Case Study #1:
Question: How do our taken-for-granted and unconscious assumptions about gender influence our educational practices?
There are a million ways that our unconscious assumptions about gender influence our teaching. For example, many people hold the belief (whether they consciously realize it or not) that boys are more likely to succeed in subjects such as science and math, whereas girls are more likely to succeed in subjects like art, language, and music. One excellent article that exemplifies this belief shows that teachers are likely to rate the mathematical ability of male students as higher than the mathematical ability of female students. Furthermore, the article goes on to say that success in male students was attributed to innate ability, whereas success in female students was attributed to increased effort.
This can lead to teachers unknowingly offering more support and encouragement to boys in the subjects that are more likely to lead to future financial success. Degrees in things like English and fine arts are notorious for being “wasted” degrees that lead to low-paying jobs. If one looks at a list of the highest paying jobs in BC, they usually require degrees in things like finance, business, engineering, and computer science, which are all topics boys are more often encouraged to pursue.
Additionally, the prominent figures most often discussed in class are (usually white) men. There have been a great many female inventors, explorers, politicians, and scientists, but they’re often overlooked in school curriculum. Even the vast majority of books read and studied in school feature white, straight, male main characters. This can lead to girls feeling underrepresented and underappreciated in academic settings.
Case Study #2:
Question: This case illustrates ways in which mentoring programs can fail to achieve the desired outcomes of supporting new teachers. How do you think age, experience, status, and other sociological factors affect this professional relationship?
I think that there are many reasons the partnership between Kevin and Elizabeth failed. Firstly there is quite an age difference between the two of them, and therefore it’s likely that their teacher educations were quite different. Kevin seems to adhere to a more traditional style of assessing students, where students take a test or submit an assignment once, and the grade they get is what they get. Whether or not students understand the material, the class moves onto a new topic. On the other hand, Elizabeth is more focused on having students truly learn the curriculum even if they must take the same test or rewrite the same assignment over and over again.
Furthermore, that fact that Kevin is the more senior teacher likely makes him feel like he has authority, or “knows better” than Elizabeth. When she teaches in a style different from his and achieves better results, it likely causes him to feel threatened or insecure. Kevin also seems to have quite a bit of prejudice built up against many of his students, and has in a way already given up on them, whereas Elizabeth doesn’t have any preconceived ideas about how intelligent the students are, because she’s never worked with them before.
Case Study #3:
Question: How will you create a classroom culture in which parents and students feel that they can talk to you about their safety concerns?
Making sure students feel safe at school is probably the most important aspect of classroom management for me. After all, how can students focus on learning and education if they don’t feel safe? The first thing I think I would do is make sure to set aside time within the first week or two of school to have a class discussion about how bullying is absolutely not acceptable in our classroom or anywhere in our school. I’ve found some examples online of ways to make this discussion more interactive to really engage students, such as having them work together to develop their own list of class rules and acceptable behaviour. I would make sure that this topic was given the time and attention it warrants, rather than just the quick mention on the first day of class that I experienced while in school. Kindness and compassion would be an ongoing theme for my class throughout the year. I would also make sure that my students know that it is my job to make the classroom a safe and welcoming environment, and that I am always available to talk if they need it.
Additionally, I would make sure that the first newsletter I sent to parents explicitly says that if there are any concerns about bullying or unsafe behaviour in my class or with my students, to contact me right away. If I am contacted on this issue, it will be something I address with an in-person (ideally) meeting immediately, as in either that day or the next, not the following week.
Another assignment from Theoretical Frameworks of Education. Here, we read through a variety of case studies and had to choose three to reflect upon. The three that I chose speak to topics and intricacies of teaching that really interest and challenge me.