New guidebook takes on gender inequalities in the classroom

A guidebook which aims to shatter existing gender inequalities in schools has been published by the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Ideas, activities and case studies that help teachers, principals, school administrators and managers to question and overturn established stereotypes in the classroom are outlined in ‘The Gender-Responsive School: An Action Guide’.

The authors, Catherine Atthill and Jyotsna Jha, define a gender-responsive school as one that is aware of existing gender inequalities and equips its students with appropriate skills, knowledge and attitudes to deal with these and to make changes that lead to greater equality and respect for diversity.

The guide includes case studies from studies and projects, which were organised by the Secretariat to emphasise various successes of and challenges facing schools across the Commonwealth. It outlines how some schools have found solutions to address specific challenges.

The guide also includes a range of activities for different users involved in various aspects of education, allowing them to focus on areas which suit their particular needs. One such activity involves teachers asking students, or perhaps themselves, whether statements such as ‘men like football’ and ‘women breast feed’ are to do with ‘gender’ – socially constructed difference between men and women - or ‘sex’ – biological differences between men and women.

As well as tackling concepts such as this, the guide also examines other, more complex areas. Exploring how the curriculum can affect gender equality in the classroom, for instance, is also included.

“By providing experiences drawn from a number of schools across the Commonwealth our aim was to offer professionals working in education practical tried and tested solutions and not simply theoretical ideas,” said Dr Jha, Gender Adviser at the Secretariat.

The Action Guide follows a study undertaken by the Commonwealth Secretariat in 2007-08 in India, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Samoa, Seychelles, and Trinidad and Tobago. Feedback from this research, which took place in classrooms in selected secondary schools, showed that existing gender stereotypes were prevalent in schools.

After this study a pilot project was undertaken by the Secretariat in India, Malaysia, Seychelles, and Trinidad and Tobago to explore ways of helping secondary schools become more gender-responsive, as well as document their experiences in the process and determine the lessons learned. The Action Guide is based on the experiences of secondary teachers and schools that took part in this pilot project.

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