Toward Gender Equity in the Classroom

Everyday Teachers' Beliefs and Practices

By Janice L. Streitmatter

Subjects: Social Context Of Education
Series: SUNY series, Teacher Preparation and Development
Paperback : 9780791418048, 207 pages, February 1994
Hardcover : 9780791418031, 207 pages, February 1994

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Table of contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1 Introducing Gender Equity

Genesis of Gender Bias

Gender Equity: Equal or Equitable?

The Teachers

Summary

Chapter 2 Socialization

Social Structure and Gender

School Structure and Gender

Implications of Gender Roles Today

Summary

Chapter 3 Curriculum

Subjects

Instructional Materials

How Teachers Select Their Materials

Summary

Chapter 4 Teaching Methods

Language

Cooperative Activities

Organization

The Teachers' Methods: Language and Organization

Summary

Chapter 5 Teacher Interactions

Quantity of Interactions

Quality of Interactions

The Teachers' Interactions

Summary

Chapter 6 Toward Gender Equity in Your Classroom

Equal or Equitable?

Challenges for Integrating Gender Equity

Getting Started

Appendix

References

Index

Description

Rather than simply examining gender differences in student performance, this book presents various aspects and considerations of gender equity in classroom teaching through conversations with and observations of eight teachers. It highlights the differences between teacher beliefs and practices, shows how educational institutions contribute to the formation or development of those beliefs and practices, and describes how individual teachers within those institutions can and do combat the inequities resulting from gender socialization.

Janice L. Streitmatter is Associate Professor of Teaching and Teacher Education in the College of Education at the University of Arizona.

Reviews

"What I like most about this book is the author's use of the case study approach to focus on teachers who, in their own individual ways, are actually in the process of striving to achieve gender equity in the classroom. So many texts and materials focus on the 'shoulds, oughts, and musts' rather than providing specific examples of what 'ordinary' individual teachers are actually doing. The diversity of the sample of teachers provides much in the way of opportunity for identification by the book's ultimate readership: diversity in gender, grade-level, content area, school setting, and personal life experiences that created the teachers' awareness of gender stereotypes and motivated them to intervene on behalf of gender equity. By avoiding judgmental ratings of an individual teacher's efforts and by addressing how an individual teacher's actions flowed from her or his own philosophical position, the author sends an important metamessage to the reader—anyone/everyone can do something to address gender inequities in the classroom. " — Constance L. Hollinger, Cleveland State University