Goals
Brief description of the issue
Youth who embrace gender stereotypes the most are also the ones dropping out of school the most (CSÉ, 1999). When looking at the reasons these youth state as their motivation to leave school, we notice that boys and girls drop out for different reasons, meaning they have a differentiated experience of school (RRM, 2018). In order to make our learning environments more equal, gender inclusive, and to give all our students a similar experience at school, it is important to question ourselves and to take action everyday toward a gender-friendly classroom, school and community, one step at a time.
IREX, a global development and education organization based in the US, has developed a guide for educators worldwide wanting to take action toward a gender-inclusive classroom. More specifically, “this guide was created by IREX education specialists with the contributions of secondary school educators from nearly 70 countries across Eurasia, South and Central Asia, East Asia and the Pacific, the Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Western Hemisphere. Teachers who used the tools and strategies included here reported increased leadership roles for girls and boys in their classrooms, increased awareness of how gender inclusiveness improves classroom planning and teaching, effective methods for countering negative stereotypes of girls and boys that impede learning, and success in implementing gender empowerment projects in their schools and communities.”
You can download it directly on IREX’s website or in the documents section below.