"Women and men do not receive an equal education because outside the classroom women are perceived not as sovereign beings but as prey." -Adrienne Rich

"How can considerations of gender be helpful in the art classroom?"

Perceptions of gender form what we teach, whose stories we tell as we teach, how we teach, and perhaps even why certain people come to be teachers.

Not surprisingly, then, perceptions of gender shape not only what we learn, but how we learn.

"How does gender affect the teaching profession?"

In the U.S., and probably in other places, the teaching profession has been feminized in various ways. The people who become K-12 teachers are predominately women, due to a complex set of social, political, and economic histories. As with other professions that deal with service, nurturance, and caring for children, the teaching profession employs women in the day-to-day work of teaching, while the supervisory roles of principals, superintendents, and school boards have been historically held by men. In this way, the structure of the K-12 school environment mimics the power structure of the patriarchal family, as well. As years have passed, the power that teachers exercise in their classroom has been eroded, as well, as their expertise and ability to make decisions appropriate to their students is passed over in favor of standardized forms of delivering and evaluating curricula. The teacher is, in this way, kept in a space where her or his power is limited and her or his capabilities unrecognized and under-utilized--a space that is, historically, all too familiar to women.

"How does gender affect the way students learn?"

It is important for every teacher to devote attention to the way she or he might inadvertently treat girls and boys differently. Girls and boys have been socialized to behave in different ways according to gender roles, being systematically rewarded for some behaviors and penalized for others. For example, girls are rewarded for being quiet and obedient in the classroom, while boys are rewarded for talking more and taking more risks. Conversely, girls who ask questions and engage in classroom discussion are often labeled as "disruptive," and boys who do not are labeled as "disinterested." In their book, Failing at Fairness: How America's Schools Cheat Girls, Myra Sadker and David Sadker document their studies of the ways that gender roles are played out in the school environment, finding that even well-meaning teachers treat girls and boys in inequitable ways without being conscious of their own bias. Mary Pipher, in her interviews with adolescent girls, found that the school environment is a place that is often hostile and oppressive to girls.

These different expectations of behavior have implications for the way students are treated, the way they expect to be treated, and the effectiveness of instruction. When educational experts agree that more learning takes place when students are active in their engagement with lessons, what are the effects on girls who have been encouraged to be passive in the classroom? When competitive, rather than cooperative, behaviors are encouraged for boys, what are the costs to their emotional development and ability to interact positively and productively with others?

"How has gender affected the way art is taught?"

Just as the profession of teaching has been feminized, the subject of art has been feminized within the educational system. In British schools for working class children of the nineteenth century, which became the model for U.S. schools, art as we know it was excluded from the curriculum for fear of eroding the boys' masculinity. Instead, boys were taught a regimented form of drawing from a mechanical perspective, focusing on accurate reproduction of figures and skill at drafting that would prepare them for future careers. Girls, who of course received a very different education overall, were taught to draw flowers and other subjects considered appropriate for the home crafts that they might make as workers in the home. Artmaking was not taught as a mode of expression that had value unto itself, but as a means for employment.

As attitudes about art changed, its place in the schools became problematic. When art became valued for its expressive qualities (associated with feminine stereotypes), and "art for art's sake" became a mantra, its role in preparing students for future careers was questioned. Its already unstable place in the schools was further eroded as it became more associated with the "feminine" skills of self-expression and handicraft. Today, many art teachers still feel the effects of the way art has been marginalized in the curriculum, receiving less funding and support than other subject areas, and finding themselves having to do more for their students in less time and with fewer materials.

Art and the teaching of art are the centers of several paradoxes in relation to gender. Even though art, as a mode of expression and meaning-making, has been stereotyped as a feminine activity, the art world is still a place in which men exercise more power and make more money than women. Because the historical record has overlooked women and their work, art history is taught from a predominately male perspective. And, because the art world sets forms of art that have been historically associated with women--such as fiber arts and ceramics--at a lower place in its value system, school arts have been historically focused on more highly valued media such as painting and sculpture.

"What can I do to increase gender equity in my classroom?"

The best way to increase gender equity is to become conscious of your own attitudes and behaviors as a teacher. Because gender stereotypes are a huge part of our socialization, even teachers who have the best intentions can find themselves unconsciously acting them out in the classroom.

Ways to become more conscious of your teaching in regard to gender:

• Keep a record how often you call on girls, and how often you call on boys. Do you tend to call on one gender over the other?
• Note any gender differences who raises their hand, and who doesn't, as well as your adherence to any hand-raising rules you may have. (Studies show that many teachers do not require boys to raise their hands to speak while making girls stick to hand-raising rules.)
• When you ask a question, count silently to yourself while you wait for a student to answer. (Studies show that most teachers allow more "wait time" to boys than to girls.)
• Expect all students to participate actively in class, and say so.   Find ways to encourage classroom participation for all students, such as activities that require everyone to be active in movement or discussion.
• Watch the subtle verbal cues you give your students. Do you call on boys and girls by name equally? Whose responses or work do you praise, and how?
• Note your nonverbal communication and body language when communicating with students. With whom do you make the most eye contact? Who is talking when you find yourself nodding your head?
• Examine your behavior expectations for girls and boys. Do you hold them all to the same standard?
• Pay attention to the language being used in your classroom. Do you allow students to make sexist comments or use sexist terms in your class--and do you apply this to both girls and boys? Remember that sexism works both ways.
• Make a list of the artists you discuss in class and use as exemplars. Do you have an equitable gender distribution? Are you also including artists of diverse media, cultures, and ethnic backgrounds?
• Include the study of visual culture images in your classroom. Engage students in discussions of gender stereotypes and issues of body image.
• Discuss artists' lives with your class--not just their artwork. Set the artist and her or his work in the context of her or his life and culture.
• Examine your textbook, if you have one. How does your textbook address gender? What artists does it include? How could it be improved? If you have a voice in textbook adoption, use it.