Abstract
Statement of Problem: The more students talk, the more they learn. Therefore, if educators are serious about leveling the academic playing field to provide scholastic success for all learners, attention must be given to communication patterns in the classroom. While media stories and political outcries over the last decades have promoted the idea that there is a "boy crisis" in which boys are left in the shadows by educational institutions, the research shows that boys are privileged in classroom interactions while girls are consistently shortchanged. Through actions that teachers are usually not even aware of, girls are inadvertently silenced. The research shows that girls receive less attention from the teacher, they receive less in-depth feedback to promote critical thinking, and they are called on to talk less frequently than boys. Girls also receive less praise from the teacher and are not encouraged as much as boys through teacher immediacy behaviors (i.e. smiling, nodding, gestures). Girls are also more frequently bullied in the form of sexual harassment, which may lead to withdrawal. There is a pressing need to address inequities and ensure girls have an equal voice in the classroom, yet teachers receive little to no training in recognizing and addressing gender bias in their practice, and how to correct it. Purpose of the Project: The overarching goal of this project was to provide a professional learning workshop for K-12 teachers to examine research-based phenomena that cause gender inequities in class participation and conversational discourse. Teachers voice disapproval of gender bias in general, but research shows that many are unaware of the myriad of ways their own teaching practices or classroom culture contribute to inequities. For this reason, the author chose to enable teachers to look at research for themselves while reflecting on proactive and reactive measures that can be taken to ensure equity. The project not only aimed to educate teachers about classroom inequities in discourse but also to model gender-fair practices that teachers can utilize in their classrooms to ensure all voices are heard. Project Description: The guiding question for the teacher learning session that was created is “How are girls silenced in the classroom?” The project’s curriculum presents teachers with research on inequitable participation patterns based on gender, leads teachers to examine their own teaching practices, and concludes by directing teachers to make an action plan for what they can proactively and reactively do to ensure all voices matter. This workshop was not designed to stand alone, but rather be a part of a longer professional learning series that addresses access and equity and includes coaching. Best practices in engaging all learners are modeled in the workshop to enable teachers to envision gender-fair methods of empowering all voices. Ten evaluators with a range of expertise related to teacher education, gender equity studies, the Equity and Access professional learning organization, and K-12 teaching reviewed the workshop curriculum and provided written feedback. Overall, evaluator comments were positive about the effectiveness of the curriculum and found the guide engaging, thorough and helpful. Furthermore, evaluators indicated that modeling practices worked well to illustrate gender-fair practices. However, evaluator feedback also pointed to the need to conduct additional professional development sessions related to gender equity issues ranging from girls in STEM to the examination of non-binary gender equity practices.