Betty the Builder, Neil the Nurse: Sex-Typing of Occupations in Primary Schools

Author(s): Damian Knipe, Helen Leith, Collete Gray, Eamonn McKeown and Karen Carlisle
Commisioned by: Equality Commission for Northern Ireland
Document Type: Report
Year: 2002
Publisher: Equality Commission and Queen's University Belfast
Place of Publication: Belfast
ISBN: 1-903941-17-2
Subject Area(s): Good Relations and Equality, Sexism

Abbreviations: NI - Northern Ireland, CASS - Curriculum Advisory Support Service

Background to the Research

  • This report presents the results of a study commissioned by the Equality Commission for NI and undertaken by a team of researchers from the Graduate School of Education, Queen's University Belfast.
  • The focus of the study was on primary school children at Key Stage 1 (primary 3) and Key Stage 2 (primary 6). It examined their views of occupational sex-typing and the implications these views have for educational practice. It also sought the views of teachers and teacher trainers on the issues surrounding children's stereotyping of occupations.

Research Approach

  • Questionnaires were administered to children at Key Stages 1 and 2 and their teachers; focus groups were conducted with children and teachers; and views of teacher trainers and CASS officers in Education and Library Boards were obtained through semi-structured interviews.
  • Altogether 1,579 pupils from 25 primary schools and 285 teachers from 144 primary schools in NI completed and returned questionnaires.

Main Findings

  • Primary school children stereotype a significant number of occupations along gendered lines. While the majority of occupations presented to children are perceived as appropriate for both sexes, almost one third of occupations are viewed as for one sex only.
  • The majority of boys think two of the twenty-nine occupations included in the questionnaire are for women only - Nurse and Fashion Designer. Six of the twenty-nine occupations are felt by the majority of boys to be for men only. Eight of the twenty-nine occupations are felt by the majority of boys to be for both sexes.
  • The same two occupations of Nurse and Fashion Designer are held by the majority of girls to be for women only. The same six occupations of Bus Driver, Firefighter, Electrician, Builder, Car Mechanic and Road Sweeper are held by the majority of girls to be for men only. However, approximately two thirds of girls find more of the occupations suitable to both sexes rather than to one sex.
  • Key Stage 2 pupils are less stereotyped than their Key Stage 1 counterparts in relation to occupations being for one sex only.
  • Children's own choices of occupations are strongly gender-biased. Choices among primary school girls reflect social and caring themes, whereas the occupations that boys choose have an active bias, with many requiring strong physical attributes. Also, the most popular occupational choices among girls are more academically ambitious than the boys' choices.
  • The most popular occupational choice among Key Stage 1 girls is Teacher, with approximately 25% opting for this job, followed by Vet (14%), Nurse (13%) and Hairdresser (12%). For Key Stage 1 boys it is Police 18%, followed by Footballer (13%) and Firefighter (10%). The most popular occupational choice among Key Stage 2 girls is Vet (25%) and for Key Stage 2 boys it is Footballer (21%).
  • Children in focus groups discussed occupations along very stereotyped lines. Many of their comments reflect an acceptance of gendered roles and differences between men and women that translated to occupations.
  • Teachers perceive that parental influence and home background are major factors in the formulation of a child's beliefs towards occupations.
  • Teachers are aware that children do hold stereotyped views of occupations and that it is an important issue. However, they appear complacent in their attitude towards whether they can do anything in the classroom to make a difference. Teachers do feel responsible for challenging traditional gender roles. However, they appear to have other higher priority issues in the classroom.
  • The evidence from focus groups with teachers reveals that they try to adopt a neutral stance in providing an environment that promotes gender equality. However, they are also aware that sometimes they have personal difficulties in maintaining a neutral stance.
  • Teacher training does not directly address gender issues in the classroom. Three in five teachers report that gender issues were not raised during initial teacher training, and they are equally divided in regard to their opinion on in-service courses raising issues dealing with gender in the classroom. There is also no policy in teacher training institutions in NI for training aspiring teachers to actively promote gender issues among pupils in the classroom. A consequence of this is that teachers may view gender equity as being low on their list of priorities.
  • A significant proportion (40%) of teachers feel that the NI Curriculum has had no effect in challenging stereotyped views of occupations. In addition, there is a shared view among teacher trainers and field officers that the NI Curriculum has not clearly addressed gender equity.
  • Teachers regard English, mathematics and science as being preferred more by one sex than the other.

Conclusions

  • Various recommendations are made to those who are responsible for developing and implementing policy on teacher training in NI, and to those responsible for establishing an educational environment that promotes gender equality.
  • The Department of Education is recommended to produce clear guidelines on how equality of opportunity, and in particular gender equality, can be promoted within primary school education. Training for Boards of Governors and head teachers of primary schools is recommended.
  • It is recommended that training institutions be required to draw up policies that seek to address equality of opportunity in the classroom.
  • In-service training is recommended for primary school teachers.
  • It is recommended that the Board of Governors in each primary school draw up a gender equality policy for school activities.
  • Head teachers should be actively seen to promote gender equality issues with teaching staff in their schools. Teachers' self-awareness of gender equality should be raised continually, and they need to be more aware of their own stereotyped views and the danger of transferring these to the children they teach.
  • Classroom resources need to be examined to ensure that they do not promote gender stereotypes.
  • Further research is recommended with a new sample of Key Stage 3 pupils, and with older pupils.
  • The NI Curriculum Review should address gender equality issues.


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