Female Students in Education

Running head: HISTORY OF FEMALE EDUCATIO

Ad!ancement o" Female Students in Education
Aleesha #addle"o$d
Seattle #aci"ic Uni!e$sit%
&
Female Students in Education
'ende$ di""e$ences ha!e (een )$esent in the Ame$ican education s%stem since the
(eginning o" the nation* Male and "emale students ha!e had di""e$ent e+)ectations and
o))o$tunities at home, in the school s%stem, and in the -o$."o$ce* T%)icall%, men ha!e (een the
leade$s o" societ% and $ecei!ed the most attention in the class$oom* The% -e$e the )$io$it%
(ecause the% -ould lead the -o$ld* /hile -omen -e$e $es)ected, the% -ould not $ecei!e the
same ad!antages as the men* 'i$ls -ould disco!e$ that thei$ education -ould (e limited to the
e+)ectations o" a male dominated societ%* As the decades )$og$essed so did the e+)ectations and
education o" -omen*
As the United States -as de!elo)ing it identit%, the "ounde$s -e$e t$%ing to decide ho- to
educate the citi0ens* At the time the$e -e$e discussions on -hat should (e taught to the %outh o"
Ame$ica* Man% (elie!ed that education -as im)o$tant, (ut the$e -e$e de(ates on the su(1ects
that should (e taught* In gene$al, $eligion -ould (ecome a "ocus o" education (ecause it taught
students a(out the !alues the% should ha!e as citi0ens and as humans* Acco$ding to /a%ne U$(an
234456, 78the $ole o" schools in colonial societ% must (e ac.no-ledged as (eing su(o$dinate to
mo$e )o-e$"ul educational agencies: the "amil%, the communit%, and, "o$ man%, the chu$ch o"
thei$ "athe$s9 2)* :46* The e+)ectations that -e$e esta(lished (% these g$ou)s -ould sha)e
-omen;s $ole in education* /omen -e$e not e+)ected to (ecome schola$s o$ ente$ the -o$."o$ce*
Instead, the )lace -he$e thei$ education -ould (e most e""ecti!e -ould (e in the home, -hich
-as $ein"o$ced (% the !alues that -e$e set (% the communit% and chu$ch* /omen -e$e e+)ected
to (e at home and ca$e "o$ the child$en* <e"o$e "o$mal schools -e$e de!elo)ed, child$en -e$e
taught at home (% thei$ )a$ents* Thus, -omen -e$e encou$aged to ha!e some education in o$de$
to teach thei$ child$en the (asics such as $eading, -$iting, and math* As schools sta$ted to
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Female Students in Education
de!elo), -omen -e$e -elcomed, (ut, 1ust as (e"o$e, the$e -ould (e limits to -hat the% could do
-ith thei$ education*
The "oundation o" gende$ $oles and e+)ectations -e$e sha)ed (% the (elie"s i" the societ%
and o" the chu$ch* Males -e$e e+)ected to (e the leade$s in societ% and o" thei$ household, -hich
meant it -as im)o$tant "o$ them to ha!e an education in o$de$ to ma.e in"o$med decisions* 'i$ls
-ould (e encou$aged to attend school in )$e)a$ation "o$ assisting thei$ "utu$e hus(ands and
mothe$hood* This -ould (e es)eciall% im)o$tant in the $u$al communities -he$e the$e -e$e not
as man% schools and child$en -e$e )a$t o" the -o$."o$ce* In cont$ast, the u$(an a$eas -ould ha!e
"e-e$ $es)onsi(ilities "o$ child$en, -hich hel)ed in the de!elo)ment o" the school s%stem
(ecause child$en -ould ha!e mo$e time to de!ote to school* Also, as indust$% de!elo)ed, mo$e
)eo)le -ould mo!e into the cities "o$ -o$. o))o$tunities* The u$(an a$eas -ould %ield an
a(undance o" child$en that needed to (e educated* As a $esult, most o" education $e"o$ms and
de!elo)ments -ould ha))en in the cities* Females -e$e encou$aged to attend school* Thomas
=e""e$son and <en1amin Rush (elie!ed that it -as acce)ta(le "o$ %oung -omen to ha!e a detailed
education, -hich included su(1ects such as English, math, -$iting, (oo..ee)ing, histo$%,
ast$onom%, and )hiloso)h% 2U$(an, 3445, )* >:6* In addition, Thomas =e""e$son (elie!ed that
gi$ls should lea$n a(out music, dance, )oet$%, mo$al essa%s, and Ch$istianit%* All o" these su(1ects
-ould hel) "emale students (ecome educated and the% -ould (e a(le to )ass thei$ .no-ledge on
to thei$ "utu$e child$en* <oth =e""e$son and Rush (elie!ed that it -as im)o$tant "o$ the )eo)le o"
the United States to (e educated* The% (elie!ed that educated citi0ens c$eated a st$onge$ nation
and that education -ould (e a uniting "acto$ "o$ the Ame$ican )eo)le* Since )a$ents -e$e the "i$st
