to do that everyday girls will feel heard, empowered and free to express their thoughts in a judgment free environment.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of empowering young girls and working to minimize/eliminate the inequities girls face, although I am cautious about using the word "feminist" or "feminism". While feminism means, to most of us, "the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes, and the organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests," as the Merriam-Webster dictionary reveals (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feminism), the top definition of feminism in the Urban Dictionary points out a different perspective: "the radical notion that men are not people" (https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Feminism). I agree with the author that educators need to choose assignments that promote critical thinking and that recognize student experiences. Creating safe spaces that highlight student thinking would not only build the confidence of girls, it would build the confidence of others to stand up for them.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you and I like that you brought up being cautious of the word itself. I think that is why I was unsure of the pedagogy at first. When I was finding videos that defined it I came across one video that was about a high school course that students would take that was strictly about feminism. The video was very disliked and most of the comments talked about indoctrination and political ideology. So I am glad that the author broke down what these strategies would look like to promote the pedagogy.
DeleteI had this very thought. You don't need to call it feminist to address making a more equitable/gender neutral classroom. I am fearful administrators, parents and even the students could see it from the extreme angle and be offended. In theory it sounds great but you would have to use care in the way you approach it and the words you choose.
DeleteI agree I talked a little bit about that in my post and how that word has gotten a negative connotation attached to it although we know it's purpose is not that. I liked that the author did not stress much on the word but focused more on how we should create more equitable classrooms where certain voices from certain demographics have been left out of the curriculum historically. I think it also helps create a classroom space where all students feel that their voices matter and aren't learning some of the messages we learned at such a young age.
DeleteGender equality in my Professional Writing courses can be quite interesting, particularly when NNES are in the class. For example, A Saudi male was placed in a group with three females who were born and raised in the United States. He asked to switch groups because he did not feel as though he could lead the group, and in fairness, he was worried that his professional voice would not be heard. I had to meet with each member of the group outside of class to provide some cultural instruction. I point out to all my students that in a business/professional environment, where diverse global perspectives are undoubtedly going to be encountered, they will be expected to conduct themselves civilly and professionally; the academic environment where they learn these skills is no different.
ReplyDeleteI think when a lot of people hear the word "feminism" or "feminist" they are immediately turned off because their view of it is something that is "anti-men" or "man bashing" but really it is something that benefits all people not just women. I think that it is something great that can be implemented into the curriculum. I do not have my own classroom yet but i do work at a daycare and I see strict gender roles and things like homophobia show up. When boys want to play with the "girl" toys their parents can quickly become concerned or upset and ask us not to let them play with them. I try and respect them and their decision for their children, but also I want the children to be able to play with whatever toys they want and not feel like they can't because it's for boys or girls. When i think of my future classroom though I definitely want to share voices and viewpoints from people who have been historically silenced or ignored.
ReplyDeleteAlexis, I worked at many child care centers and that was always an issue with parents (mostly dads) with what they want their children to play with. I remember a lot of my boys wanted to wear dresses and put on heels or take care of the baby dolls. One dad told my co-worker and I that he wanted his son to not play with the baby dolls, that it makes him uncomfortable and of course we respected that. But the child would talk about his dad taking care of his little brother and that he wanted to be like his dad. Once we shared that info with the dad we let him know that his son is just imitating the person he looks up to in his play. With that being said the dad understood more of the play that goes on in the class.
DeleteI totally agree. The past couple of weeks I have been teaching a unit on gender roles in society. One of the sources I showed was the TED talk We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. When the students saw the title a couple of students rolled their eyes and made comments. There is a stigma that goes with that word. Adichie actually talks about that in the beginning of the TED talk too. I highly recommend checking it out. I think a lot of students had a different opinion about being a feminist after that video.
DeleteHistorically, it is interesting to look at how these different social norms that relate to gender have changed over the years. Different generations have defined different things as masculine/feminine. If I'm not mistaken, originally pink was intended as the masculine color and blue was ordained for girls.
DeleteThere are pictures of one of our esteemed presidents, FDR, as a child wearing a dress and hair down to his shoulders. At the time, this was considered gender neutral. It really makes me wonder where our generation is going to take this into the future.
I loved this article. I teach about gender roles in my Comp 12 class that ends with them writing a synthesis paper arguing, defending, or qualifying the gender roles are more constraining for females in American society. I am actually in the middle of grading them right now and it seems like a lot of students took a lot away from it. This article would be a great addition. In the article she also talked about using their names and that gave me a lot of ideas to add to my identity unit for sophomores. I teach a little section about names, where we read She Names Them and My Name, but I would like to add some of her other strategies. I loved how she adds in the part about surnames and I think that would be really interesting for a class to look at.
ReplyDeleteIn another class of mine we talked about gender roles and a big one we talked about was a man opening a door for a woman because it is the 'manly' thing to do. One girl in this class offered up her opinion on how she didn't think gender roles were a bad thing but it is the mind set you have when it is performed. For example, a man thinking 'I am going to hold this door open because it is a manly thing to do' would be a negative mind set on the situation. This girl is my class talked about how anyone should be able to open a door for anyone because it is a polite thing to do not because it is a 'manly' thing to do.
