Sociology

During this presentation- we are hoping to highlight the issues surrounding GENDER & EDUCATION in society. By looking at common sense assumptions- we have noriced some are supported by socilogical study and others are not. 

COMMON SENSE ASSUMPTIONS SUGGEST GIRLS;

• Are better behaved/ more motivated than boys 
• Pay more attention in lessons & are less negative about going to school 
• Boys would much rather spend more time on computer games rather than do school work
• Girls are more mature than boys by two years, are able to give sophisticated responses in exams & recognise the link between educational success & paid employment. 

Until late 1980- underachievement of girls= MAJOR CONCERN- they tended to fall short during their  A- Levels & be less likely than boys to achieve the three A- Levels required to enter university Boys achieved these requirements and entered into higher education.         

BUT

In modern society there has been a drastic change- girls now outperform boys in every stage of education.                                        e.g In GCSE English there are nearly 2/3 of girls getting A-C compared to less than 1/2 of boys. 

Womens movement & femenism has challenged the traditional views of women and the roles they play as housewives & mothers. 

SUE SHARPE

Found 1987- girls main aspirations= marriage, love, husbands, children- they didn't really consider a career for themselves. 

Sharpe repeated the study- 1994- found priorities changed- women now don't consider the housewife/ mother role as their main goal in life- they now graviate towards a career & job before marriage & childcare. 

Women now have role models to look up to & are taught throughout education about womens history e.g suffragettes & womens campaigns for equal education opportunities in Britain- So they are a-lot more aware of how women were treated. 

Girls reaise that education provides success, which leads them to paid employment. 

... now are going to discuss why boys are underachieving...