2014 ROTARY INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION
How Rotary Clubs Can Support
Their Local Schoolsin Addressing Gender Equity
Issues
Martin and Pat BuoncristianiWednesday, 4 June
Who are we?
District 7600
Our focus today is on interacting with local schools to help
solve clearly identified problems.
How does your Club interact with local schools?
Why is interaction with local schools important to Rotarians?
it takes a village to raise a child
schools look for ways to interact with their community
there are problems which can be solved
this is a good tool for recruitingit involves getting volunteers -- already committed people -- to be aware of Rotary
it is a clear community service
We will summarize some results from PISA
Programme for International Student Assessment
• a triennial international survey (2000, 03 ,06, 09, 12)
• evaluates education systems in more than 70 countries
• testing the skills and knowledge of 15-year-olds.
So let’s begin with the problems …
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
There is evidence for gender inequity …
Reading AssessmentGirls outperformed boys by about 1 academic year
Mathematics AssessmentBoys outperform girls by about 1/3 of an academic year
These results have been persistent through all test years
The gender gap in student performance can be narrowed considerably as both boys and girls in all countries and economies show that they can succeed in all three subjects.
Given girls’ lower levels of confidence in their own abilities, school systems, teachers and parents should try to find – or create – more effective ways of bolstering girls’ beliefs in their own abilities in mathematics, both at school and at home.
From the OECD Report
There is evidence for gender inequity in performance
… but there is no credible evidence that this is due to a difference in gender abilities.
So these two problems can be fixed
In summary …it is about attitude
Percentage of Degrees Awarded to Females (in USA 2009)
Discipline Bachelors Masters Doctorate
Biological Sciences 60 57 54
Chemistry 49 48 39
Mathematics & Statistics 44 41 29
Earth Science 40 44 39
Engineering 19 24 22
Physics 19 24 20
Computer Science 18 28 20
http://www.esa.doc.gov/sites/default/files/reports/documents/womeninstemagaptoinnovation8311.pdf
Research About Language in Children aged 1 to 4 in Stable Households by Economic Group
Economic group
Number of words exposed to Affirmations
Critical or negative comments
Welfare 13 million words 1 for every 2
Working class 26 million words 2 for every 1
Professionals 45 million words 6 for every 1
Hart, B. & Risley, T.R. “The Early Catastrophe” (2004). Education Review, 77 (1), 100-118.
Importance of language …
JOIN LEADERS, EXCHANGE IDEAS, TAKE ACTION
Strategy 1
Real Men Read
Whose idea was it to put a middle class, middle aged, white Australian woman here?
Whose idea was it to put a middle class, middle aged, white Australian woman here?
What did I find?
95% African American
70% free and reduced lunch
Lowest achieving school in the district
Physically neglected buildings
“The disclosure comes amid concerns that a lack of male role models at home and school may be turning boys off reading at a young age.
Earlier this year, the All-Party-Parliamentary Group on Literacy warned that large numbers of boys were failing to develop a love of reading during primary education because of a shortage of male teachers combined with an anti- book culture among many fathers.”
The Daily Telegraph (UK) 2012
Do Australian boys think of reading as some kind of “secret women’s business?”
Bedtime stories
Playgroup
Kindergarten
First years of school where reading is taught
Who do they see?
Mostly women
Boys need to see men reading. Men they regard as strong role models
Boys’ early reading experiences
Rotarians have access to influential men in the community,
Role models who --
boys would look up to
boys would wish to emulate
For example:sportsmen, firemen, policemen, rangers, scientiststradesmen -- builders, plumbers, electricians, motor
mechanics, doctors, councilors, engineers, …
Implementation Step 1
Find men who: enjoy reading,
would like to help primary school aged kids and
can spare a maximum of one hour a week – either one time or regularly
Explain the general nature of the program to them and determine level of support
Implementation Step 1 (continued)
Explain to volunteers what a typical session involves:
you will have chosen a book you enjoy reading and that is suitable for the age (teacher may help)
introduce yourself briefly and describe what you do
explain why you like to read and why reading is important to you
read the story – make sure kids can see pictures
invite questions and comments
Implementation Step 2
Approach a local primary school …
make an appointment to speak with the Principal his/her delegate
explain the offered program and show the list of volunteers
negotiate a date, time and conditions
all volunteers come at the same time – to make Real Men Read a special event!
inform parents via school newsletter
In Summary …
Real Men Read is a volunteer program involving
1 hour visit an elementary/primary school classroom
– tell the children about your life and work
– tell them how important reading is to you in your personal and business life
– read them a story.
Exportable to other Rotary Clubs
Real Men Read
JOIN LEADERS, EXCHANGE IDEAS, TAKE ACTION
Strategy 2
Girls in Science
The second problem we attacked with the support of the Rotary Club of Oyster Point in Newport News, VirginiaDistrict 7600
It is more difficult and requires more resources … and help from local schools, industry and laboratories.
Girls In Science
series of workshops designed
to provide encouragement for young girls who show an interest in and aptitude for science
and
to demonstrate to them the viability of an exciting career in science, engineering or mathematics.
We designed …
Here is an outline of what we did
the story is better told in pictures (which follow)
we recruited scientists, engineers and mathematicians from local industry, labs and schools
to present Saturday workshops on a science subject (with some attention to the local curriculum)
Girls In Science Lectures: Fall 2007
A series of lecture workshops designed to provide encouragement for young girls in the Hampton Roads area who show an interest in and aptitude for science and to demonstrate to them the viability of an exciting career in science or engineeringThe workshops are scheduled for
Anderson Hall (Room 101 of the Administration Building)Christopher Newport UniversitySaturdays from 10 am to 12 noon
Open to female students and educators in the area.
This Program is sponsored by The Rotary Club of Oyster Point
supported by
JOIN LEADERS, EXCHANGE IDEAS, TAKE ACTION
Strategy 3
Books for Babies
A preemptive strike
Books for Babies
What early reading by adults can do
develops a stronger bond between the reader and the child.
improve a child’s ability to communicate and think clearly, and
understand the notion of a book, how to read and engender a love of reading and learning.
Rotary International is a key partner globally supporting 300 Dolly Parton Imagination Library communities in the US, Canada and the US and currently 3 in Australia.
United Way Australia bought the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to Australia.
United Way Australia has Imagination Library in 11 communities.
Among them in Victoria are (from District 9810)Rotary Clubs of Healesville Rotary Club of Noble Park
District 9675 is working to bring the program to Warrawong and Cringila (NSW).
The Rotary Club of Mareeba (Qld) is looking to come on board.
Currently in Australia …
United Way Australia has a stall at this convention with staff and volunteers on hand to provide information kits!
Thinking and Learning in Concerthttp://www.thinkingandlearninginconcert.org/
Thank you
Feel free to contact us