When you think of a teacher, what do you imagine? If you were to ask any student that has found their way through the public education system, the first descriptive words most people would come up with would be "white"and "woman." It is not at all surprising that people would respond this way when you learn that 74.3% of teachers are women and only 25.7% of teachers are men. It is even less surprising when you keep reading and find that "most common ethnicity of teachers is White (68.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (12.9%), Black or African American (10.1%) and Other (3.9%)" (Teacher Demographics and Statistics, 2023). The question of how gender affects the teaching profession is one that has been asked for decades because of gender disparities, expectations, and stereotypes that have influenced all aspects of our society, including education.
Because of how gender is embedded in our society today, teachers face wage disparities, stereotypes, and unfair treatment. While teachers feel the effects, another way that gender affects the teaching profession is with the students. According to Carrie Kilman’s article, The Gender Spectrum, “Experts who work with youth and gender issues tell us the two most common myths are these: First, gender is binary, offering only two options; second, gender and sex are the same thing" (McCollum, 2022). Students may be unsure or identify a specific way which can lead to teacher bias or bullying from other students. How a student chooses to identify should not impact how they are taught or treated in the classroom. Educators need encourage inclusivity and respect in the classroom so that all students feel comfortable and safe being themselves while working in school In this module one question I came across that stuck out to me was:
Are girls (from all racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds) equally challenged by teachers to succeed academically, and enter STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) fields?
This question stuck with me because I would say that most female students are not challenged or encouraged to enter STEM because of gender norms. STEM careers have significantly less women in the field because of masculine culture, lack of exposure to scientific fields, shortage of guidance and mentors, and stereotypes. Teachers need to be aware of how gender affects schooling so that to the best of their ability, they can encourage students that they are capable to do whatever they put their minds to despite what is seen in society today
Resources
“Teacher Demographics and Statistics [2023]: Number of Teachers in the US.” Teacher Demographics and Statistics [2023]: Number Of Teachers In The US, 9 Sept. 2022, www.zippia.com/teacher-jobs/demographics/.
McCollum, Sean, et al. “The Gender Spectrum.” Learning for Justice, 2013, www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/summer-2013/the-gender-spectrum.
Hello Brianna! I really enjoyed reading your blog. It has such a compelling argument to the question that is being asked! I would love to add on to the question that really stuck with you because it had the same impact on myself as well! I have a cousin that is in the welding field and most of my family found it crazy for her to pursue that career based on her gender and almost talked her out of it. Though, now they are so proud of her accomplishments mainly because of her pay grade. The same people who tried to talk her out of it are also the same people who told her to chase her dreams. A career is another example of stereotypes. As a future teacher, my students will know they are capable of achieving anything they want in this world. I believe that you will do the same for your students as well!
ReplyDeleteHi Lexi! Thanks for taking the time to read and respond to my blog! I’m glad you were able to relate to the question I added as well. It is so normalized for young girls and women to be pressured away from pursuing certain jobs because of society’s gender norms. I think your story is a great example to show what I mean! When I think of welding, I only think of men because of movies and shows, social media, and what I’ve been told by others. You don’t hear a lot about women welders and even though your family tried to talk her out of it, she persevered and went for it anyway! I think that’s amazing and a great model for showing that we can do anything, despite gender or pressure from society. Despite what others think, if there’s a job a student wants or a career path they want to follow, we should be there to let them know that they are capable of achieving anything.
DeleteHi Brianna! The way your blog post was structured is really easy to follow and I enjoy that I can see your thought process with the questions you were answering in between, it helped me understand where you were coming from! I will agree with your statements about women, who
ReplyDeleteare from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds, are not pushed to pursue STEM subjects throughout their upbringing because it has always been such a male-dominated field, and the constant perpetuation of this notion only continues this culture where women find it hard to join these spaces for fear of intimidation and harassment. Seeing this, I feel like especially being future educators, we need to make it known that women have these opportunities and push them to strive for goals within the STEM world, if that is what they would like to pursue. Within my own classroom, I intend to push my female students the same way I would male students or any other gendered student, but that way ultimately these young girls and women will have the chance to make the decision for themselves. :)
DeleteHi Sarai! Thanks for reading and commenting on my blog! It’s common for women from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds to be pushed to work hard and make smart decisions for a career, but it’s often specific careers such as teaching, nursing, and childcare jobs, and not those that are male dominated such as engineering, mechanics, or finance. While writing this blog, I didn’t think to include that the fear of intimidation and harassment is another major factor in why women don’t pursue STEM subjects. I agree that as future educators, we need to make sure that all of our students know that they can reach their goals and do whatever they want with their life despite what outside sources are saying. I also plan to push my female students just the same as I do my male students, so that my classroom promotes inclusivity and respect. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Brianna! I enjoyed reading your post for this module. I like how you included the statistics on teachers' races and gender in America. I was very surprised by the numbers for the teachers' ethnicity. 68.8% White, 12.9% Hispanic/ Latino and 10.1 Black. Being a mixed girl in middle school, (I am Black and White) I only ever had one Black teacher. I was so excited to be in her class and went home raving about her to my parents. I also agree with what you said about making sure we keep our classrooms inclusive and respectful. Our students come to school to feel safe, and it is our job to make that happen. I also like what you said about women in STEM. I find it so interesting that most teachers are women however most of the people in STEM are men. It is confusing how women can inspire boys and men to go into that field, but women don’t go into it. I think teachers should push all of their students, of every gender to go after whatever job they desire, no matter the gender norms surrounding that job.
