Gender inequality was once an issue in high school classrooms. However it does not seem to be a problem today. There have been studies that show boys get more attention, but from personal experience I have not noticed that. In an attempt to end this discrimination Congress passed Title IX in 1972. This was a set of amendments that stated “no person in the US shall, on the basis of sex be excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal aid.” (Huang and Ring) Teachers were trained to be more aware of whom they were calling on and giving attention to. After asking a question in class, teachers were encouraged to wait an extended time so everyone could think of the answer before someone answered the question.
This was done to encourage more girls to speak up and participate in class. A later study would show that this did not solve the problem of gender inequality in the classroom. (Cotten, Joehnck and Nyhaug) A study conducted in 1991 by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) showed that both boys and girls have the same learning abilities in all subjects. This contradicted the stereotype that boys were better at math and science, while girls were better at reading and writing. This study also showed that in general teachers give more attention to boys than girls. In class teachers called on boys four times more than girls.
Whenever a girl cannot answer a difficult question the teacher is more willing to just give her the answer. However if I boy cannot answer that same question, the teacher is more likely to help them work through the problem and encourage them to think it through. Boys were also praised more for participating and contributing to class, while teachers commented on the girls’ good behavior and social skills. (Cotten, Joehnck and Nyhaug.
The Coursework on Single Sex Girls Boys Schools
Statistically, in recent years girls have out-graded boys in most examinations. Girls have been consistently beating boys at GCSE, A-Level and, now even degree level. This is often put down to girls' having longer concentration spans than boys. I agree that this may indeed contribute to girls out-achieving boys. I think this because, obviously, the longer someone concentrates, the more they are ...
