Group Differences

What?... We learned about gender bias and watched studies about how a school that has all girl classes, all boy classes and mixed gender classes. We talked in depth about that in class and I really liked how we were a class divided equally we were split down the middle. We had a presentation on Gender Bias and some strategies for eliminating bias, however one of the best examples to me was in the book, a teacher calls on a boy and then the next answer he looks for a girl to answer. We looked and evaluated pictures of different children of all different back rounds, gender, and SES. We talked briefly about SES and I personally was the most interested in this topic, I was waiting for us to talk about it because of some lingering questions I had before taking this course.

So what?... Reading this chapter and doing the study guide really opened my mind. One of the thinking questions asked what type of group different biases do we have? Before I really thought about my answer I asked him, and he said "that is hard to answer because it could all sound really negative." Which is what I initially thought, but besides being embarrassed I put mine down. One of my sigmas was that schools with more money get higher test scores. So I need to realize that there are different stigmas with every situation and one size does not fit all. I really liked going through all of the pictures and I was amazed by all of our predictions, we didn't even know these people.

Now what?... Now I will have to do a daily check in with myself, now as a student and wife to future when I have students and kids. Now I will have to realize when I am a teacher avoiding gender biases, having equality in the classroom and being aware of SES. Now I will be more aware and that is probably the best thing to be in this type of situation. If I am aware that there is a student is struggling financially then I can make the requirements different for that student and that is okay. Now I have more of an understanding that I will be able to help the student by evaluating a situation and tweaking the requirements and not feel like I am having to treat every situation as a fixes all method. At first I thought that gender differences meant gender equality to the highest degree. However, I now know that if a girl is struggling in my class, it is not favoring her if I have an IEP or if I have to make an assignment different. So now I will be more aware to have models breaking gender roles in society and I will let all students help with tasks.