ReplyDeleteI agreed with her. I think that certain thinking leads to gender roles and the thinking leads to be people saying things like 'you can't do that cause you are a girl' or 'you can't do that because you are a boy.' If there was a different thinking process when it came to opening up doors for others or wearing certain colors as children the idea of gender roles wouldn't really be a thing.
Torri, thank you for sharing that discussion! I loved reading that point of view that your classmate offered and I completely agree with her. The mentality of gender roles definitely needs to change. Females are more than capable of doing anything that a man is capable of and this is the mindset that women should embrace.
DeleteYour blog really resonated with me the reality of hidden curriculum. This is especially prevalent in a content area such as history. Whereas, if the teacher does not introduce a certain person, event, or concept then the students will never hear about it again. This applies to many different marginalized groups throughout history who were often ignored or not brought to the forefront. If educators choose not to bring the material to the classroom then it will be "hidden" forever.
ReplyDeleteI was reminded by a fish bowl discussion I had with a psychology class of mine earlier this year. The fish bowl discussion involved the topic of racism and how we should address it in the school system. This particular conversation mainly dealt with curriculum and how should slavery be taught. One student opined that it was the school's job (in this case the teacher) to educate all students on the injustices and different perspectives that exist in the world. She continued that if the school does not address these opinions in class then the students are forced to "fill in the gaps" at home. In her case, she stated that her father was racist and many people like her would be forced to this way of thinking if it wasn't addressed in school. At that moment, I couldn't believe the power of her words and the imminent responsibility that I felt regarding curriculum. That was something that I continued to reflect upon when I read your blog post and how we must address these issues in class or our student will "fill in the gaps" elsewhere. And who knows what those gaps will be filled with.
Jacob, what a powerful discussion! I do think that history teachers have a lot of room to choose what content we focus on but had not put a lot of thought into something being "hidden forever." At the beginning of the year I always have a discussion about my own personal bias. I tell my students that I tend to focus on the things that I find most interesting because, well, they interest me! Then we talk about our different interests and I have them fill out an "about me" survey. I tell them I will use that information to help me focus on what we'll cover for the year. This makes me think about how even that is lacking though. I need to reassess and think about things from the "hidden forever" perspective.
DeleteThis was a really interesting topic to read about and it really got me thinking. I think the idea of Feminist Pedagogy is very smart and great way to open up dialogue in the classroom. I really loved how the video explained that it is not a lesson about being a feminist, it is about a way to change the status quo. This pedagogy allows for students to think critically, change their mindsets, and discuss topics that will allow them to have a voice. I believe that this is very important in the classroom because it is a safe space for students to express their opinions about different issues and learn from each other. Gender roles should be redefined and I think starting that kind of a conversation at such a young age could have a very positive and beneficial effect on children.
ReplyDeleteRedefining gender roles at a young age can be tricky. In the classroom the teacher could be saying one thing and in the world and at home people are saying a different thing. Gender roles are everywhere and I feel like they target children. I say this because when you look at toys being sold they have baby dolls for little girls to act like mothers and tool kits for little boys to be a handy man. To be able to break the status quo I feel like you would need to get parents and/or other adults involved for it to really be effective.
DeleteTaylor,
DeleteI definitely agree that having those conversations even at a young age is beneficial. It helps to see the way your students think. I do think it's critical for teachers to establish that safe space. Otherwise you won't get honest dialogue and students will shut down. That culture of "this is a safe space" has to be put in place and that comes with building relationships with students.
Taylor, I agree with you about having that safe space in the classroom and I will second that it starts with having that relationship with your student that Aleshia mentioned. I work at a daycare right now and I have had a few gender stereotype related talks with the kiddos I work with. Sometimes I will overhear them talking about how "you can't play with this toy because you're a boy." (One of my bossy girls) and I kindly and gently walk over to explain that anyone, no matter if they are a girl or boy, can play with whatever toy they have the desire to play with. I've tried to build some really tight knit relationships with all of my students so that when we have talks like this, they will actually listen and retain the advice I am giving them. This type of teaching is a lot of the reason I wanted to become an educator.
DeleteKacy,
ReplyDeletebrava on your blog post! You did a really great job at highlighting feminism and what that means. Not to mention, the questions you posed are great questions!
I'd like to answer the last three questions:
*"What does gender equality look like in your classroom or educational environments you have been in?" Personally, I am starting to realize the "boys are supposed to... and girls are supposed to...," especially teaching third grade. There have been countless times that one of my girls will say something about the game 'Fortnight' and the boys will say girls don't play that game. My response to these types of comments are "well you know girls can do and like anything the boys can do and like, right?" To which my boys look confused. And I give examples of women who have done things that men are known for doing (i.e. Katherine Johnson). Then they say, "ohhhh. Well I didn't mean it like that. I just meant some girls don't play Fortnight" lol. I've also been mindful in not letting the girls go first when it comes to lining up or making other transitions first. I've transitioned them by table, shirt color, etc.
