Portfolio 15: Essay Gender Diversity in Education

Nowadays, the shift in the way the world understands gender forces educators to pay attention to what is happening within the classroom. The aim of this essay is to consider this issue focusing particularly on the teachers’ lack of knowledge about the topic, the discrimination gender non-conforming students suffer and the importance of developing a safe educational environment.

Teachers’ lack of knowledge about gender issues poses a challenge to schools. It is certain that educators have received thorough academic knowledge throughout their careers. However, tackling problems related to gender within the classroom has never been part of their education and is left to their personal use of common sense. Regardless their best intentions, teachers fall into traditional gender patterns due to the fact that they have been raised in a rigid culture. They need to break with the existing framework. They must be trained to avoid reinforcing gender stereotypes. Therefore, schools must provide training for teachers to avoid further complications and ensure all children are protected.

A further argument in relation to the importance of gender-based issues in education is discrimination. Gender non-conforming children are usually the victims of bullying through psychological as well as physical violence. Even teachers through the incorrect use of a pronoun or name may make children feel discriminated. These incidents will surely be the origin of later complications such as skipping classes, performing poorly academically, feeling isolated or depressed or even committing suicide. Encouraging zero tolerance policies for bullying and supporting victims must be a major goal. Discrimination must not take place in an educational environment and schools must learn to tackle this problem seriously.

As it has been mentioned before, creating a safe environment in which all children feel free from violence and are not forced to follow gender stereotypes is in the hands of the school. It must promote actions that encourage respect for gender in all its variations. Whether it is by creating unisex bathrooms, providing training to teachers or implementing policies that support gender non-conforming children and punish violence against them, schools are mainly responsible for the welfare of their students. Educational institutions must provide an environment that allows children to be their authentic selves.

In conclusion, nowadays schools must not only provide academic knowledge but also create a safe environment for inclusivity. Schools must be a place in which diversity is celebrated and gender is respected in all its variations. These issues must be dealt at school level with the hope that the outcome will be seen in the construction of an inclusive and respectful society.

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