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© 2005, CARE USA. All rights reserved.
Experiences from PCTFI India
Teachers’ beliefs and practices?
Addressing gendered notions and perceptions of primary school teachers
EQUITY through CARE’s Education lens What is Equity
Inclusion of all children from mixed communities within school, reaching their families and communities and fostering inclusion
Why EquityInclusion may break away age-old traditions, practices & discrimination as children from different communities participate together in education.
A channel to foster integration within communities.
How
Reach out to the most excluded-social/gender
Strengthen quality components of the formal education system with this lens
create opportunities for girls to complete quality elementary education,
work with communities to help them demand and exercise their right to education
foster the critical link between education and development
Within the ‘Rights based’ approach and through integrated programming.
Changing gender norms core focus
Gradual shift towards more inclusive concept of ‘addressing gender through youth leadership’ (both
girls & boys )
Key barriers in achieving Equity: Gendered Perceptions and Stereotypes in communities Focus on Gender stereotypes: Traits considered Masculine
/Feminine ‘Masuclinity’ confused with ‘being dominant’; considered antonym for ‘being
helpful, sensitive, encouraging and flexible’
Eg. Women in leadership roles practicing dominance/aggression considered
empowered/masculine
Men and boys to ‘demonstrate masculine traits’ and Women to be soft and subjugated
Early socialization of girls within families prepares them to be
passive, meek and dependent Obedience, modestly, innocence , beauty : traits ‘valued’ for girls;
Boys encouraged to take initiatives, fight back , work independently;
Schools , media, culture reinforce stereotypes
Assumptions
•Non stereotypical traits can be fostered through activities at school level
•Enabling environment can be created by involving boys from early ages
•Sensitized and equipped teacher is a key player • Important to break teacher’s myths• Support through guided activities
•Monitoring and assessing interventions
•Approach addresses gender and equity issues in school/classroom
•Equity in classrooms impact positively on learning
Addressing barriers through Teacher development
A quasi experimental research based project
Aims at creating evidence base for most successful initiatives addressing girls marginalization in education
Testing ‘Teacher Development’ model to help bring positive changes in girls’ participation and achievements.
Testing what works: Building this approach in CARE’s Education intervention: PCTFI
PCTFI Intervention: a snapshot
Develop teachers’ capacity to use learner centered, gender sensitive pedagogies
Build confidence and leadership skills amongst children, especially girls through participatory and gender sensitive classroom practices
Strategy School based support, Monthly teachers’ meetings Annual teacher training
Coverage
60 teachers teaching grade 2 and 3 in 34 government primary
schools
2000 girls and boys in age group of 7-8 years.
Focus on mathematics and language teaching
32 ‘Control Schools’ in adjoining district Gonda
Setting the tone: Understanding teachers knowledge, approach on Gender
Low expectations from girls and all children from marginalized sections (90% )
Teachers Opined: boys may ‘work to earn a living’ engagement in home chores and marriage were fate accomplice
for girls can take some village based jobs ‘if their guardians’ agree’
No initiatives to encourage/ support shy inhibited children from the side of teachers
Strategy to address teachers’ attitudes and behaviour on leadership
Develop inclusive gender sensitive spaces for teacher-child interaction Forums for whole group learning: morning assemblies’
action songs, poems recitation, story telling, role play sessions focusing on shy/ inhibited children
interaction amongst boys and girls/ children from different castes
Inclusive and interactive classrooms: active methods of learning use of varied TLMs, small group activities, activities, role plays seating arrangement conducive to interaction/ discussion formative assessment in addition to summative assessment
Strategy to address teachers’ attitudes and behaviour on Equity….contd.
Teachers capacity building initiatives Reflective, open to multiple discussion and interpretation
Reflections on gender with teachers use non-stereotypical, positive images of women/ girls from textbooks to
reinforce positive gender norms;
Add exercises/ examples on positive gender images to supplement chapters
with inadequate representation of women/ girls
Introspect hidden feelings/ biases (focusing on girls/socially marginalized)
Use ‘inclusive, participatory and learner centered methods’ through ‘classroom
demonstration’
Changes perceived post inputs Methodology used for drawing inferences:
Teachers’ qualitative interviews ( 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013) with 60 teachers
from 34 treatment schools in Shravasti
Children’s quantitative survey questionnaire on 273 grade 2 and grade 3
students (2010, 2012)
Comparative analysis of teachers’ responses on feminine and masculine
qualities (60 teachers from PCTFI, 33 teachers non PCTFI schools)
Pre-test and post test tools used on PCTFI teachers during Gender
Workshop 2013.
