Countering Gender Stereotyping in Schools

What Are Gender Stereotypes?

Gender stereotypes(1) are widely held beliefs or generalisations about the behaviours, characteristics and roles performed by women and men. Stereotypes can be negative, positive, or seemingly harmless, but all stereotypes come with harmful impacts.

Why Should Teachers Care About Gender Stereotypes?

It is essential that teachers are aware of — and work to counter— gender stereotypes, because otherwise, teachers can inadvertently limit the performance and development of young learners. Gender stereotypes(2) shape self-perception from a very young age and gendered classroom experiences can have long lasting impacts through development (or lack thereof) of particular skills, interests, as well as through subject selection and academic performance.

The Nature Versus Nurture Debate

There has been a long-standing debate about whether individual characteristics (from personality to sexual orientation) are learned or fixed. There is still some debate, but over time, scientists have come to agree more and more that it is both. There is a complex relationship between our brains/bodies and our experiences. Both impact and are impacted by the other.

Biopsychosocial Model & Neuroplasticity:

The biopsychosocial model(3) is an interdisciplinary model that looks at the interconnection between biology, psychology, and socio-environmental factors.1

Neuroplasticity(4) refers to the ability of neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganisation.

Neuroplasticity and the biopsychosocial model tell us that gender is influenced by our experiences. Parents often soothe babies differently based on gender bias(5) (for instance being very gentle with a crying baby girl, but using more rough-and- tumble playing to get a crying baby boy to laugh). These gendered social experiences will impact psychological development from a very young age. Gendered social experiences throughout childhood will influence what activities we engage in and what emotional states we allow and this in turn impacts our biology, body shape and size, and neurochemistry. These biophysical changes go on to influence our social experiences, and so on. This complex interaction and feedback loop between our biology and physical bodies, our sociology and experiences, and our psychological development is the biopsychosocial model(5).

Interestingly, there is stronger scientific evidence for behaviours changing hormones, than hormones changing behaviours. For instance, when people behave in nurturing ways their testosterone levels decrease; and when people behave in dominant ways their testosterone levels increase. So engaging in gendered behaviours learned from socially constructed gender norms can reinforce culturally constructed gender roles(6)!

Unconscious Gender Bias in the Classroom

Just as parents may unconsciously make choices based on gender bias, teachers too can be influenced by unconscious gender bias in the classroom. Unconscious gender bias shows up in the classroom in many ways.

Research shows that(7):

• Teachers are more likely to praise girls for good behaviour than for seeking deeper understanding

• Teachers are less likely to call girls in front of the class to demonstrate and less likely to direct their gaze at girls while seeking answers to questions

• Teachers are also more likely to interrupt girls than boys.

• Conversely, teachers are more likely to praise boys for their ideas and understanding than behaviour and more likely to select boys to demonstrate in front of the class.

These biases are harmful to both boys and girls. Quiet boys are more likely to be overlooked by teachers and disruptive girls are likely to face more criticism than equally disruptive boys. This can lead girls to develop greater passivity, compliance, and perfectionism or risk aversion; and can lead boys to develop greater aversion to academic efforts if understanding does not come easily.

What Can You Do?

1. Become Aware of Your Own Unconscious Bias-

   Everyone has bias. Having a gender bias does not automatically make a person sexist. It is important to seek to discover and overcome your biases so that you can best support all your learners.

2. Address Gender Stereotypes in Classroom Texts-

   Many fictional books and stories uphold traditional gender stereotypes. Try to find texts that challenge these stereotypes, or, if reading a text that upholds stereotypes, address this directly in class discussion.

3. Address Language and Behaviour-

   Gendered and/or sexist language and behaviour among adults will influence children’s perceptions around gender. For example, are female teachers more polite and passive in their interactions with other teachers, while male teachers are more direct and outspoken? Are assumptions made about parental roles at home? (i.e. “What’s mum making for tea tonight?” or “Is anyone’s dad an engineer?”) Work to change these language and behaviour patterns within the whole school.

4. Broaden Career & Interest Awareness-

   Broaden career awareness beyond gendered stereotypes for all learners from a young age. In recent years there has been a greater focus on girls and STEM, but often interventions take place in transition years or high school. Care should be taken from early years to expose all learners to non-gendered opportunities to develop interests and career awareness. In younger settings this might include avoiding gendered assumptions about books, subjects, or play that might interest individual pupils.

Key Terms Review:

Gender Stereotypes(1): widely held beliefs or generalisations about the behaviours, characteristics and roles performed by women and men.

Biopsychosocial Gender(3): the way our bodies and brains influence —and are influenced by— our personal experiences, socialization, and cultural environment; and the way these interactions work together to shape gender expression and identity.

Neuroplasticity(4): the ability of neural networks in the brain to change through growth and reorganization; meaning that experiences help shape our brains

Unconscious Bias(9): the associations we hold which, despite being outside our conscious awareness, can have a significant influence on our attitudes and behaviour.

Gender Bias(5): prejudiced actions or thoughts based on gender-stereotype-based perceptions of what it means to be a man/woman/boy/girl.

Gendered Language(10): language that is influenced by gender bias