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I. What happens in classrooms?
II. Which students do mathematics and science well?
III. What is equity?
IV. What does current research indicate about gender equity?
V. What should happen in classrooms?
No specific time frame for these activities has been established. Included are:
• Notes for workshop leader
• Transparency Masters
• Master copy for "Which Word Fits" Activity
Note: (TR. #) in the notes indicates that a transparency is provided.
Outline for Workshop (TR. #1)
I. What happens in classrooms? (TR. #2)
Before responding to this question, show a short video regarding classroom practice.
Video Choices: 20/20
Jane Pauley
"Making Points"
Possible Option: Use one of the skit scripts in this module that was
prepared by WW-GEMS participants.
Discussion:
From Myra and David Sadker
Boys receive significantly more remediation, criticism, and praise than girls. Boys are given more time to talk in class.
Teachers are generally unaware of the presence or the impact of such bias. Only when they view video tapes of their own classes do they see (with surprise) their own gender bias. Both male and female teachers are guilty.
From AAUW "Shortchanging Girls, Shortchanging America"
The longer we teach students the less they like science and mathematics. This is true for both boys and girls.
Boys and girls lose self-esteem in school. Girls lose significantly more, especially during middle school years.
Differences between girls and boys in math achievement are small and declining. Yet, in high school, girls are still less likely than boys to take the more advanced courses and to be in the top math groups. In science, however, the gender gap is not decreasing and may, in fact, be increasing.
Even girls who are highly competent in math and science are much less likely to pursue scientific or technological careers than their male classmates.
Pedagogy designed to meet the needs of girls is NOT anti-male. In fact this pedagogy will meet the needs of many male and minority students who do not currently succeed in math.
From Judith Jacobs
In many classrooms the teacher acts as the fountain of knowledge, and the students are knowledge receivers.
From Elizabeth Fennema
There is little overt sexism. Data indicate little difference in treatment of students by male or female teachers.
II. Which students do mathematics and science well? (TR. # 3)
Activity from Judith Jacobs: Which Words Fit?
Have each member of the audience complete one of the six exercises in which they match descriptors to types of students. Have those people with the same student compare their descriptors and generate a common list. Then, in the large group, discuss the descriptors for each type of student, taking special note of the two generic students (Pat). (TR #4) A master copy for handouts for this activity can be found following the transparencies.
Discussion: Is there a connection between the group and the following beliefs found in research. (TR. #5).
Beliefs found in early research:
• Math and science are male domains.
• You have to be a genius or have a mathematical mind in order to do math.
• If you're good in language arts, you aren't good in math.
• Math is done instantly if at all.
• There is only one right way to do a problem.
More current findings:
• Boys receive significantly more attention.
• The longer we teach students the less they like science and math.
• Even girls who are very able in science are less likely to pursue scientific
or technological careers than boys.
• There is very little overt sexism by teachers regardless of gender.
• Diagram for learning attribution theory. (TR. #6) Audience will fill in the boxes as an activity (Tobias).
Notes from Sheila Tobias
Briefly explain the us/them and the multiple tier theory. While the Tobias research was based on college students, this construct can be adapted to high school students. (TR. #7 & #8)
Second tier students who have the potential to do well in mathematics and science tend to (1) have high verbal/analytical skills, (2) have strong compare/contrast powers, (3) use common sense and logic, (4) have divergent (vs. convergent) thinking skills, (5) pose questions well, (6) be model sensitive-capable of disentwining models from nature-distinguish a model from a fact, and (7) need to see the "big picture" or overview.
III. What is equity? (TR. #9)
Have each member of the audience write a response to the question "What is Equity?" Then facilitate a discussion with the whole group. An additional question might be "When is Equity Achieved?"
(Use TR. #10)
From Elizabeth Fennema
• The goal is equal outcomes.
• Legal responsibility is to provide equal opportunity/access or equal
treatment.
• Equity will be achieved when outcomes are the same for all students
(on an average within groups).
(TR. #11)
IV. What does current research indicate about gender equity? (TR. #12)
(Use TR. # 13)
• Research in gender issues is value laden - it starts with a set of beliefs.
Research in gender issues is value laden. There are two basic sets of beliefs from which people operate (Fennema).
