Case Studies Case Study 1: I just had to look at the children ... ]
The school is a co-educational primary school with about 700 students. It is situated in a large regional city in an area of high unemployment and of economic and cultural diversity. There is a focus on Asian Studies; and Indonesian is taught from Reception (the first year of school) to Year 7.
Needs analysis was based on
The principal's observations
The current principal already had an understanding of how gender issues affected girls' and boys' behaviours and educational outcomes and had been involved in system wide gender equity committees before she was appointed to the school. She observed a range of interactions and behaviours between teachers and students in classrooms and in the playground. She noted that many teachers were unaware of the inequitable ways they divided their time between girls and boys. They were also unaware of the ways in which girls and boys tended to gain different skills through different class activities such as literacy or the use of construction materials.
The principal also observed how the playground was dominated by the more active boys, controlling the court space and the ovals. The principal recognised the differences made by teachers who understood the impact of gender on student learning and who worked to make their classrooms equitable for all students. For example, these teachers consciously encouraged all students to be involved in all activities. They encouraged boys in the more passive activities such as reading and girls to be more active and assertive.
Having established with the staff that she was interested in gender issues, the principal's own observations were supplemented by talking to the teachers who began to discuss issues and concerns with her. Talking to the students also provided more information about gendered attitudes and behaviours.
Working with willing teachers
A teacher with a particular concern for gender issues was released from teaching one day a week to act as a gender equity coordinator and to begin to identify areas of need. She began by working with willing teachers, helping them to look at their own classrooms, the ways they interacted with girls and boys, the language they used and how the students behaved. She was able to assist teachers to make changes in the way they interacted with their students in their classroom organisation and learning activities, for example, teachers became aware of more passive students who were denied access to full participation by more dominant groups and so activities and group work were structured to counteract this. Gradually more teachers became interested and they began to call on the gender equity coordinator to help them to look at areas of concern.
Areas for action
Areas for action across the school included looking at library resources to help teachers become aware of how gender differences may be perpetuated or emphasised through the ways in which girls and boys, men and women might be portrayed in texts and illustrations. As a result of this audit process more appropriate gender inclusive resources were purchased for students and teacher resources were collected to encourage professional reading in the area of gender equity.
Data from the State's Junior Secondary Review of schooling highlighted particular difficulties with schooling outcomes in the middle years. These data, together with the teachers' observations of different behaviours by, and needs of, girls and boys led to an emphasis on the middle years for the school. This emphasis included the organisation of single sex classes in Years 6 and 7, relevant professional development for teachers, arranging a different recess time during which girls and boys were given encouragement and skills to play together, and the training of teachers in `boys and relationships' programs. These changes proved to be successful for this age group with improved behaviours and a perception of improved academic outcomes.
The school made an effort to provide gender inclusive curriculum and teachers were supported to attend professional development relevant to gender issues whenever opportunities arose. Most developments within the school were based on action research processes. Teachers worked in teams and parents and student representatives were involved with staff in the school's decision making processes.
