Teaching About Adolescence by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781317945895
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Published: 2019-05-30T00:00:00+00:00

10 BRINGING GENDER AWARENESS INTO THE CLASSROOM*

Sally L. Archer,

Tract M. Lawler,

Wendy Cebrick

Kelly Boyle

In thinking about introductory material for this chapter, a book catalogue caught our attention. Turning to a section entitled, “What would a teen-ager like?,” we couldn’t resist quoting from the descriptions of the following three books. How gender aware are you?

Hatchet is a “plausible and spell-binding survival story of a boy who finds himself alone in the woods with only a hatchet which was a gift from his mother.” Julie of the Wolves is the “story of Miyax, a young native Alaskan disillusioned with her life. She becomes lost in the wilderness and begins a painful struggle for survival aided by a pack of wolves.” Lost on a Mountain in Maine is “the true story of an impatient twelve-year-old who is cut off from his family by a fast-moving fog. For nine days he searches for his way back to camp as rescuers give up on his chances for survival” (The Northwoods Book Catalogue, 1994, p. 39).

Who has a name? Although females often remain invisible in our society, when they are portrayed it becomes personalized. Notice who is left alone without connection—both boys, nameless in the titles. Who is gift giving? A mother. Who works alone with tools, or by their wits?—boys. Who must be aided by others?—a girl, even if the others are wolves. Who is thus self-reliant and healthy?—boys. Who is disillusioned with life and helpless?— the girl. Indeed, girls do have lower self-esteem, on average, than do boys during adolescence (Harter, 1990; Wright, 1989). Is our society’s approach to gender a help or a hindrance to our adolescents? What messages do we convey? Can either sex be happy, healthy, and authentic?

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