In the first set of values people believe that no sex related differences exist that are important to learning. Males and females are equal intellectually if left alone. It is the socialization of boys and girls that leads to the differences in outcomes. Title IX intervention programs are based on this premise. Such intervention programs include EQUALS (Lawrence Hall of Science, CA), GESA (Gender Equity and Student Achievement), SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity), etc.
Girls and boys have the same intellectual capacity, and girls are not cognitively handicapped. We must examine society's beliefs and learning environments to explain girls' consistently lower scores than boys on higher level mathematics tests (Tobias).
In the second set of values, males and females are considered to be basically very different in the way they learn. Boys tend to use deductive, rigorous, structured, and axiomatic thinking. Girls use inductive, experiential, creative, and intuitive thinking and are more influenced by their cultural environment. The first is labeled as separate knowing, and the second is labeled as connected knowing (Jacobs).
• Girls receive substantially less attention in classes than boys.
Not only do boys get more attention, but they get precise praise while girls get neutral praise. Boys get follow-up questions that involve higher level thinking. When boys call out, teachers focus on their answers. When girls call out, teachers remediate their behavior (Sadker & Sadker).
There is little overt sexism by teachers. Teachers interact more with boys than with girls. Student behavior determines teacher-pupil interaction patterns. Teachers react rather than initiate. Learning environments are structured to be more effective for boys than for girls (Fennema).
• Society's beliefs influence students' beliefs about math and science.
When girls are asked "with whom and how often do you talk about the math you are doing in school?" they consistently respond, "never" and "with no one" (Tobias).
The worst hidden behavior of teachers is the overnurturing of female learners (especially by men). Students learn better when teachers demand independent learning. Girls' success is based on self-esteem (Fennema).
• Girls and boys perceive their successes and failures differently.
When girls do well in math, they attribute it to luck; and when they do poorly, they attribute it to their lack of ability. When boys do well in math, they attribute it to their ability; and when they do poorly, they attribute it to lack of effort. Refer to Learning Attribution Theory (TR. #6 and notes on page 100 of this unit). Boys see their successes and girls see their failures as internally determined. Boys see their failures and girls see their successes as externally determined.
• Confidence and self esteem are key to girls' success in math and
science.
Sixth grade girls' level of confidence predicts twelfth grade achievement (Fennema).
• Anything we do to improve overall instruction will disproportionately
benefit females and minorities (Tobias).
• In general, boys respond well to competitive situations, while girls
respond well to collaborative situations.
• The self esteem of girls declines steadily after they leave elementary
school.
The Fennema-Sherman studies of 1974 indicate that the critical variables for girls are (a) confidence, (b) recognizing the usefulness of mathematics, (c) teacher attitudes, and (d) attitude that math is a male domain.
Carol Gilligan in In a Different Voice says that women and men approach moral decision making in different ways. Women are more concerned with relationships; men are more concerned about the rules of the game. The implication is that teachers should look for more than one way to teach mathematics or should teach different mathematics. In the past, women's ways have not been valued.
V. What should happen in classrooms? (TR. #14)
Brainstorming: Ask "Based on the information from our discussion, what should happen in a reformed classroom?" (TR. #15)
• Cooperative and competitive activities
• Connectedness of mathematics
• Mathematics relevant to students' lives, interests, and feelings
• Learning facilitated in a variety of ways
• Communication
• Constructive feedback that helps students acquire a "can do" attitude
• Mathematics invented by students
• Higher order questions for all students
• Seeking multiple solutions to problems
• Independent thinking
• Assessment to reflect what is valued in the classroom
• Challenging classes taken by students who are able
• Metacognition - thinking about thinking
• Value placed on students' thinking
• Proactive behavior to insure that girls' voices are heard (Use TR. #16)
I. What happens in classrooms?
II. Which students do mathematics and science well?
III. What is equity?
IV. What does current research indicate about gender equity?
V. What should happen in classrooms?
Transparency No. 1
WHAT HAPPENS IN
CLASSROOMS?
Transparency No. 2
WHICH STUDENTS DO
MATHEMATICS AND
SCIENCE WELL?
Transparency No. 3
Which Words Fit?
