“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.”

While Chapter 5 in Adolescents at School dissects the psychological  as well as the gender norm differences between boy and girl students that teachers should be aware of, I was reminded of how hyper aware students are aware of these gender differences. I remember one time hearing a male student tell a struggling female student, “But you’re a girl, you’re supposed to be smart.”  I remember an avid male reader being teased by the other boys in the class because “Boys who like to read are gay.” These, among often daily examples, make it very clear that students are also very aware of how they’re supposed to act.  A student’s inability to fall within their expected gender identity can often put them in the line of fire for bullying.

I chose this quote as my MVP for the week because it caused me to reflect on how problematic gender norms can be.  Because every child is different, there is a very high likelihood that they may not follow all the guidelines research has provided. I would be interested in researching more on how teachers could or whether they should play a part in the breakdown  of gender norms.