Introduction
Gender equality is a term that is widely used to describe the provision of equal opportunities to men and women irrespective of their abilities and attributes. However, in a broader sense, gender equality does not translate to maximizing individuals’ benefits because it neglects several critical issues regarding diversity. Progressive educational environments should cater to the needs of all sexes and people who identify with diverse genders. Rather than seeking to provide equal opportunities to girls and boys, educators should acknowledge that people have different needs that must be met to support their development. Thus, instead of equality, teachers should be gender sensitive. Gender sensitivity takes into account the different learning needs of girls, boys, and transgender individuals, and intends to enhance developmental outcomes in all groups. Hence, gender-sensitive pedagogy involves creating equal advancement opportunities while factoring in the diverse needs of students due to gender differences. That being said, the following essay discusses the need for educators to advance to more gender-sensitive pedagogies to ensure that their learners get the most benefits from educational initiatives.
Pedagogical Philosophy
High-quality education is a constitutional right that everyone should enjoy and take advantage of to prepare for a productive future. However, several issues limit educators from providing students with the required guidance, thus preventing continuous development. Discrimination and bias are some of the atrocities students face due to social constructs and human fallacies. Additionally, a poor understanding of what equality entails prevents the human race from advancing as intended (Bragg et al., 2018). My educational philosophy is that all students are unique and must be exposed to a supportive environment where they can grow socially, physically, emotionally, and cognitively. Therefore, it is reasonable to create a learning atmosphere that allows learners to reach their full potential. The ultimate solution to achieving equality is providing opportunities to learners based on their needs (Jones, 2020). However, educators should be careful to avoid approaches that facilitate stereotyping or are inclined towards gender roles to limit the adversities of societal constructs and shift learnersâ perceptions of gender.
Gender is a phenomenon that possesses different constructs, allowing its meaning to be perceived differently. Although gender is a concept associated with femininity and masculinity, an individualâs gender positioning may differ from their attributes and can only be deciphered by assessing their behaviors (D’Cruz, 2020). Therefore, in some contexts, the equal treatment of individuals who associate with differing genders might not always produce the best results. Children begin to construct gender preferences during adolescence when their bodies go through numerous changes. However, the ideas of gender are instilled in their minds by society and their surroundings (Brömdal et al., 2017). Thus, these influences push them to act in certain ways and adopt culturally constructed behaviors. Educators should take these factors into account when designing educational pedagogies aimed at alleviating gender diversities. People have different preferences and methods of doing things depending on their backgrounds and environments (Midford et al., 2018). Hence, it is reasonable to take advantage of these differences to enhance their educational development and awareness of their surroundings. In turn, teachers will be able to maximize outcomes by tailoring their delivery to cater to all studentsâ needs.
Relationship to the Chosen Topic on Gender and Education
Teaching and education have advanced significantly from being a field once dominated by men to offering equal opportunities to both men and women. However, educational practices have not always favored women. Girls experience several issues due to stereotyping, gender roles, and discrimination. However, in the modern era, diverse individuals suffer the most because they are limited by the idea of equality that aims to provide balanced solutions that only address the needs of girls and boys (Perander et al., 2020). Although providing non-discriminatory access to learning and educational facilities to all genders is an effective solution to limit bias, it does not promise excellence. Though exposed to high-quality learning instruction and resources, individuals’ experiences with self-discovery can come in the way of their progress (Carastathis, 2016). Thus, instead of aiming at equality in education, administrators should advocate for gender-sensitive and gender-responsive solutions to ensure that no individual is limited by their attributes. Gender-sensitive pedagogies promote equality in the classroom by allowing girls and boys to note what is reasonable or stereotypical for their gender (Dobson & Ringrose, 2016). Thus, it can influence learners’ thought processes and help them acknowledge their strengths and weaknesses.
Gender-sensitive pedagogies go the extra mile to provide learners with what they need. In particular, the teaching methodologies, classroom interactions, language use, classroom setup, assessment, teacher-student relationships, and learning activities, are scrutinized and designed to respond to specific gender needs (Keddie & Ollis, 2019). Thus, my teaching philosophy is aligned with gender-sensitive pedagogies since it breaks the boundaries set by the tenets of equality and instead aims to deal with people individually. This method of teaching and learning elucidates positive responses from students as they are given a chance to express themselves and become more confident in what they feel and what they believe. Subsequently, it allows them to perceive others as their equals rather than subject them to labels due to their characteristics (Ward, 2017). In turn, students will become more engaged and interested in learning more, thus enhancing their motivation toward achieving educational excellence. On the other hand, simply assuring equality can overshadow several other critical emotional, physical, and cognitive factors. In turn, educators may fail to achieve the desired learning outcomes.
