Creating Supportive Learning Environments For Girls And Boys

Creating SupportiveLearning Environmentsfor Girls and BoysA GUIDE FOR EDUCATORSThis guide has been developed for the Teaching Excellence and AchievementProgram (TEA) and the International Leaders in Education Program (ILEP).TEA and ILEP are programs of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau ofEducational and Cultural Affairs, implemented by IREX.

IREX encourages the use and distribution of this Guide and its contents by others foreducational purposes, provided that appropriate attribution is provided to IREX andthat its contents are not used to create derivative works.

ContentsPART IIntroduction to Gender-Inclusive Teaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3PART IIBuilding a Gender-Inclusive Learning Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51. How Can I Help My School and Community Become Gender Inclusive? . . . . . . . . . 52. How Gender Friendly Is My Classroom? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113. How Gender Friendly Are My Textbooks and Materials?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274. How Do I Create a Gender-Friendly Lesson Plan?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32PART IIINext Steps: Action Planning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35What Are My Next Steps Toward a Gender-FriendlyClassroom, School, and Community?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35PART IVMonitoring Change. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37PART VFeedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38PART VISupplementary Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391

PART I:Introduction to Gender-Inclusive TeachingWe are happy that you are joining the journey to makeyour classroom, school, and community gender inclusive.This guide was created by IREX education specialists withthe contributions of secondary school educators fromnearly 70 countries across Eurasia, South and CentralAsia, East Asia and the Pacific, the Middle East and NorthAfrica, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Western Hemisphere.Teachers who used the tools and strategies included herereported increased leadership roles for girls and boys intheir classrooms, increased awareness of how genderinclusiveness improves classroom planning and teaching,effective methods for countering negative stereotypesof girls and boys that impede learning, and success inimplementing gender empowerment projects in theirschools and communities.What Is Gender?Around the world, the term gender suggests a variety ofdifferent meanings, opinions, and ideas. For the purposesforms of inequality persist between girls and boys thatof this teaching guide, gender is defined as the behavioral,present challenges to advancing girls’ education globally.social, and cultural expectations associated with being aGiven the critical importance of education to individualsmale or female.and communities, how do we ensure that girls and boys aresucceeding at equal levels around the world?What Is Gender-Inclusive Teaching?A high-quality education supports the development ofknowledge, skills, and abilities that lead to improved healthoutcomes, increased individual earning potential, and amore engaged citizenry. While large gains have been madein improving girls’ and boys’ access to education, multipleGENDER-INCLUSIVE TEACHINGTeaching with content and pedagogy that helps girls andboys achieve success.Gender-Inclusive Teaching is teaching with content andpedagogy that acknowledges and overcomes genderbased constraints so that both girls and boys can besuccessful learners. Gender-based barriers to educationmay be socioeconomic, cultural, or institutional; theychange over time and vary from place to place. This guideincludes a pathway for teachers to evaluate and put intopractice gender-inclusive teaching in their classrooms,schools, and communities so that all their students havea chance to thrive.3

