“Of course, as every teacher knows, each student is an individual. Although there are many similarities that researchers have observed among students with certain defining characteristics, such as gender, it is dangerous to oversimplify the issue. Not all boys are alike, nor are all girls alike. Wilhelm and Smith claim that the battle lines in the gender war are misdrawn because there are boys and girls on both sides. They write…”We categorize for the sake of argument, clarity, and for ease of thinking, but sometimes our categories cause problems and keep us from seeing the students before us” (Galley, 91-92) / “Who am I as a learner?” Would Girls and Boys Tend to Answer Differently?

When I came to the end of this reading and read this passage I let out a huge sigh of relief. When fueling discussions like “the gender wars,” it is of the utmost importance that authors step back from the issue and consider the tangible impact that such debates have on real students. In this passage, Galley shines a light on gender as social construct, reminding her readers that although there are measurable trends related to cognitive differences and school performance according to gender, these trends shouldn’t erase the complex humanity (of which gender is only a part) of individual students whom we deal with everyday. Continue reading Reifying Socially Constructed Differences →

Queering pedagogy is an open and important discussion on the topics that has been avoided or is very awkward to discuss publicly. For example LGBT, Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender, these are some of the most ignored chapters in our society. Educators need to find ways to deconstruct sexual identities through a critical educational process that provides students with a means of interpreting sexual identity more broadly. We need to be more open and should be familiar with these topics. One of the most easy and best ways is teaching about LGBT in school, letting students know that it is normal to be LGBT. May be the open and acceptable environment reduce unnecessary bullying, harassment and depression. These people didn’t decide to become Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender, they were born to it. Need clear challenging and pedagogical approach to find their sexual identity.

The article talking about the differences of boys and girls in school seem to have brought up a dilema to educators as to how to perceive this topic. If insisting that boys and girls are the same and that everybody is a unique individual then it is easy to omit some obvious facts that could help with our teaching. If acknowledging the differences between boys and girls in both psycological and physical aspects, then one faces the risk of falling into the stereotype trap. The difficult thing is to find the balance. Continue reading Whether Boys or Girls →

I must preface this post by stating that I am fortunate enough to have been exposed to an educational experience that has been proficient and enriching in what I would deem queer pedagogy after reading “There are transsexuals in our middle school!” by L. Krywanczyk. The main goal of all educators should be expanding the minds of students while simultaneously enlightening students and creating a safe and comfortable learning environment for all, regardless of any and all difference. Continue reading Queer isn’t so Queer →