Ethical and Inclusive Education Context
The ethical codes that guide teaching practices obligate teachers to stand up for the rights of all students and adopt standards with a positive impact on the community. However, the major problem with equality in education is omission. While educators may have their studentsâ best interests at heart, their approaches may suffer from implicit bias as they may not accommodate gender discourses (Schey, 2018). In other words, educators are trusted to guide students toward gender sensitivity so that they can relate with others while acknowledging differences. However, adopting similar strategies, language, and evaluation techniques for all students alike does not reflect the ethical values that teachers should hand over to students, as these approaches can be manipulated to advantage some groups (Miller-Idriss & Pilkington, 2017). However, gender-responsive education teaches learners that gender is a phenomenon that is yet to be fully understood. Thus, they should be open to individualsâ attributes and treat others appropriately. Subsequently, learners will be better positioned to associate with each other with higher levels of respect and empathy.
Acknowledging the unique attributes of gender differences can assist educators to ensure inclusion in education practices as no one will ever feel left out. Gender equality in education is mistaken for providing equal opportunities when it should be perceived as equipping individuals equally (Rawlings & Taylor, 2017). The idea of equality has pushed many educators into designing similar programs for boys as girls and allowing girls to participate in sports like football. However, these approaches do not constitute inclusion because they do not assess the diversities that exist between sexes and the complex nature of individuals’ needs (Coll et al., 2014). For some students, high-quality education may mean having access to unlimited facilities, while others require tailored assistance and guidance. Therefore, advocating for equality can lead to exclusion as students may be presented with what they don’t need while other groups are neglected.
Educational Context and Problem
The struggle toward gender equality and inclusivity in education has come a long way as girls are given similar advancement opportunities as boys all over the world. However, several factors come into play including socio-economic issues like poverty and poor infrastructure (Ringrose, 2007). Subsequently, the concept of gender has significantly shifted over the past decades as more people disagree with the notion that the term should be used to describe outward biological attributes. Therefore, these proceedings have resulted in confusion over what equality in educational institutions should entail and how to tackle arising concerns (Lahelma, 2014). These days, students are exposed to various ideologies and encouraged to work on their self-expression. Hence, holding on to the idea of equality is detrimental because it does not acknowledge the changing student population and educational landscape. However, gender-sensitive pedagogies can open up new ways to deal with the problems that affect individuals due to their gender identification. Thus, these solutions can contribute to a more favorable environment to learn and advance regardless of their differences.
Most educators assume that gender issues no longer exist in modern society due to the increased participation and excellence of women in various fields. However, rather than diminishing, gender problems have become more complex as the system begins to acknowledge the existence of transgendered and bisexual individuals (Payne & Smith, 2016). Although many people center their arguments on providing high-quality education for both girls and boys, they fail to acknowledge that other individuals also need recognition and priority. That being said, equality in education is clouded by traditional aspects when it should be evolving to meet the needs of the next generation. As a result, it is necessary to look at the issue from a different perspective and champion gender-sensitive pedagogies as they are not limited to grouping individuals based on their gender traits (Mills et al., 2009). Applying gender-responsive educational approaches does not only help educators to evaluate the critical needs of girls and boys but also individuals who classify in the LGBTQ community because their rights and well-being are often neglected.
Policies in Place to Support Gender Sensitive Teaching and Learning
Teachers in the 21st century play a major role in childrenâs learning process. However, researchers suggest that a lack of awareness of how to tackle gender issues is one of the main limitations to gender-responsive teaching and learning. As a result, policymakers and educational administrators advocate for teacher training and preparation aimed at instilling gender-guided values into trainees (Jones & Hillier, 2012). Various teacher preparation institutions have adopted policies that dictate curricula to support gender-sensitive studies. These guidelines give teachers a responsibility of shaping their students’ mindsets to refrain from stereotyping and bias, thus influencing their behaviors as they grow and learn. In particular, teacher training institutions have invested heavily in research and studies surrounding gender and education (Kreitzer & Sweet-Cushman, 2021). Therefore, they facilitate high-quality teacher training on gender issues to equip educators with the necessary skills to handle diverse learner groups.
However, these policies are inefficient because they do not cater to teachers already pursuing the profession. Practising teachers are accorded more powers in educational institutions due to their wealth of experience. As a result, they are expected to guide recruits on the best way forward and inform them of the pedagogies that they should adopt. Therefore, if these teachers are not exposed to gender sensitive techniques, they are unable to champion changes and their implementation (Lahelma, 2014). In addition, they lack the ability to inform teachers on training of how to tackle gender issues in real-life situations. Thus, the practices are hardly applied in educational systems due to unsupportive frameworks to ensure adoption.
