“No student--woman or man--should have to work against the odds to gain an education,” Sandra Stueber wisely stated. Gender issues in the United States can be a sensitive topic for some because of the pay difference between men and women. In the school systems there is a “hidden curriculum” where the students learn about gender differences even though it is not taught. Sandra Stueber presented an interesting presentation on gender and I learned and realized many ideas for my future classroom:

«     Since males are featured in 2/3 of posters and books, I will search for books, posters and magazines that feature women and men equally and make them available in my classroom.

«     As a teacher, I will teach my students how to care for others by creating a community and a bond, so each student knows how to treat others with respect and use nice complimentary language.

«     As a teacher I will build strong relationships with my students’ parents and my students so they can come to me when they have a problem.

«     Since no student--woman or man--should have to work against the odds to gain an education, I will make my classroom equal to show each student that they are equal. Two examples would be to systematically call on the opposite gender each time I ask a question or to pull pop-sickle sticks out of a can with random names on it.

«     In my classroom I will recognize the gender issue and not ignore bias comments because they can be hurtful and discouraging. I will teach my students to be equal by grouping boys and girls together.

Graphic from personal collection