Gender Equity in Education

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Gender Equity in Education “It is early indeed that children show an awareness of the message that… females are generally less interesting and important than males are… The (often inadvertent) bearers of this message include parents, peers, and teachers.” (Lips, 1979, p. 128.) The absence of gender equity can be damaging to both males and females. Surprisingly most of the teachers and administrators are unaware of this problem. Organizations such as the American Association of University Women (“Gender equity,” 2003.) strive to create programs that will improve equality within schools. The purpose of this research paper is to identify gender equity issues in the classroom and explore strategies for teachers to incorporate equitable perspectives into the curriculum. What is Gender Equity? Webster’s Dictionary defines equity as “freedom from bias or favoritism.” (“Merriam Webster,” 1996.) More specifically, “gender equity is parity between males and females in the quality, of life, academic, and work outcomes valued by our society.” (Sanders & Tescoine, 2002, p.99-115) To achieve gender equity in all aspects is the goal of these programs. The field attempts to create strategies and programs and then evaluate their success. People who evaluate this field would consider it successful when both males and females are given the same opportunities despite stereotypical gender qualities. They would like to see fewer job fields that are dominated by only one gender. (Sanders & Tescoine, 2002, p.99-115) In the 1960s, during the Second Feminist Movement, gender equity became a major issue that concerned feminists. (Bank, 1997, p. 4) Gender Socialization From the moment that every child is born it is perceived a... ... middle of paper ... ...ocial values. Child Study Journal. (p. 39-52) Klein, S. Ortman, P. and Friedman, B. What is the field of gender equity in education. Koch, J. and Irby, B. (2002) Defining and redefining gender equity in education. (pp. 3- 27) Connecticut: Information Age Publishing. Libit, H. Summer curricula bridge gender gap programs encourage girls’ interest in math, science, technology. (August 13, 2001) The Baltimore Sun. 1B. Martin, K. (1998). Becoming a gendered body: the practices of preschoolers. In Weitz R. (2003, 1998) The politics of women’s bodies: Sexuality, appearance, and behavior (pp. 219-239). New York: Oxford University Press, Inc. Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary: Tenth Edition. (1996). Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc. Young, Cathy. When teaching feminism, preach inclusiveness. (1999, August 30). The Baltimore Sun, 15A.

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