ReplyDeleteHi Madison! Thanks for taking time to respond to my blog! I included the statistics on teachers' races and gender in America because I was just as shocked when I read them. I am mixed as well, and had maybe two teachers from ethnic and cultural backgrounds while the rest of them were white. While writing this blog, I was thinking that it’s crazy that the teachers you have completely depend on where you're raised and the district you're located in. I was always excited when I would walk in on the first day of school and see a black female teacher because I felt seen and more comfortable in the classroom. I also think that it’s interesting how women can inspire boys and men to go into the STEM field, but women don’t go into it. If we’re inspiring a man to pursue these jobs, then we should be fighting for women to do just the same.
DeleteHi Brianna,
ReplyDeleteYour blog post was very informative, I really enjoyed how you many statistics you embedded within your argument and thoughts. You could tell me over and over that there are more white females than any other demographic but seeing the statistics you provided that there is about a 42% difference between the amount of White teachers and the leading minority. As a women of color when I had teachers that looked like me they made me feel safe and seen. My favorite and most supportive teacher was my Spanish teacher, though I only had this teacher for one semester she had a lasting effect on me that I will always cherish. Making classrooms inclusive and safe makes such a different on student lives and learning. She was one of the most influential teachers that made me want to become a teacher.
Hi Ms. Lianna! Thanks for taking the time to read and respond to my blog! The reason I included the statistics is because of how much it shocked me as well. The community I grew up in had mainly white school staff so I knew that there were more white teachers than any other race, but actually seeing the difference in the percentages shocked me. I also had a specific teacher that made me feel safe and seen. The way she created a welcoming classroom environment and supported me had a lasting effect on me and influenced the way that I wanna teach in the future. She showed me how creating a positive classroom environment can change the way a student perceives their education and believes in themselves. It is also important to model this respect and safe environment so that students treat their peers with respect and understand that it’s okay to be themselves.
DeleteHi Brianna! I really enjoyed reading your blog post this week. I like that you opened with a question and when I read it I immediately thought of the many white, female teachers I had through out school. I also had teachers of color, as well as male teachers, but the white, females dominated mine and many peoples educations. And personally I think that it is so upsetting because students are learning from one point of view mainly. I can remember when I had male teachers and teachers of color it made learning feel new because I was learning from a different point of view, one that I would never have been able to see had they not been my teachers. I like that you included the question “are girls equally challenged by teachers to succeed academically, and enter STEM fields?” This also stuck out to me because women are not seen in STEM fields as much as we see men. I also can remember growing up when we would do certain experiments my teachers would have the guys do the “scary” things. The girls were allowed to watch but we were never allowed to be the ones to do the actual experiment. I think that it is crucial that as future teachers we make a change to this and we encourage all students no matter their gender to gain as much knowledge as they want to in these areas. We need to let the students choose what they do and do not want to do.
ReplyDeleteHi Taryn! Thanks for commenting on my blog! My education was very much the same, with white females dominating my schedule. I had a few male teachers and teachers of color, but every year it was pretty much the same. I agree that it is upsetting because students are missing a whole other perspective and missing the chance to walk in another person's shoes. It also can make learning hard for certain students who feel that they’re missing a chance to see or identify themselves in their education. I think your story of doing experiments in the classroom is a great example of how teachers unintentionally support the gender bias that dominates our society. Well, I don’t have a personal experience like this off the top of my head, I have friends that have dealt with this gender bias even in college. I also completely agree that it is crucial to gain knowledge in these areas and let students make choices for themselves.
DeleteHi Brianna!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I would like to say your blog looks great! I am afraid to admit that although I am an education major and I have known many teachers of many different races and genders, when I think of the word teacher I usually think of a woman. I think it is very interesting how ingrained in everyones minds the idea that a woman has to be in a caregiving role is. I was sad to read about the lack of women in high up positions, especially in education. I agree with your insight that many young women in school are not encouraged to pursue STEM programs in school or even in higher education. I believe it is so important to uplift every student equally and push them to be the best that they can be. Great post!
Hey Grace! Thanks for reading and complimenting my blog! Now that I have been through college I can say more confidently that I know more teachers of different races and genders, but before coming here my experiences were limited to mainly white, female teachers. I like what you said about women being stuck in the “caregiving role” in people's minds, because that is often the truth. Women are expected to care for children and others and it can be seen as out of the norm for women to seek certain jobs or positions. This also goes for young girls who try to play certain sports, dress or look a certain way, or step outside of the traditional gender norms. I completely agree that women are often not encouraged to pursue stem programs or higher education, it is important to uplift each student equally so they feel motivated and strive to be the best they can be. Thanks for sharing!
DeleteHi Brianna!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post and I completely agree with your ideas entirely. Thank you for sharing your point of view on how gender has affected the education world. Women must put in double the work to really show society how much of an impact women make on the education world. They are constantly criticized for the material they teach. I do enjoy how you structured your post because you were able to speak about how women are criticized and challenged, especially those in STEM and those who are part of a different ethnic group. Women in STEM are always judged and never given the opportunity to show their abilities because people never let women grow as a person. By making the classroom feel inclusive and safe, students will not worry able their gender or their skin color because they will be aware of discrimination that can occur in society.
Hey Vanessa! Thanks for reading and commenting on my blog. I agree that women often put in double the work to show society how much of an impact women have in the education world. Especially in the present time, teachers are criticized for the material they teach, how they teach it, how they interact with the students, and so much more. And it’s not just the teachers that are criticized, but the students are as well. Women and young girls are often challenged and not given the same opportunities as men just because of their gender and the bias it creates. These biases leave women no room to grow and prevent them from reaching their potential. By building relationships and creating an inclusive classroom, students can feel safe to learn without worrying about the threat of discrimination based on the color of their skin or their gender. Thanks for sharing!
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