How are girls treated differently than boys in school?

Gender differences and biases have long permeated many aspects of society, and the education system is no exception. From a young age, girls and boys often face different expectations, treatment, and opportunities in school environments. Understanding these discrepancies is an important step towards promoting gender equality in education.

Table of Contents

Different Expectations

Societal gender norms and stereotypes frequently impose different standards onto boys and girls in terms of their behavior, academic performance, future aspirations, and more. For example, girls may be expected to be quieter, neater, and more compliant than their male peers. They are often encouraged to pursue caregiving roles and discouraged from male-dominated fields like math and science. Conversely, qualities like assertiveness, competitiveness, and rambunctiousness are more accepted and even valorized in boys.

Teachers, parents, and other authority figures sometimes consciously or unconsciously reinforce these gendered expectations, for instance by tolerating more disruptive behavior from boys or assuming girls will not be as capable at math or sports. Over time, these differential expectations can negatively impact girls’ confidence, academic performance, and career pathways relative to boys if left unaddressed.

Types of Treatment

The different expectations placed on girls versus boys also translate into differences in how they are treated day-to-day in school environments. Some examples include:

Girls may receive less attention from teachers and be called on less frequently to answer questions in class. Studies show boys tend to dominate classroom discussions across all age groups and subject areas.

Harassment and teasing often target girls more frequently than boys, especially when it comes to appearance, dress code violations, and policing of “proper” feminine behavior.
School dress codes and disciplinary policies are sometimes enforced in a more punitive way against girls, such as being removed from class for violations like wearing tank tops or short skirts.
STEM subjects like math and science are perceived as being for boys, so girls may be discouraged from taking higher level courses. Counselors may steer girls toward more stereotypically feminine fields.

Boys often dominate lab/hands-on work in STEM classes, while girls are more likely to take notes or secondary roles during group work.
Boys tend to receive more praise for natural talent, while teachers offer girls more feedback on being diligent, neat, and well-behaved. This impacts perceptions of intellectual ability versus good behavior.
Boys are granted more leeway for rambunctious physical behavior like yelling or running in halls. Girls are expected to be quieter and “lady-like” in their deportment.

The different standards, assumptions, and treatment girls face constantly reinforce gender imbalances. Over the long term, these factors can detrimentally impact girls’ education and personal development compared to boys if not properly addressed.

Effects on Achievement

The cumulative effects of differential gender-based expectations and treatment ultimately influence student achievement and outcomes. Some prominent examples include:

Girls often trail boys substantially in measures of self-confidence and hold more negative perceptions of their academic abilities, even when actual performance is equal or better.

Girls significantly lag behind boys in STEM class enrollment and test scores, especially at higher grade levels. Societal messaging discourages girls from these male-dominated arenas.
Though girls typically outperform boys in reading and writing, standardized test scores like the SAT exhibit marked gaps in math that favor boys.
Girls are significantly underrepresented in gifted/talented programs, especially in math and science. referral and identification practices often exhibit gender bias.

Females earn increasingly fewer STEM degrees compared to males at each successive level of education, from high school through doctorates.
College enrollment rates favor women overall, but men dominate many prestigious STEM programs at elite institutions.

These patterns showcase how differential treatment ultimately inhibits girls’ achievement and educational pathways over the long run. More concerning is that achievement gaps are evident from a very early age, highlighting the need for gender-sensitive policies starting in primary school.

Impact on Future Prospects

Beyond formal education, gendered societal messaging also influences how girls think about their future life prospects compared to boys. Some examples include:

Career aspirations show marked gender divides, with girls envisioning more traditionally feminine occupations related to the arts, healthcare, education etc.
Girls exhibit far less self-efficacy about futures in male-dominated fields like engineering, computer science, high level math/science careers.

Expectations for balancing career and family also show strong gender differences. Girls receive significant messaging about prioritizing marriage and children in ways boys do not.
Girls are more risk averse in their future academic and career planning. Societal scrutiny of female intelligence promotes more perfectionism and cautious choices.
Sexual harassment, unsafe school environments, and lack of female role models further dissuade girls from male-dominated career paths and activities.

In essence, differential gender socialization in childhood influences girls’ visions of their future life possibilities. Their ambitions and aspirations are powerfully shaped by societal messaging and norms. Providing equal gender messaging, opportunities, and role models is crucial for empowering girls to envision the full range of their capabilities.

Steps Towards Change

Promoting gender equality in schools will require a multifaceted approach targeting individual, institutional, and societal factors. Some helpful strategies include:

Train teachers to recognize and counter unconscious gender biases in their classrooms related to student treatment, discipline, participation, assumptions about ability etc.

Review disciplinary policies, dress code enforcement, and other procedures for potential gender bias. Update accordingly.
Encourage gender-equitable classroom participation and group work through structured protocols.
Ensure equal access to lab facilities, hands-on learning, and field trips for girls and boys across subjects.

Implement mentoring, tutoring, and targeted recruitment to boost girls’ participation in male-dominated advanced STEM courses.
Update curricular materials to include diverse, women role models in fields like math, science, technology, leadership.
Offer girls-only STEM programs led by female mentors to build early interest and skills.

Educate students and families on countering gender stereotypes and widening visions of equality.
Increase training, hiring and promotion of female teachers and administrators as role models.

Achieving gender equity in education is a complex challenge requiring sustained efforts across individual, school-wide, and societal realms. But the benefits for students and society overall make it an urgent and worthy undertaking.

Conclusion

In summary, girls continue facing substantially different expectations, treatment, and opportunities compared to boys throughout their educational journeys. From early ages, societal messaging imposes limiting norms onto girls that inhibit their confidence, achievement, and visions of future possibilities. Biases related to academic abilities, behavioral expectations, discipline, career counseling, and more contribute to tangible gaps in educational outcomes. Moving forward, a multidimensional strategy is needed to promote more gender-equitable school environments for all students to reach their full potential. Sustained efforts to counter unconscious biases among educators, improve policies, update curricula, and provide female-focused learning initiatives can help empower girls educationally and personally. Ultimately, achieving true gender equality in education will require dismantling systemic societal barriers and re-envisioning schools as places where all students can thrive equally.