WUNRN
NUT - National Union of Teachers UK
UK PROJECT BASED IN FIVE PRIMARY SCHOOLS ABOUT GENDER STEREOTYPES
The NUT worked for two years with five primary schools to consider how ‘traditional’ gender stereotypes could be challenged in nursery and primary classrooms. The project quickly acquired the name Breaking the Mould. The five schools were provided with support and training.
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CONCLUSIONS
Education should
ensure that children are equipped with skills that will enable them to pursue
as wide a range of opportunities as possible. It should encourage them to
challenge attitudes and beliefs which can reduce their own and others’ options
and equip them with the selfconfidence and resilience to overcome obstacles to
self-fulfilment. The influence of gender stereotypes limits the range of
experiences many children will engage with at school – in terms of the books
they read, games they play, subjects they study and even the other people with
whom they socialise. The repercussions of these limitations may continue to
impact on their lives – at work, in society and within families. By failing to
challenge them, we are re-inventing those boundaries for each generation.
Through education,
we can challenge the message – still widely promoted – that children and adults
should act in a gender ‘appropriate’ way and be judged in different ways
depending on their sex – including that the greatest achievement for any young
woman is to be conventionally physically attractive. This is vital if we are to
achieve progress on issues such as the gender pay gap and sharing of caring
responsibilities or to challenge the idea that professional success is
‘unfeminine’.
We must offer boys a
broader view of masculinity, debate what it takes to be a ‘proper’ man and
question some of the expected behaviours and attitudes that continue to exclude
some boys from engaging with learning and prevent some fathers from planning or
adapting their career or working patterns to allow time with their children.
Despite the
potential gains for society and individuals, there is still scant support and
encouragement for schools to do this work. The NUT is proud that staff in the
project schools worked hard to develop and trial resources and approaches.
It is hoped that
this work is the beginning of an ongoing discussion – a step change in the
importance accorded to challenging sexist attitudes in schools. Schools are now
required to report on how they are meeting the requirements of the Public
Sector Equality Duty. Work like that outlined in this report makes a valuable
contribution to demonstrating a school’s confidence to address sexism and inequality
in general.
Much of the evidence
gathered for the report indicates that challenging gender stereotypes across
the whole curriculum needs to be an explicit objective. Many of the sexist
representations of male and female characters in books and other resources – as
well as the attitudes of pupils (and staff) – went unnoticed until schools were
prompted to look for them.
Gender stereotypes
can be affirmed or challenged in every aspect of school life. The ‘traditional’
school fete – where dads operate the coconut shy and mums sell cakes – may be a
thing of the past but there are many other occasions where such divisions help
to shore up outdated ideas about male and female roles.
The data from the
five schools proved to be incredibly rich. Evaluation of the strategies used
produced these key themes and areas for development:
• In schools, just as in wider
society, we tend to stress the differences between girls and boys far more than
the similarities. We
need to think of children as individuals and try not to impose expectations on
them linked to gender. We can begin by making small changes to the ways in
which we constantly differentiate the sexes – such as referring to ‘children’
rather than ‘girls and boys’ and not marshalling pupils in single sex lines.
• Opportunities to challenge
stereotypes occur throughout the curriculum. Start making a difference today by noticing and
questioning them whenever they occur. Challenge colleagues to reflect on their
use of language and to ensure that they do not perpetuate stereotypes.
Encourage them to act as role models in the way they talk about their own
interests and tastes. At the very least, avoid making choices for children
based on gender – such as handing out pink and blue stickers.
• Start when children are young
– Encourage
the non-stereotypical behaviour of nursery children and make sure to challenge
emerging stereotypes in the early years through discussions about toys, games
and activities and ensure that, where possible, books and other resources do
not affirm them.
• Engage the support of parents
and carers by
raising awareness of the impact of challenging gender stereotypes and
discussing the ways in which they limit attainment and aspiration.
• Challenging stereotypes about
gender benefits all girls and all boys. Some boys undoubtedly remain socially vulnerable
because of the pressure to measure up to narrow social norms of masculinity and
there was a perception that ‘tomboy’ girls may have an easier time of things at
school than the ‘quiet boys’. However, all adults are constrained by gender
stereotypes in different ways and gender stereotypes perpetuate gender
inequality. Building resilience and awareness in both boys and girls will make
it easier for all children to express and fulfil themselves in less
stereotypical ways. This is a key precursor to equality between men and women
and a more equal society.
Schools and their
staff are busier and under greater pressure than ever. Those involved in the
project were working in very different contexts but all recognised the value of
talking and thinking about gender and its links to improvements in pupil
behaviour, engagement and the enjoyment of learning. One head teacher talked
about being “conspiratorial” in challenging some of the messages children
receive outside school. Remember to inspire as well – and do not be afraid to
surprise and even confuse children with new ideas. It is often through
confusion that our minds open up to new possibilities.
Breaking
the Mould was
a small project and there was not enough time to address everything the
teachers wanted to explore. There are examples in the report of how staff
intended to continue developing work they initiated as part of the project.
Other things they would have liked – or intend – to address further included:
• Work on body image
and asking why so many women alter their bodies or try to hold back the
physical effects of ageing
• Work on
relationships. For example, schools were concerned that so many KS3 girls were
experiencing unwanted sexual advances and that boys felt obliged to pressure
girls. They acknowledged a need to consider more explicitly how work in primary
schools could contribute to helping children manage these pressures
• Considering how
gender stereotypes are often used to police sexuality and looking at breaking
down stereotypes about gender roles in families – including acknowledging that
some children have two mums or two dads.