Changing perceptions amongst PCTFI teachers
‘Best performing girls’ in their class may seek paid jobs/ employment after completing
education.
2010 Baseline: None for girls taking up any work beyond their families/village
10% teachers ready for village based volunteer work (health or preschool worker) if ‘guardians’ allow
90% felt that the best girls will only engage in home chores after school
2012 67% opined girls may take up jobs, also beyond their village
Jobs will commensurate with their talents/ qualities rather than those permitted by guardians
2013 83% teachers responded that after education girls will take up jobs either at the village level
or outside. The nature of jobs ranging from AWW/ANM/teacher to doctors/engineers/social workers.
Changing perceptions amongst PCTFI teachers
Seating arrangement In 2010: 50 out of 60 teachers for girls and boys to sit
separately in class; 2012: all teachers for mixed groups. 2013: all teachers prefer mixed groups. 95% teachers ensure
comfortable sitting arrangement of students
Opinion of Teachers (PCTFI and non PCTFI) on gender based qualities: PCTFI teachers less likely to link qualities with gender and
were more likely to perceive them neutrally.
Teachers’ Perception about ‘personality based variables’
Teacher Men/ Boys W/ Girls Both
Self dependent
PCTFI 18.2 6.0 75.8
Non-PCTFI 43.3 6.7 50.0
Effective communicator
PCTFI 03 15.3 81.7
Non-PCTFI 23.3 3.3 73.3
Hard working
PCTFI 0 9 91
Non-PCTFI 23. 17 60
Teachers’ Perceptions
Qualities to help both boys/girls lead happy/successful lives: PCTFI teachers: for non stereotypical and active qualities Non-PCTFI: stereotypical and compliant/adaptive qualities
Top 5 qualities (PCTFI) Top 5 qualities (non-PCTFI)
Quality % teachers Quality % teachers
Good Health 79% Obedience 80%
Diligence 73% Academic excellence 70%
Academic excellence 70% Content 60%
Assertiveness 58% Tolerance 57%
Aware of new opportunities 50% Sacrificing self interest 50%
Teachers’ Perceptions
PCTFI/non-PCTFI: qualities essential for boys:
Good health Being Diligent Being good in academics Being aware of new opportunities
Brave (PCTFI) Sports excellence (non-PCTFI)
Children’s Perceptions
Students' perceptionTime 1 Time 3"Always" confident when teacher ask
questionsOverall 19% 29%Boys 14% 29%Girls 21% 27%
Who is good at school? Boys 31% 18%Girls 18% 18%Both 51% 64%
Who is intelligent? Boys 32% 17%Girls 19% 19%Both 49% 64%
Who is able to speak up when they know answer?
Boys 31% 23%Girls 14% 16%Both 55% 61%
•Positive progression from time 1 to time 3
•More androgynous answers
•Being intelligent, confident, good not confined to boys or girls…..
Positive impact on learning
Grade 2 Mathematics Mean Scores
Boys Girls Significant difference
2010 4.43 2.49 Boys perform better that girls, diff significant as per ANOVA test result
2011 6.87 4.47 Boys perform better that girls, diff significant as per ANOVA test result
2012 7.46 5.00 Boys perform better that girls, diff significant as per ANOVA test result
2013 7.13 8.3 Girls have out-shown boys. Girls regular attendance & intensive focus on gender has yielded positive result
Students’ achievements have been low in general and they have been lower for girls due to marginalisation, low expectations…. Each year improvement in mean scores for both groups
Grade 2 lang Mean Score
Boys Girls Significant difference
Time 1 6.71 5.46 No statistical difference between boys and girls
Time 2 10.44 8.2 Boys perform statistically better
Time 3 11.01 9.42 Boys perform statistically better
Assessing the assumptions
•Non stereotypical traits can be fostered through activities at school level: morning assembly, classroom processes, sports, cultural activities…..
•Enabling environment can be created by involving boys from early ages: boys more sensitive, acceptable, working with girls on non-stereotypical chores, ….
•Sensitized and equipped teacher is a key player •Important to break teacher’s myths•Support through guided activities•Monitoring and assessing interventions….getting proved…
•Approach addresses gender and equity issues in school/classroom…..equity and gender sensitive classrooms
•Equity in classrooms impacts positively on learning•Assessments showing improvement over the years
Changes in perception is an iterative process
Changes in perception may take time to translate into changes in practice
Changes in perception impacts positively on performance
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