Why Is Gender-Inclusive Teaching Important?Teachers have the opportunity to make a difference instudents’ lives every day. They have a powerful influenceon students’ success in and outside of the classroom,through the content they teach as well as the expectationsthey set. When teachers make the decision to learn aboutand practice gender-inclusive teaching, they are ials andTextbooksGENDER-FRIENDLY CULTUREa commitment to value and nurture the potential of everystudent, helping to create more prosperous and sustainablecommunities. Gender-inclusive teaching proactivelyaddresses challenges that both girls and boys may face inGender-FriendlySchools andFacilitiesGender-FriendlyCommunityreceiving an excellent education.This teaching guide provides practical, hands-on activities,suitable for large classrooms with varying levels of resources,for advancing on the journey of gender-inclusive teaching.Each classroom, school, and community has its ownpurposes of this teaching guide, the terms gender- inclusiveand gender-friendly will be used interchangeably.specific gender-based challenges and opportunities, and weCreating a gender-friendly learning environment applies toencourage teachers to adapt these activities to best suit theirall grades and all subjects. Gender-friendly learning shouldjourney toward gender-friendly teaching. A gender- inclusivenot just happen in a specific course subject or after-schoolclassroom is friendly to all students; therefore, for theclub; rather, it is a style of teaching that should be applied ina variety of settings. Math, Science, Social Studies, Language,Technology, Art, and many more subjects can all be taughtin a gender-friendly environment.A TEACHER’S VOICERokhaya, SenegalThe Journey toward a Gender-Friendly CultureAdvancing Girls’ Engagement in STEMThis guide provides a flexible map for evaluating, building,and implementing gender-inclusive teaching in instructionalUpon her return to Senegal, Rokhaya used whatmaterials, classrooms, schools, and communities. Eachshe learned throughout the 2012 TEA programsection provides an opportunity for teachers to OBSERVEto implement and improve gender clubs in hercurrent teaching practices, REFLECT on the genderregion. As head of gender affairs at her schoolfriendliness of those practices, and TAKE ACTION towarddistrict’s superintendent’s bureau, and witha more gender-friendly classroom.support from various associations across theregion, Rokhaya organized a highly successful“Miss Science and Miss Math” competitionto promote girls’ education in STEM. In 2015alone, 300 students participated in the regionalcompetition, and 29 received the distinctionof Miss Math and Miss Science. Rokhaya alsotranslated resources provided to her duringthe program to share as a tool with peers inschools in her district.The sections of the guide do not need to be completed inany particular order. Rather, each section should be utilizedto meet current needs. Teachers will find space throughoutthe guide for taking notes. At the end of each section,teachers will find questions to get them thinking abouttheir short- and long-term goals. We encourage teachers toidentify goals as they work through each section and to thinkabout how they can accomplish their goals with the toolsprovided to them in this guide. Finally, feel free to share thisguide with peers and use the suggested activities in trainingsor workshops in your schools and communities.4

PART II:Building a Gender-InclusiveLearning EnvironmentThere are three important components to fostering a truly gender-inclusive learning environment: 1) generating supportwithin the school and community; 2) creating a supportive classroom atmosphere; and 3) ensuring gender-sensitivecontent and curriculum.1. HOW CAN I HELP MY SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY BECOME GENDER INCLUSIVE?Alumni of the ILEP and TEA programs frequently report common barriers to gender equity in education in their communities.Approximately 85% of survey respondents indicated that there are barriers to gender equity in education in theircommunities. The most commonly reported challenges are identified here:CULTURALECONOMIC Restrictive gender norms and roles Cost of schooling Early marriage and pregnancy Earning potential of males vs. females Girls are expected to stay at home and do householdchores and boys are expected to work Pressure on males to support family Girls have to stay home to care for siblings Valuing boys over girls Lack of investment in education Limited parent engagementGOVERNMENTSCHOOLPolicy relating to curriculum design and schoolsystems Long and unsafe commute Lack of services for students with special needs Lack of commitment to equity School conditions and poor bathroom facilities Approach to resource distribution Sexual exploitation and gender-based violence In areas of instability and violence, recruitment ofboys as child soldiers Inadequate training of teachers Insufficient infrastructure to support response tonatural disasters or emergencies Lack of adequate hygiene facilities and supplies forgirls during menstruation 5

OBSERVATIONA TEACHER’S VOICEIn the space below, identify and list obstacles or challengesthat girls or boys face accessing a quality education orShumaila, Pakistancompleting school in your community. Do they changeEducating Illiterate Mothers on theImportance of Educating Their Girlsover time, particularly as boys and girls reach adolescence?“The support I received from the TEA programin 2012 allowed me to work with 100 motherswho had never been to school to learn how topromote literacy in the home and to encourageHow do you see these issues manifesting in your schooland community? Is your school currently addressing any ofthese challenges? If so, what steps are they taking to addressthem?CULTURAL :their daughters to go to school. It improved femaleaccess to education by increasing enrollment ratesby 25% and decreasing dropout rates by 20% inthe nearby schools.”ECONOMIC :Teachers can work together with peers, administrators, andparents to help overcome these barriers by designing andimplementing effective strategies for promoting genderinclusive environments. The more people committed totaking action, the greater the opportunity for all students toGOVERNMENT:succeed. In fact, increasing numbers of ILEP and TEA alumnireport that raising awareness in the school and communityhelps to counter negative stereotypes about girls and boys.This section provides suggested strategies and real-lifeexamples from ILEP and TEA alumni on how to cope withSCHOOL:some common challenges related to gender inclusiveness intheir schools and communities.REFLECTIONAll students are affected by factors inside and outside ofschool, but teachers can and do make a difference. Thinkabout the ways in which you can reduce gender-basedobstacles and challenges in your school and communityto make a positive, lasting impact on students. How canyou get fellow teachers, parents, school administrators,or government officials to support your cause?6