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GENDER ISSUES IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION.
Term Paper ID:22920
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Essay Subject:
Coeducational classes mandated by 1972 law, pros & cons, teacher & student attitudes, biological issues.... More...
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6 Pages / 1350 Words
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Paper Abstract:
Coeducational classes mandated by 1972 law, pros & cons, teacher & student attitudes, biological issues.
Paper Introduction:
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 sought to eliminate sex discrimination in the public school systems throughout the United States (Lirgg, 1993, p. 324). Title IX, as the act is commonly called, prohibited the offering of same-sex courses and programs. All-girl home economics, all-boy industrial-arts, and same-sex physical education classes were no longer an option for school districts receiving public money. Coeducational physical education had arrived. The social, psychological, and physiological aspects of this change in policy, with regard to physical education, had not been addressed prior to the passage of the legislation. The legal mandate, Title IX, was made before all the risks and benefits, to the children, could be assessed.
The purpose behind the passage of Title IX was to give an
Text of the Paper:
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3). Girls perceive same-sex physical education classes morefavorably than coeducational classes (Lirgg, 1994, p. Coed physical education: Problems and promise.JOPERD, 55, 36-37. The social, psychological,and physiological aspects of this change in policy, with regard to physicaleducation, had not been addressed prior to the passage of the legislation.The legal mandate, Title IX, was made before all the risks and benefits, tothe children, could be assessed. Historicallyfemales have not been encouraged to excel in physical feats (Hall & Lee,1984, p. Henderson, K. & Lee, A. Lirgg, C. Title IX changed the way physical education is taught in the publicschools. 184). Mandated coeducation in a physical education class can mean severaldifferent types of class set-ups. Effects of same-sex versus coeducationalphysical education on the self-perceptions of middle and high schoolstudents. 53). Thepassage of Title IX gave redress to these problems by forcing all classesto be open to members of both sexes. 26). D. p. This needs to be taken into account when settingtarget goals in physical education classes. 3).Opponents, of coeducational physical education, claim that male superiorityoccurs when placing girls and boys in the same environment (Lirgg, 1994, p.183). Girls usually had contact with the ballonly when serving (Lirgg, 1994, p. When asked why she wouldnot participate in a coeducational tennis tournament, a 14 year old girlstated "I don't want to be the only girl there, and none of my friends wantto go. Student perceptions of their own and the othersex's interests and ability levels can constitute a difficult barrier toovercome (Griffin, 1985, p. (1995). 183). A. Sex Roles, 1 , 217-23 . Girls seem less likely toparticipate in organized sports and outdoor recreation programs than boys(Henderson, 1995, p. & Scott, A. Girls performances were not treated equally by teachers incoeducational classes. 228). Theadvantages might be multiplied if members of both sexes were given theopportunity to chose either same-sex or coeducational physical education. D. 218). (1994). Girls' and boys' participation styles inmiddle school physical education team sport classes: A description andpractical applications. As research hassince discovered, members of each sex do not derive the same benefit fromcoeducational physical education classes. M. This, culturally induced male superiority, places females at adisadvantage when trying to compete with males of all ages. The challenge to implementing coeducational curriculum is in teacherand student perceptions. Marketing recreation and physical activityprograms for females. The boys do this by hassling the girls,and refusing to allow girls the full range of actions in a game. Theoretically, this should meanthat prepubescent girls have a physical advantage over boys of comparableage (Hall & Lee, 1984, p. 37). MacGregor, L. Title IX, as the act is commonly called, prohibitedthe offering of same-sex courses and programs. Opponents of coeducation claim these problems happen because ofthe differences in physical size, boys "hogging the ball," boys ridiculingthe girls, boys afraid of losing to girls, girls afraid of beating theboys, and social distractions which occur whenever boys and girls areplaced in close proximity to each other in the post-pubescent years(Griffin, 1984, p. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 64, 324-334. 19 ). 37). All-girl home economics,all-boy industrial-arts, and same-sex physical education classes were nolonger an option for school districts receiving public money.Coeducational physical education had arrived. 324). Itcauses a growth in stature and muscle mass. (1984). The benefitsof coeducational physical education, increased self-confidence, increasedopportunity for competition, cooperation, and socialization opportunitiesfor males and females, accrue in greater measure to the boys in the class.To take full advantage of the benefits, of coeducational physicaleducation, a sports program must be carefully structured to be attractive,fair, and fun for both sexes (MacGregor & Scott, 1993, p. References Griffin, P. 184). After puberty, the maximaloxygen uptake increased at a greater rate for boys than for girls.Physiologically post-pubescent boys possess a competitive advantage overgirls of the same age. The first is a blatant disregard for thelaw and a continuation of same-sex classes. Although the laws have changed, in the last twenty-five years, tomandate equivalent programs and rights for girls, institutions have notalways accommodated these changes (Henderson, 1995, p. Physical Educator, 42, 3-8. At the time the legislation was passed, the implications for physicaleducation classes were not understood. Teachers can be persuaded to change the emphasis in physicaleducation class to one of cooperation and learning instead of competition.An emphasis on physical well-being, instead of competition, can encourageindividuals to engage in lifelong physical activity. Girls found more benefit in single sex class environments. A girl's poor performance was usuallyignored or patronized (Lirgg, 1994, p. In general, the programs for boys were more generous thanphysical education programs for girls. 