The following words and phrases can be used to describe a student's behavior in a mathematics/science class:
active considerate enterprising persistent
adventurous frank cooperative poised
aggressive curious independent punctual
appreciative dependable inventive obliging
assertive efficient mannerly sensitive
conscientious energetic neat thorough
regularly does homework rarely does homework
dislikes doing math/science enjoys doing math/science
takes detailed notes rarely takes notes
mimics the teacher's or book's solves problems in inventive
solution ways
likes solving problems in good at using algorithms and
different ways rules
asks questions about "why" asks questions about "how"
asks for help after class likes figuring things out alone
Transparency No. 4
Beliefs found in early research:
• Math and science are male domains.
• You have to be a genius or have a
mathematical mind in order to do math.
• If you're good in language arts, you aren't good
in math.
• Math is done instantly if at all.
• There is only one right way to do a problem.
More current findings:
• Boys receive significantly more attention.
• The longer we teach students the less they like
science and math.
• Even girls who are very able in science are less
likely to pursue scientific or technological
careers than boys.
• There is very little overt sexism by teachers
regardless of gender.
Transparency No. 5
Learning Attribution Theory
Transparency No. 6
Tier Analysis - Sheila Tobias
• "Us" is a small gifted group
• "Them" is not worth worrying about
Must be weeded out
Transparency No. 7
•1st tier - very interested and able
- are teacher proof
•2nd tier - highly verbal
- able
•3rd tier - utilitarians
- do minimum to pass the course
•4th tier - underprepared
- lacking in skills
•5th tier - unlikelies
- hostile to math and science
Transparency No. 8
WHAT IS EQUITY?
Transparency No. 9
Equal Treatment
Equal Opportunities
Equal Outcomes
Transparency No.10
What does
"equal outcomes"
mean for
mathematics and science
education?
Transparency No. 11
WHAT DOES
CURRENT RESEARCH
INDICATE ABOUT
GENDER EQUITY?
Transparency No. 12
• Research in gender issues is value laden - it starts with a set of beliefs.
Female thinking = Male thinking
Man's way of knowing vs. woman's way of
knowing
• Girls receive substantially less attention in classes than boys.
• Society's beliefs influence students' beliefs about math and science.
• Girls and boys perceive their successes and failures differently.
• Confidence and self-esteem are key to girls' success in math and science.
• Anything we do to improve overall instruction will disproportionately benefit females and minorities.
• In general, boys respond well to competitive situations, while girls respond well to collaborative situations.
• The self esteem of girls declines steadily after they leave elementary school.
Transparency No. 13
WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN
IN CLASSROOMS ?
Transparency No. 14
• Cooperative and competitive activities
• Connectedness of mathematics
• Mathematics relevant to student lives, interests, and
feelings
• Learning facilitated in a variety of ways
• Communication
• Constructive feedback that helps students acquire
a "can do" attitude
• Mathematics invented by students
• Higher order questions for all students
• Seeking multiple solutions to problems
• Independent thinking
• Assessment to reflect what is valued in the
classroom
• Challenging classes taken by students who are able
• Metacognition - thinking about thinking
• Value placed on student's thinking
• Proactive behavior to insure that girls' voices are
heard
Transparency No. 15
Teachers' knowledge
is what
makes the difference.
Transparency No. 16
Which Words Fit?
The following words and phrases can be used to describe a student's behavior in a mathematics/science class:
active considerate enterprising persistent
adventurous frank cooperative poised
aggressive curious independent punctual
appreciative dependable inventive obliging
assertive efficient mannerly sensitive
conscientious energetic neat thorough
regularly does homework rarely does homework
dislikes doing math/science enjoys doing math/science
takes detailed notes rarely takes notes
mimics the teacher's or book's solves problems in inventive
solution ways
likes solving problems in good at using algorithms and
different ways rules
asks questions about "why" asks questions about "how"
asks for help after class likes figuring things out alone
(From this sheet make 6 individual sheets and use the following names to fill in the instruction: "From this list, pick those descriptors that describe ________"
Bonnie, a good math/science student;
Doug, a good math/science student;
Greg, a poor math/science student;
Sheryl, a poor math/science student;
Pat, a good math/science student; or
Pat, a poor math/science student.)
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