Gender inequality has been present in the classroom for many years. Many researchers on the topic of gender inequality in the classroom see gender inequality through all stages of education, primary, secondary, and higher education. The purpose of this literature review is to define the different gender inequalities seen in elementary public schools and examine the effects of gender inequality in the classroom as the students enter the workforce or higher education. Dr. Joscha Legewie and Dr. Thomas A. DiPrete (2012) observed that “Although overt discrimination against girls in the classroom has declined over the past three decades, recent studies suggest that boys still verbally dominate the classroom” (465). In other words, Dr. Legewie and Dr. Diprete asserts that over the years’ discrimination has decreased, it seems that male students are more likely to “rule” the class and teachers are more likely to pay attention to these male students, which brings up the idea of gender inequality still being in the classroom. This topic is important to understand because gender inequality does not happen on its own since it is a social construction. To fully understand the effects of gender inequality in the classroom, one must understand the detention of gender inequality and what gender inequalities exist in the past and present. The following literatures presented in this review attempt to demonstrate and support the topic of gender inequality in education.
Defining Gender Inequality
Gender is defined as the meanings one can attach to male and female categories in social and cultural life. Juliet Joseph defines gender equality as men and women having equal opportunity to contribute and benefit as a citizen, working person, student, and so forth. Which means, gender inequality is the exact opposite. Gender is socially constructed, which is the reason why gender inequality exists. According to Joseph (2012) in her study, states “men are a social category which is associated with hierarchy and power over women, whereas women are defined as subordinates. The inability of most women to access education, and the lack of female representation in power and prestigious positions is a universal challenge” (772). From a very young age, girls are taught to be obedient to everyone, whereas, boy were also taught to be obedient. However, if girls were not obedient, then it was not “lady-like,” which would make girls feel bad and get upset with themselves to not living up to “the standards.” Boys on the other hand would get a punishment. Educational environments are places where students of both sexes should be equally educated. But that is not the case for girls because they are excluded from society and sometimes feel unwanted.
Why Gender Inequalities Exist?
Sebastian Bergold, Heike Wendt, Daniel Kasper, and Ricarda Steinmayr (2017) suggest that gender differences occur because of biological or sociocultural influence. Scholars defined biological influences are due to genetics, brain development, evolution or hormones. Scholars have also defined sociocultural influence as people, places, things, idea, and so forth, around people. Similarly, Emily Kane (1995) believes that gender inequality is rooted in cultural patterns, which can be seen as a sociocultural influence. Also, in a study done by Emily Kane and Else Kyyrö (2001), they examine data from the 1996 General Social Survey (GSS) to see how education is associated with inequalities of gender and race in America. Their findings concluded that the origins of gender inequality happen in school through group segregation and victim-blaming, which can also be seen as a sociocultural influence. Other scholars that agree with the scholars above are Joscha Legewie and Thomas A. DiPrete. In their study, they concluded that although gender inequalities exist, the schools and classrooms environment play a role for boys’ underperformance and shape the learning orientation for boys and girls. Mirjam Weis, Tobias Heikamp, and Gisela Trommsdorff (2013) stated “boys develop gender stereotypes according to which girls are perceived as academically superior with regard to motivation, ability, performance, and self-regulation” (1). This shows that gender stereotypes happen through influences male students receive. These scholars have made similar conclusions that gender inequalities exist because of sociocultural influences.
What and How Do Gender Inequalities Exist?
A study done by Scott Renshaw and Roger Clark (2017), defines the first boy problem to be the “perception that boys were falling behind academically” (80). The reviewers believed the reasoning behind this was because boys wanted to work rather than being in school. If the boys went to school, it was seen as “breaking the norm” for boys. Renshaw and Clark also define the girl problem, which meant girls were at a disadvantage in the education system. However, this began to change due to the need for equality in schools. Boys were still placed at a social advantage because teachers were paying more attention to male students. On the other hand, “girls were getting higher grades than boys in reading, writing, and mathematics in elementary school” (81). This meant girls were being placed at an academic advantage.
According to their study, Gender Inequalities in Education, Claudia Buchmann, Thomas A. DiPrete, and Anne McDaniel (2008) have pointed out that people tend to ask who do better, boys or girls. But the answer will depend on two things: age of students and what parameters are being compared, for example, test scores or grades. They have made generalizations that male students tend to score higher on tests, like standardized ones, whereas females achieve higher and better grades. Bergold et al. (2017) also concluded that boys were more likely to perform better than girls on academic performance test. Buchmann et al. said that girls get better grades from kindergarten to high school and college. Girls are also more advanced in reading and writing skills, as well as having advantages in social skills and classroom behavior than boys. During adolescent years, teachers tend to focus on female students because they show more effort and are less disruptive than boys. Female students also possess qualities (e.g. organized, self-disciplined, attentiveness, etc.) which results in to academic success. Female and male students were facing different, yet similar gender inequalities that hindered their ability to do well in school. Teachers gave more attention to male students, however, on average, girls were doing better than boys in terms of grades and social skills. Male students were only better on standardized tests. Because gender inequalities exist, some female and male students have been affected.
The Effects of Gender Inequalities
A recent study done by Johan Coenen and Chris Van Klaveren (2016) argues that, “gender-specific achievement differences are worrisome because of the potential long-term effects on college completion and consequently future labour market outcomes… [and] primary school teaching has increasingly become a female profession, which may have contributed to the overserved achievement differences between boys and girls” (452). The basis of Coenen and Klaveren argument is that gender inequality in the classroom affects many aspects of the student’s life, such as college and work, and suggest that the rise of females in the teaching profession has contributed to gender inequality in the classroom. In a study on academic competencies, it showed that boys were overrepresented in reading, mathematics, and science academic competencies. This finding may show a reason why more men are at the top for societal key positions than women (Bergold et al. 2017). Although there is not much evidence to prove that gender inequalities significantly affect a gender, these scholars have concluded that men are more likely to have job opportunities readily available to them than women.
Conclusion
Gender inequality is always changing, especially in education. At one point, male students were given more attention, now it is the exact opposite. Female students are doing better in school and teachers are beginning to pay more attention to them. Many scholars have agreed that gender inequality happens because of social influences, which is a reason why gender inequality exists today. There are many aspects of gender inequality in the classroom that can have effects on students who enter the workforce or higher education. Scholars believe that men are more successful in jobs, whereas, women are more successful in higher education. Although more studies can be done to show a clear understanding of gender inequalities in the classroom, scholars have provided an abundance of information to understand what gender inequalities exist in the classroom.