5. Gender and educational achievement Flashcards
(52 cards)
What are the 5 external explanations for girls improved performance?
-Changing attitudes and expectations
-Women’s movement and feminism
-Growing employment opportunities
-Female character traits
-Earlier maturity
Changing attitudes and expectations - What were the main priorities of women in the 70s and then 90s? (Sue Sharpe)
70s: Love, marriage, husbands and children
90s: Job, career, being able to support themselves
Changing attitudes and expectations - What were girls like in the 1990s?
Girls were more confident, assertive and ambitious seeing education as the main route to a good job and financial independence
Changing attitudes and expectations - What representations was there more of in magazines and the media?
Far more role models of successful career women in magazines (McRobbie)
Changing attitudes and expectations - What does Wilkinson suggest women underwent?
Wilkinson suggests women underwent a ‘genderquake’ aspirations no longer restricted to the home.
Changing attitudes and expectations - Impact of parents and school encouragement
Parents increasingly expected exam success and in schools encouraged pushed girls to study STEM subjects
Women’s movement and feminism - What did the women movement improve?
Improved rights of women as well as raising expectations and self esteem/ motivation of women.
Women’s movement and feminism - What has happened to many of the rights that feminism and the women’s movement fought for?
Many of the rights they fought for are now translated into law eg Equal Pay Act
Women’s movement and feminism - What do many feminists still argue to today?
That true equality has not been achieved yet but many agree the position of women has greatly improved
Growing employment opportunities - What had there been a decline in (Mitos and Browne)
Decline in heavy industry jobs
Growing employment opportunities - What jobs have there been a growth in?
The service sector (e.g health care, hospitality, teaching)
Growing employment opportunities - What arises at the same time new work opportunity
Flexible, part time work meaning women could combine children and work
Growing employment opportunities - What professions do women now aim for?
Aim for ‘highest professions’ which require degree qualifications such as doctors and solicitors
Female character traits - What are girls more than boys in their studies?
More motivated in their studies than boys
Growing employment opportunities - Girls generally:
-Work harder
-Are more likely to meet deadlines
-Have better concentration
Earlier maturity - When are girls more mature than boys?
Girls are more mature than boys by the time they sit their exams
Boys Lower expectations- What is their evidence to show bout teachers?
Teachers are not as strict with boys as with girls
Boys: Lower expectations- What do lower expectations of boys create?
A self fulfilling prophecy as they perform less well than they otherwise might
Boys: Lower expectations- Why might they loose classroom learning time?
Lose classroom learning time because they are sent out or sent home
Masculinity and anti-learning subculture - What does peer group pressure do?
Encourages boys to maintain a dominant masculine identity developed through resistance to schools
Masculinity and anti-learning subculture - What cred to boys gain?
‘Street cred’ through not working and developing a ‘laddish’ anti-education subculture
Masculinity and anti-learning subculture - What do boys view school work as?
School work is seen as ‘girly’ and ‘un-macho’
Masculinity and anti-learning subculture - What do boys that concentrate and do school work risk?
Risk of bullying and being labelled gay
Masculinity and anti-learning subculture - What is teaching seen as?
Teaching is seen as a ‘female profession’ due to lack of positive male role models which contributes to negative attitude to schools and schooling