*"What strategies do you use to empower girls?" I let my students (boys and girls) that women have done a lot for this world and that they could be the next girl to make history. I think it's good for boys to hear that also because it lets them know that girls are not inferior to them. I don't want my students to have the mindset that girls are "weak." In addition to Black authors, I oftentimes show them books written by women authors. For Black History Month, some groups of students chose to research women such as Dr. Mae Jemison, Ruby Bridges, and Linda Brown. But I had to establish that culture in my classroom first.
*"What about transgender students? How can we support them?" I believe that this is a very important question. I think it's important to consider the pronoun that student wants to be called first. Secondly, I think that we have to get away from the hetero-normancy that all students all "girls" or "boys." Which is why I think we should step back from the "girls go first, boys go next" and "boys need to hold open the door." I think we can teach our students compassion and chivalry, but I think we should do so in a way that isn't so "gender heavy."
Thank you Aleshia!!! And thank you for the thoughtful responses. I am glad you were able to answer the last question. I really started to think about transgender students as I kept going back to the article and pulling information from it. There is actually a note at the bottom of the article that is direct towards transgender students and so that is what made me want to include it. But I agree! I like the "gender heavy" term you used. That's a good way to describe trying to keep things neutral and not just so fixed on boys and girls. I have never been a teacher of a transgender student up until this past month though. So that really threw me off and I started to reexamine my practices. The student has already made the full transformation but I think for future references definitely your advice on considered the pronoun of what the student wants to be called is a good start.
DeleteI really enjoyed this blog and all that it stands for. One section of your blog talks about Making the Visible Invisible. When you said reevalute traditions, it really made me start thinking a lot about how traditional my schooling was and how yes, boys do this and girls do that and that is how it is. As I have grown up and have studied many courses in trying to persue a degree in teaching, as well as in the feministic society that we live in, I have come to a realization that there needs to be much more equality in this world than I ever though was possible. Some would say "no tradition is key, it's worked for this long so why stop it now...?" I think that is a crazy way to view learning. Coming up with new and exciting ways to learn about the people around us and all around the world is something I look forward to teaching my future students. A Feminist Pedagogy is a mindset that every teacher should have in every classroom.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you! I believe it is important to try new things also. I think that the traditional way that most teachers teach isn't right for this group of kids that are going through school right now. I think it's important to let young girls know how powerful they are and how much power they can hold in the future just because of their education. I don't believe it is right to tell girls that they can't do certain job because it is a "boys job".
DeleteI really enjoyed this blog! I really liked how you put your own opinion into it. I work at a daycare and reading this made me think about how we treat the boys and the girls in our daycare. I usually work in one certain room and it made me think about how the lead teacher in there is really good at not stereotyping the children. She doesn't say anything about what toys they play with and even if the boys are playing with the barbies, she doesn't say anything bad about that. She actually encourages it. She doesn't really pick one gender over the other either. She lets both speak when they want. I think this is really important for when they do get into elementary school, so the girls don't feel like they are less than the boys.They also will feel like they can't speak because the boys might be smarter and get to speak whenever. Also, in my sorority they talk a lot about women and power. I think having groups of girls that can lead and show that women being together are so powerful, is very important. We also talked about sisterhood circle and how to can empower young girls to get an education, because in some places it is not important for young girls to have an education (because men believe they are the only ones who need one).
ReplyDeleteI would like to start by saying that this blog rocked!! My thoughts about feminist pedagogy are, it's about time!! I feel as though many girls and boys in my generation could have benefited from feminists pedagogy. Had this pedagogy strategy existed years ago, I feel as though many men would have the respect for women that is deserved. Feminist pedagogy lays the groundwork for having gender equality in the classroom where boys and girls are allowed to be themselves. Gender equality does not put a label on or limit what and how boys and girls are expected to behave. This also allows for transgender students to be treated like individuals and not be misunderstood and hindered from being who they truly are in their hearts.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThank you Tiffany!! And yessss I think for the most part if this pedagogy was more common then, by now there would be more results. I think that is super important using the word individual. We all are unique and now a days is the time to embrace and celebrate it instead of being so categorized.
DeleteI am sorry that I am so late to the party! I didn't want to miss out on commenting altogether though, in part because I think feminist pedagogy is so important! Sometimes I feel like Women's History Month just becomes an excuse to ignore the contributions of women for the other 11 months. I think a more effective way to break down those barriers is to incorporate women INTO the curriculum. I am certainly not saying that this is something that I have done well. It's difficult because you really do have to search for the contributions in many areas because it has been ignored for so long. We've already established in this class that textbooks are inadequate. There have been multiple studies and scholarly articles written about the lack of women in these textbooks. I think that as a history teacher, it is my responsibility to seek those things out and weave it in to the narrative.
ReplyDelete