Secondary School Teachers’ Views of Gender Differences in School Achievement and Study Choices in Spain

Abstract

This study examines Spanish secondary school teachers’ views of gender differences in academic achievement and study choices. Thirty-six secondary school teachers participated in semi-structured interviews. Most teachers acknowledged that girls had better school performance, particularly in reading comprehension. Some were also acquainted with a higher predisposition to underachieve in boys. However, the teachers used different biology-centered arguments to explain these gender disparities. For many of the participants, that girls matured earlier than their male counterparts facilitates their adaptation to school demands. Likewise, a few teachers argued that the feminization of school favors girls’ adjustment to school demands, whereas a number of them discussed that male adolescents do not consider school to be part of their gender identity. The usual attribution of intellectual abilities and effort to boys and girls was also discussed. In addition, socio-cultural and biological factors were accounted for gender differences in study choices.

Gendered patterns of coping responses with academic sexism in a group of Spanish secondary students (Diferencias de género en las respuestas de afrontamiento del sexismo académico en un grupo de estudiantes españoles de secundaria)

“…The prevalence of academic sexist beliefs in our society (mainly in family and school settings) has important theoretical and practical implications. When many young people make academic and occupational decisions based on these sexist beliefs, they do not develop their own talents in areas where they have the potential of attaining a high level of academic and professional achievement (Sáinz, Solé, Fàbregues, & García-Cuesta, in press). In fact, many secondary school students abandon the idea of developing academically and professionally in these non-traditional fields (Sáinz & Meneses, 2018).…”

Fatores de risco para baixo desempenho escolar: Uma revisão integrativa

“…Os estereótipos de gênero são apontados como fatores que influenciam a percepção sobre o insucesso escolar, principalmente por parte dos professores (Cavaco et al, 2021;Sáinz et al, 2021). Com base nos papéis de gênero, socialmente construídos, espera-se que meninos e meninas apresentem certos comportamentos em sala de aula, bem como apresentem mais ou menos aptidão para determinada área acadêmica.…”

“…De acordo com Sáinz et al (2021) na escola secundária (equivalente aos anos finais do Ensino Fundamental no Brasil), tanto materiais didáticos como o tratamento dispensado pelos docentes a meninas e meninos possuem um viés de gênero que recorrentemente retrata as mulheres em papéis ocupacionais tradicionais e estimula os estereótipos de gênero. As garotas também são vistas por seus professores como mais obedientes e respeitosas, sendo, muitas vezes, atribuído a fatores comportamentais (como esforço e dedicação) seu bom desempenho escolar.…”

Educación social digital

“…Tal y como sucede en todas las profesiones del campo social, debemos destacar la amplia mayoría de mujeres que trabajan en el ámbito de la educación social, representando los dos tercios de las personas que participaron en el cuestionario. La segregación vocacional en la formación superior es un aspecto que sigue estando todavía muy presente (Sáinz et al, 2021). En este sentido, los estudios en torno al uso de las tecnologías digitales y el dominio de las competencias digitales destacan siempre las diferencias de género entre hombres y mujeres, un hecho que también es determinante en la elección de estudios (Sáinz, Fàbregues y Solé, 2020).…”