218). 53). In physical educational programs whichexpect both girls and boys to perform equivalently, during elementaryschool, girls skill levels are equivalent to the skill levels of the boysin their class (Hall & Lee, 1984, p. (1993). Before puberty, girls experiencea greater rate of maturation than boys. 191). Teachers complain that the wider range of student skill levels, incoeducational classes, makes competition more difficult and increasessafety problems when girls and boys are in the same class (Griffin, 1984,p. Griffin, P. Sex differences in motorperformance of young children: Fact or fiction? Coed volleyball--A new format forall school levels. Classes can take another step forward and include both sexes in thegym but on separate sides, in separate activities, or a class can be trulycoeducational, as the law intended, with children of both sexesparticipating together in a single activity. At puberty, males secrete testosterone which is a growth hormone. Journal of EducationalPsychology, 86, 183-192. The supportfor girls in athletics is still not equivalent to the encouragement andrespect that male members of society receive. Most of these problems can be solved if theteacher can be induced to make a commitment to coeducational physicaleducation and change some teacher behaviors which have allowed the problembehaviors to occur in the classroom. This inequality, in addition to thesocial and cultural pressures on girls, led to less opportunity andencouragement for girls to excel in sports and physical fitness. A teacher's perception that girls' lowerskill levels will effectively limit the ability of the boys to attain ahigher level of skill, in the given sport, means that all students will nothave the same attention in the teacher's class (Griffin, 1985, p. Girls alsofelt that there was more cooperative, helping behavior, and morecompetition between the girls in all-girl classes than in coeducationalsettings. It has effectively eliminated single-sex classes. Physiologically prepubescent boys and girls should be expected toachieve and perform at similar levels of physical skills. In an all-girlclass, the students perceived that there was a higher level of involvementwhen compared to a coeducational class (Lirgg, 1994, p. 229). Same-sex class environments have been found to have lessdistractions, improved working conditions, increased time-on-task behavior,and a decrease in student disruptive behavior (Lirgg, 1994, p. Many sports programs were unequally fundedand equipped. Lirgg, C. (1984). Actions can be taken,by the teacher, which can discourage and eliminate rude or intimidatingbehavior by any student. p. Games and drills can be structured so thatequitable participation by all members of the class takes place. Hall, E. Students,in the class, can be grouped by ability level or size to lessen the chancefor accidental injury and to improve all students skill levels within theclass (Griffin, 1984. JOPERD, 64, 26-27.----------------------- 8 When a girl was given a chance toscore and was successful, the girl was not given the same opportunitieswith the ball to attempt to score again as were the boys in the class.This was not the case with boys. Locker rooms are not to becoeducational, even for coeducational classes, but they are required, byTitle IX, to be equal. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 sought to eliminate sexdiscrimination in the public school systems throughout the United States(Lirgg, 1993, p. JOPERD, 66, 53-57. Inphysical education classes, those where the class was composed of membersof the same sex, boys and girls viewed the class environment differently.Boys thought that all male classes had a greater level of competitive play. 54). (1985). (1993). Encouragement from girls' peers and role modelsis not as available to girls as it is to boys. With boys, theopposite is true; they, on average, prefer a coeducational physicaleducational environment. Differences inability levels, between boys and girls, can be attributed to socioculturalexpectations (Hall & Lee, 1984, p. Environmental perceptions of students in same-sex and coeducational physical education classes. They might make fun of me" (Henderson, 1995. G. Next, in the line of disregardfor the law, is the class where the class roster practices coeducation,there are both male and female members of the class officially, but, bylooking at the class, a visitor would not realize it (Griffin, 1984, p.36). Boys would continue to pass the ball toother boys regardless of whether past attempts at scoring were successful. The purpose behind the passage of Title IX was to give an equalopportunity to girls and boys to enjoy the benefits of physical fitness.All schools did not give equal weight to the importance of the physicalfitness to both boys and girls. The advantages and disadvantagesfor members of both sexes were not clearly perceived. Boys didnot give the girls, in the class, equal time with the ball in a unit ofnewcomb (similar to volleyball). The reasons for these preferences are not hard to locate.Participation patterns in physical education classes show that boys limitthe girls' opportunities to learn. 37). When a male student performed poorly, he would becriticized and given extra practice. S.
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