Similarly, there are several policies designed to support inclusion in education systems and student engagement. Teachers in schools are encouraged and in some instances obligated to facilitate a sensitive classroom environment, express positivity, offer support to struggling children and guide students toward autonomy (Mayo, 2022). Such policies have significantly helped limit explicit bias in educational institutions, thus allowing students with diverse sexual characteristics to accommodate each other and assist one another to excel. Nevertheless, these policies do not dive deep into what it means to work inclusively with students as educators may neglect several other issues such as emotional and developmental factors that affect girls and diverse students. Kreitzer & Sweet-Cushman (2021) suggests that students, especially in lower-level classes, emulate their teachers. Thus, educators’ beliefs, values, and ideas reflect on learnersâ behaviors as they continuously interact in the learning environment (Ullman, 2017). That being said, teachers’ attitudes and mindset significantly impact their children. Educators with gender-sensitive values can positively influence their students as they will learn how to approach different issues and work toward the best outcomes when socializing with others and interacting with class material.
My pedagogical philosophy regarding gender and education presumes that all individuals have different abilities and are unique regardless of their gender. Therefore, it is associated with the problem because most educators generalize their approaches when delivering learning instructions instead of dealing with individuals at a personal level and adopting gender-sensitive teaching approaches (Bragg et al., 2018). Ensuring high-quality education that is free from gender bias entails more than providing equal resources and adopting balanced approaches to teaching. Although pedagogies aimed at gender equality help students to grow up into open-minded individuals, it prevents them from achieving their highest educational potential because it encourages neglecting gender issues (Dobson & Ringrose, 2016). Therefore, educators should note that there is a wide gap in the education system that exposes emerging gender groups to discrimination. However, gender-sensitive approaches do not only acknowledge the immediate and hidden needs. Instead, they treat all individuals fairly, including transgendered students while providing them with a conducive environment to excel. Thus, addressing these issues involves encouraging a shift of pedagogical focus to gender-sensitive teaching.
For several years, gender equality and inclusion have focused on the rights of girls. As a result, most people interpret gender-responsive approaches as solutions tailored to exclusively address the needs of girls and boys. As a result, many educational institutions and educators have adopted techniques like putting in more effort to teach girls sciences, helping them build their self-confidence, and gender-based counseling (Taylor, 2013). However, they fail to understand that the needs of the 21st-century generation go beyond being classified as either male or female. Therefore, their approaches are inclined towards establishing gender constructs as perceived by society (Rawlings & Taylor, 2017). Nevertheless, these approaches leave out critical issues that should be acknowledged to realize the dream of gender equality in education. Therefore, it is advisable to adopt gender-responsive solutions to education that includes an assessment of individuals’ behaviors and encouraging them to accommodate others’ differences. In time, administrators and policymakers will develop better solutions to facilitate comprehensive inclusion and establish conducive environments for all learners.
Ethical and Inclusive Context
Transgender and LGBQ students experience severe atrocities at school because of the system’s failure to address their needs. These students suffer from bullying, being sidelined, and harassment because they do not conform to societal norms that define males and females. As a result, acknowledging and normalizing their existence is a potential solution to limit their setbacks (Jones, & Hillier, 2012). Girls have always had an upper hand when it comes to developmental opportunities due to the idea that they are endangered. Nevertheless, recent educational research suggests that failure to establish a gender-sensitive environment that supports these individuals is the reason why they suffer (Coll et al., 2014). Hence, teachers should be informed of potential gaps in their learning instructions and guided on how to deal with non-common gender issues. Educators have a significant influence on social constructs because they share knowledge and inform human enlightenment. Therefore, they should be on the front line in the fight toward inclusivity and gender equality by teaching gender sensitivity at a young age and sharing positive values to individuals beyond the classroom through their habits and beliefs.
Moreover, it is necessary to establish regulations and policies at state and national levels to support the positive development of gender-diverse students. According to research by (), transgender and LGBT students thrive when space is created for them, trust is established between them, their teachers, and their classmates, and when they are exposed to educational content that resonates with their circumstances (Jones et al., 2016). Moreover, these individuals should be treated with respect and given opportunities to build their self-confidence. However, since there is no ultimate solution to solve the issues that transgender individuals go through, it is advisable to advocate for gender-specific educational approaches as they provide teachers with a wider scope of solutions to adopt in various cases (Harrison & Ollis, 2015). On that account, educators should be supported in designing gender-sensitive pedagogies through training and increased access to informative resources. Moreover, they should be encouraged to occasionally put their knowledge into practice for the best outcomes. With time, teachers will learn how to deal with various issues and share this information to inform teachers in training and shareholders in the education institution of recommended approaches.
