GENDER- BOYS AND ACHIEVEMENT Flashcards
(9 cards)
1-EXTERNAL FACTORS-BOYS AND LITERACY- what are the reasons behind boys’ poor literacy and language skills?
-parents spend less time reading to their sons
- mothers do most of the reading to young children and therefore it is seen as a feminine activity
-boys’ leisure pursuits, such as football do little to to develop their language and communication skills
EXTERNAL FACTOR- GLOBALISATION AND THE DECLINE OF TRADITIONAL MENS JOBS- what has this led to?
A significant decline in in heavy industries such as iron and steel, shipbuilding,mining and engineering has led to much of the manufacturing industry relocating to developing countries to take advantage of cheap labour
- traditionally, these sectors mainly employed men
EXTERNAL FACTOR- GLOBALISATION AND A DECLINE IN TRADITIONAL MENS JOBS- what do MITSOS AND BROWNE say?
- this decline in male employment opportunities has led to an ‘identity crisis’ for men, many boys believe that they have little chances of getting a proper job and this lowers their self esteem and motivation so they give up trying to get qualifications.
EXTERNAL FACTOR-DECLINE IN TRADITIONAL MENS JOBS-CRITICISM OF MITSOS AND BROWNES VIEW
The decline has mostly been in manual labour sectors that require little qualifications, therefore it’s unlikely that the disappearance of such jobs would have much impact on boy’s motivations
2-INTERNAL FACTORS- FEMINISATION OF EDUCATION- WHICH SOCIOLOGIST TALKS ABOUT THIS? AND WHAT DOES HE SAY?
SEWELL-claims that boys fall behind because education has become feminised-schools don’t nurture ‘masculine’ traits such as competitiveness and leadership but instead value qualities more associated with girls such as attentiveness and methodical working
- sees coursework as a major cause of the GGIA and argues that it should be replaced with final exams
INTERNAL FACTOR-SHORTAGE OF MALE PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS-HOW DOES THIS EFFECT BOYS?
-lack of a male role-model
- only 14% of primary school teachers are male yet most boys said that the presence of a male teacher made them behave better and work harder
- some argue that primary school has become feminised as a result of being staffed by female teachers who are unable to control boys’ behaviour and therefore male teachers are needed to impose the discipline that boys need to concentrate
INTERNAL FACTOR-‘LADDISH’ SUBCULTURE-WHICH SOCIOLOGISTS TALK ABOUT THIS AND WHAT DO THEY SAY?
EPSTEIN- found that WC boys are likely to be harassed,labelled as cowards and subject to homophobic verbal abuse if they appeared to be ‘swots’ (studious)
FRANCIS- (view supports Epsteins)- boys were more concerned than girls about being labelled swots as that label is more of a threat to their masculinity, this is because in WC culture masculinity is equated to being tough and doing school work is viewed as effeminate and as result they avoid schoolwork to avoid those labels
-laddish cultur is becoming more widespread as girls move into traditionally masculine jobs
ARE MORE MALE TEACHERS REALLY NEEDED? WHICH SOCIOLOGISTS TALK ABOUT HIS?
FRANCIS- 2/3 of 7-8 year olds believe the gender of teachers do not matter
READ- studied language used by teachers to express criticism or disapproval- the fact that female teachers were just as likely as males to use a ‘masculine’ (disciplinarian) discourse to control pupils’ behaviour disproves the claim that only male teachers can provide the stricter classroom culture that boys need to thrive
THE MORAL PANIC ABOUT BOYS- WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? WHAT DO SOCIOLOGISTS SAY ABOUT THIS?
-critics of feminism argue that policies to promote girls’ education are no longer needed. These critics speak of girls today ‘having it all’ and taking men’s jobs. They believe that girls have succeeded at the expense of boys who are now disadvantaged
-RINGROSE-(feminist) this ‘moral panic’ reflects a fear that boys will become a dangerous and unemployable underclass that will effect social stability
-the panic has caused a shift in educational policy which is now focused on raising boys’ achievement this has had 2 negative effects:
1- by narrowing equal opportunity policies to only ‘failing boys’ it ignores the disadvantaged WC and minority ethnic students
2-ignores problems faced by girls in schools such as sexual harassment,bullying and stereotyped subject choices
