Expect the Best From a Girl

¶ … Girl The website "Expect the Best From a Girl - That's What You'll Get" addresses the issue of gender equity in education. Studies have shown that girls mature developmentally faster than boys do, meaning that they will talk and read earlier among other things. At young ages, females tend to score better than males on IQ tests, and to do better in school overall.

One of the problems with the school system is that the methodology and philosophy of teaching is developed from a male-centered perspective, and teachers are trained to treat all students as if they were boys. One major difference in school behavior is that boys express frustration by acting out, while girls become withdrawn, yet boys are called on more often in school to participate in class. Overall, males are also more likely to take credit for achievements, while girls will not accept their own success.

Adults, including teachers, hold different expectations for boys and girls, and will therefore treat them differently; adults tend to "rescue" girls, while their male counterparts are left alone. The harmful effects of these inequities can be lessened by parental involvement in the child's life, both at school and at home. Parents and other adults can encourage girls to experiment with activities that are traditional to males only, such as home repairs, mathematical questions, and so on.

When girls show curiosity and dare to cross the line of traditional gender roles, they should be praised. Girls should be praised also for her actual skills, achievements, and ideas, rather than focusing on traditional female areas such as neatness and appearance. Overall, stereotypes should be challenged by male and female children alike. Allowing female children to solve their own problems, rather than handing them easy answers, helps develop their confidence. The stereotypical portrayal of women in the media should be addressed and discussed in the family.

Education in school remains very important to female children. The vast majority of women who have completed college rate their life as going well, where only a small percentage of women who did not graduate high school feel their life is going well. Taking at least two college math classes will make it far more likely for a woman to receive equal or better pay than men.

Encouraging girls to explore technology is a major key to a successful career, and it is detrimental to girls that it is often assumed they are not interested in technical things. Girls should be encouraged to expand their horizons with volunteer and internship programs, as well as participating in extracurricular activities. Parents can help their daughters get the most out of their education by encouraging them to ask questions, seek challenges, speak up, be a leader, study math and science, and be physically active.

Parents need to play an active role in female children's lives. Parents should ask their children about their experiences in school and elsewhere. Asking questions of the child is a way to find out what she is thinking and feeling, as well as a way to gauge how fairly the school is treating the child. Visiting the school, observing the class, and becoming involved in school decisions can help ensure that females are being treated as equals.

The school should be encouraged to acknowledge the advancements made by women, and to develop an educational plan that effectively teaches both males and females. Parents can get involved in the PTA and work together to assess the gender roles within the school system and make plans to improve gender equality. The article.