Existing Policies
Over recent years, educational institutions have found out that LGBTQ and transgender students are subjects of harassment and bullying. As a result, several policies have been developed to protect these individuals and create safe school environments for them. For example, enumerated policies refer to regulations that explicitly describe and protect the traits of LGBTQ people (Jones et al., 2016). Inclusive policies have helped establish a supportive environment for these individuals and all gender groups. Over the past decade, the Australian government has issued several orders to limit infringing on the rights of transgender individuals. However, most of these policies are not well formulated as they lack permanency and effective frameworks to assure adherence at institutional levels. Nevertheless, many states have developed policies that facilitate inclusion and obligate educators to promote gender diversity in their schools.
The involvement of the government in issues regarding gender equality in schools is critical to positive development because they act as platforms to support the adoption of gender-sensitive pedagogies across schools. However, it is necessary to involve other shareholders in the education sector including boards and decision-makers to materialize the required changes (Mayo, 2022). These policies can guide teachers and encourage them to show more support to students. As a result, more educators will see the need to alter their pedagogies and design learning instruction solutions that address the needs of a gender-diverse population. Nevertheless, it is critical to train children at an early age on how to perceive the concept of gender and value each other because most individuals associate with cultures and take note of societal norms like gender roles at an early age (Ullman, 2017). Thus, intervening before they mature can assure sustainable changes in their thought processes. Subsequently, training students early ensures that they grow up to accept others regardless of their differences and influence change in human society.
Relationship with Ethics and Inclusivity
My pedagogical philosophy significantly affects what I perceive to be ethical and inclusive because it identifies several issues in the currently adopted gender equality ideology. The fight toward equality in education is focused on sexes rather than addressing inert individualsâ needs and what they require to succeed (Schey, 2018). More specifically, the approach has an issue of generalization, thus allowing boys and girls to be exposed to similar conditions regardless of their abilities. Additionally, it overlooks gender diversity as LGBTQ and transgender students suffer from due to negligence and harassment. Therefore, it is evident that the approaches are not inclusive as they are intended to be and are unethical because they neglect to acknowledge the rights of diverse groups (Taylor, 2013). Instead of focusing on balanced approaches, teachers should design tools to maximize their interactions with their students so that they can examine their attributes and offer targeted guidance toward educational achievement. Such approaches will benefit both teachers and students as they will maximize their engagement with educational content. Similarly, it will assure inclusivity as the teacher will not forget to deal with individuals’ issues.
Most individuals are still inclined to traditional ideas of gender and what is culturally acceptable. As a result, diverse groups like transgender and LGBTQ individuals are disadvantaged in many areas of life as they are never accepted. These misguided values have significantly alleviated the issues that these individuals experience as most of their concerns do not get solved as many people are not comfortable addressing gender diversity issues (Ward, 2017). Nevertheless, neglecting the topic is doing more harm than good because it encourages educators to sustain traditional pedagogies of delivering learning instruction without acknowledging their responsibility to foster change in human society. Therefore, the more people accept the existence of gender-diverse individuals, the more their voices will be heard. In addition, they will have better opportunities for self-expression and advancement. Ultimately, decision-makers and administrators in the education system will see the need to alter educational practices by training educators on gender-sensitive teaching.
Conclusion
High-quality education is a human right assured to all individuals by the constitution. As a result, educators have made several alterations to education systems to make them more inclusive and ensure equality. However, the concept of equal access to education irrespective of gender differences is formed on redundant frameworks that do not acknowledge diversities. Although assuring equality in education is critical to minimizing gender stereotyping and bias, it does not conform to the 21st-century educational landscape, leading to the discrimination and negligence of individuals who associate with diverse genders. Transgender and LGBTQ persons suffer at the hands of the education system. While teaching pedagogies are designed to be inclusive, most teachers do not apply solutions that cater to these individuals’ needs. Subsequently, these actions go against human ethical values as they look down upon a particular group of people because of their identification. Similarly, they limit inclusivity as transgender and LGBTQ individuals are sidelined. However, gender-specific pedagogies support delivering learning instructions while acknowledging that people have different needs and preferences. Thus, the approach supports acknowledging the resistance of diverse genders and designing solutions to make them comfortable.
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