I would like to raise another point which I think is interesting in regards to a discussion on gender in schools. I strongly believe that the school environment plays a huge role in gender development and stereotypes. I also think that these perceptions are culturally related.
Having been born in a different country, I can compare my experiences as a child. In Holland, where I was born, it is seen as perfectly normal for boys and girls to play together, to be close friends, and to go over to each other’s houses. When we moved to Alberta when I was a young girl, it came as quite a shock to me that people thought differently here! I quickly learned that playing with boys (which I continued to do regardless) got a very different response. Here I was constantly questioned as to whether I “liked” a boy with whom I played or whether he was my “boyfriend.” I remember I even got married off to one of the boys by my peers one day on the playground!
This difference in attitude is also apparent in the school system. I had the opportunity to teach in an elementary school in The Netherlands for some time and was amazed by the differences in activities that I saw. The children participated in activities and completed work at different stages regardless of gender. That is, boys were just as likely to go to the doll house station as were the girls. Similarly, boys and girls alike engaged in dress up, make believe, house, blocks, animals, etc. There was not an obvious divide between the groups of children. This is not to say that there weren’t groups of girls that liked to play with other girls and boys that liked to play with other boys, but these groups appeared to be more malleable.
I think this is incredibly important for us to realize as teachers. The way we approach gender has a definite impact on the way children interact and ensuring a diversity of activities without limiting them to one gender is essential in order to give all students the chance to develop without unnecessary restrictions based on gender.
Having been born in a different country, I can compare my experiences as a child. In Holland, where I was born, it is seen as perfectly normal for boys and girls to play together, to be close friends, and to go over to each other’s houses. When we moved to Alberta when I was a young girl, it came as quite a shock to me that people thought differently here! I quickly learned that playing with boys (which I continued to do regardless) got a very different response. Here I was constantly questioned as to whether I “liked” a boy with whom I played or whether he was my “boyfriend.” I remember I even got married off to one of the boys by my peers one day on the playground!
This difference in attitude is also apparent in the school system. I had the opportunity to teach in an elementary school in The Netherlands for some time and was amazed by the differences in activities that I saw. The children participated in activities and completed work at different stages regardless of gender. That is, boys were just as likely to go to the doll house station as were the girls. Similarly, boys and girls alike engaged in dress up, make believe, house, blocks, animals, etc. There was not an obvious divide between the groups of children. This is not to say that there weren’t groups of girls that liked to play with other girls and boys that liked to play with other boys, but these groups appeared to be more malleable.
I think this is incredibly important for us to realize as teachers. The way we approach gender has a definite impact on the way children interact and ensuring a diversity of activities without limiting them to one gender is essential in order to give all students the chance to develop without unnecessary restrictions based on gender.
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