Are girls victims of gender bias in our nation's schools?

Women: We think we have come so far, but have we really?

A recent article I came across inspired me to address the issue of educational and intellectual difference between girls and boys in the school environment. Bnet, Business Network.com takes a closer look into this subject, revealing how males are usually favored in the school systems while females quickly become victims of gender bias. It seems that even three hundred years later women still struggle to be seen as equals to men in the classroom. In the 1700’s the home was essentially the classroom for girls, learning skills to accommodate their domestic lives, while boys received a top-notch education. (Sadker & Sadker 1) Although we have made an incredible amount of progress, girls can now attend school (with boys!), the intelligence and potential of the female population is often overlooked.

Since teachers are the adults that spend the most time with children (apart from their parents) their opinions and actions affect students greatly. When a teacher disregards a female student, her self-esteem is lowered. This will eventually lead to the inevitable: body image. In more cases than none, girls in high school end up focusing more on their physical appearance than on their minds. (AAUW 2) This shift of focus is seen by authority figures and girls’ academic schedules gradually become less rigorous, allowing for the boy population to enroll and excel in more math and science courses (is this why I’m always asking Corey for help in math analysis?). Girls are able to see this difference between the sexes and “are rewarded for their conformity to classroom rules by simply being ignored” (Sadker & Sadker 2) this undoubtedly effects the quality of their education.


As a high school senior, I can first hand see these shocking, upsetting trend s continuing. All (or the majority) of girls around me are too concerned with their body image and physical appearance. Their minds take the back burner and as a result, the males exceed. Although we may be victims of gender bias, focusing too much on our bodies is not helping our case, in fact, it is giving all girls in school systems a bad name. But, it’s not all our fault! Popular culture and the media have corrupted the teenage girl’s mind; endless models in magazines, stars on television, and in the movies very often appear to be underweight, “It has been estimated that as many as 66 percent of high school girls are engaged in dieting. The stress of dieting and appearance undoubtedly uses energy that is necessary for learning in school” (Pipher and Sadker & Sadker 3). So ladies, this is my message to you: stop focusing so much on appearances. Sure a hot body is nice to look at, but an empty head is useless.


Source:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCG/is_2_30/ai_105478982

Girl

Heyah :) My first post is an assignment given in class based on the poem "Girl" by Jamaica Kincaid. The poem is a narrative, mostly in the voice of the girl's mother, describing the ways which one becomes the perfect housewife. At the end of the poem, the girl's voice is finally heard when she questions her fate about becoming the housewife while following a strict set of rules. The poem raises many questions and brings to light the rules or expectations people are forced to follow in order to stick to the status quo of their various groups. My adaption of the poem lists the ways in which a singer or performer can become successful, by taking care of their voice in a very specific way. As a singer I have become well aware and have learned how to live with these rules, as have many other performers. Half way through writing I realized the ridiculous amount of rules and restrictions there are. I incorporate my voice at the end of the poem asking something along the lines of, "What if I don't follow all these rules? Can I still do what I love?". Are all these rules necessary in order to be successful? As a singer or in any other field? Is only talent not enough? My optimistic side likes to think that for me, and others, talent can be enough. The realist in me knows that in order to be successful (as a singer or in any other field) one must follow the expected, set guidelines. Below this you'll find my poem "Singer".

After you read the poem, check out these two blogs exploring the similarities and differences between the two genders.

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Drink plenty of water, at least 8-10 glasses everyday to lubricate your vocal cords; don’t drink caffeinated beverages because they create mucus and harm the quality of the voice; regular voice warm ups are necessary especially before auditions and performances; warm up gradually, starting with demanding warm up exercises demand more of your voice; don’t strain your voice; your voice often needs a rest; get at least eight hours of sleep or your voice will lack energy; rest before a performance to avoid stress and strain; do not eat while singing or before a performance, they could result in mucous and fatigue; do not eat sugary or creamy foods specifically; do not sing on an empty or full stomach because it affects your breathing; avoid alcohol; do not smoke because it can irritate and cause the vocal cords to swell; do not talk the day of a performance, talking can hurt your vocal cords more than singing can; use a steamer to moisturize your voice; take a steaming hot shower; boil water and inhale its vapors; always use a microphone to prevent straining of your voice; always be able to hear yourself for feedback; receive vocal training; attend vocal training at least once a week to improve your voice; stretch your range; use various types of exercises to help develop your different voice qualities; develop a speaking voice for your singing voice because the two go hand-in-hand; listen to yourself while singing; record yourself; breathe from your diaphragm; breathing from the diaphragm helps the voice project and you will have full control over your voice; do not take shallow breaths; drop your jaw, it will improve your vocal tone; learn how to position your larynx to change your sound; determine the different positions of your tongue while singing to determine vocal tone; know when to go into a higher register, pushing certain notes can sound almost like you’re screaming and you end up pushing your voice too much; while in your high register do not allow your voice to thin out; learn how to blend your head and chest voice to create a mix; know when to add resonance to notes; know your vocal range; choose songs that are in the right key for you; before you perform a song, know that you can reach all the notes comfortably; after a performance or a voice lesson cool down your voice; stay in shape; wear earplugs when you are at loud events to prevent damage to your hearing; your ears are the key to your voice, helping you stay in tune; during a performance, establish a positive energy and confidence; your posture and physical presence is very important on stage; relax; learn to have impeccable diction while singing, to make sure the audience understands your every word; sell the song and believe in the lyrics; your facial expressions should reflect the lyrics; practice in front of a mirror; never perform a song the same way twice; you should constantly change your style; you must be versatile; immediately recognize dynamics, they make the song; find the perfect voice teacher and receive an excellent music education in order to be a successful performer; what if I don’t receive a top-notch musical education?; will all my talent and efforts to become a performer go unnoticed?