teache$s a child -ould ha!e, it -as im)o$tant that the% (oth had a (asic education* Acco$ding to
=odi Cam)(ell 234446, 78-omen -e$e the ones -ho -ould nu$tu$e !i$tue in thei$ sons, the
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Female Students in Education
leade$s o" the "utu$e, and -ould need to (e )$o)e$l% educated "o$ that im)o$tant tas.9 2@ A6*
The$e"o$e, -omen -e$e encou$aged to (ecome educated (ut the% -e$e e+)ected to use thei$
education to meet societal e+)ectations o" $aising a "amil%*
The $ise o" the Common Schools -ould su))o$t the education (elie"s o" =e""e$son and
Rush as -ell as, $ein"o$ce the standa$ds o" -omen;s education* Ho$ace Mann de!elo)ed the
common school in o$de$ to o(tain uni!e$sal education "o$ the )eo)le o" the United States* Ideall%
the school -ould allo- all students $ega$dless o" gende$, social class, $eligion, o$ count$% o"
o$igin* Mann (elie!ed that education should (e accessi(le and -ould st$engthen the US* His
commitment to common schools stemmed "$om his (elie" that )olitical sta(ilit% and social
ha$mon% de)ended on uni!e$sal education*/omen -e$e encou$aged to attend and to (e teache$s
"o$ the %ounge$ students* Ho-e!e$, the gende$ $oles -e$e still in )lace and (eing taught to the
"emale students* Fo$ e+am)le, Ha$$iet <eeche$ taught that a -oman;s $ole -as to (e a -i"e and
mothe$, and he$ em)lo%ment -as in the home* U$(an 234456 e+)lains, 7<eeche$ co!e$ed e!e$%
as)ect o" home li"e in that -o$. BTreatise on Domestic EconomicsC, "$om (uilding a house to
setting a ta(le9 2)* &&56* Once again -omen -e$e e+)ected to get an education, (ut thei$ -a% o"
(eing a )$oducti!e Ame$ican -as to use thei$ education to educate thei$ child$en at home* This
-ould (e the no$m until a"te$ the /o$ld /a$s*
/o$ld /a$ I D II -ould change the e+)ectations "o$ "emale education* #$io$ to the -a$s
-omen had sta$ted to ente$ the -o$."o$ce, (ut the 1o(s the% had -e$e simila$ to thei$ house hold
$oles* Some o" the acce)ta(le 1o(s "o$ -omen )$io$ to the /o$ld /a$s -e$e teache$s, nu$ses, and
seamst$esses* /o$ld /a$ I -ould sta$t the mo!ement o" change "o$ -omen in the -o$.)lace,
-hich -ould ha!e an im)act on thei$ education* /hen men le"t "o$ the -a$, -omen had to ta.e
on mo$e $es)onsi(ilities in o$de$ to .ee) thei$ household "unctioning as -ell as the count$%*
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Female Students in Education
Acco$ding to Megan /o$le% 2344E6, 7These -omen (egan to ma.e $eal mone% and also (egan to
get a t$ue taste o" inde)endence and li"e outside the home*9 The ne- 1o(s -ould hel) -omen
$eali0e that the% -e$e ca)a(le o" mo$e and -hen the //I ended, -omen decided to e+)lo$e
educations that -ould o)en the doo$s to ne- occu)ations* A stud% (% the O""ice o" Education
Resea$ch and Im)$o!ement 234436 o(se$!ed, 7<% /o$ld /a$ II the$e -as a -ide !a$iet% o"
-omen;s colleges, including "ou$F%ea$ colleges and uni!e$sities, )$o"essional and no$mal
schools, teache$s; colleges, and t-oF%ea$ institutions*9 In //II -omen -o$.ed in "acto$ies and
in the milita$% to com)ensate "o$ the a(sence o" the male -o$."o$ce* Rand% 'od-in 2344E6
-$ote, 7The -a$ ena(led them B-omenC to test tan.s, ai$)lanes, -ea)ons and )e$"o$m othe$
duties that had "o$me$l% (een male onl% "unctions*9 The decades "ollo-ing the /o$ld /a$s
($ought monumental changes in -omen;s education* It (ecame acce)ta(le "o$ -omen to $ecei!e
a highe$ education and ente$ the -o$."o$ce* In the )ast, -omen -e$e e+)ected to use thei$
education to educate thei$ child$en at home* Ho-e!e$, as the school s%stem (ecame mo$e
st$uctu$ed and child$en attended "ede$all% "unded schools -omen -e$e a(le to attend college and
"ind occu)ations* The social e+)ectation o" -omen to sta% at home had sta$ted to diminish,
-hich -ould ha!e a di$ect im)act on toda%;s education gende$ di""e$ences*
Cu$$entl% the$e is a g$o-ing ga) (et-een (o%s and gi$ls in the Ame$ican education
s%stem* The$e a$e mo$e "emales than males g$aduating "$om high school as -ell as college,
-hich is the $e!e$se "$om )ast decades* An a$ticle in USA Today o(se$!ed, 78the (lueFcolla$
1o(s that once att$acted male high school g$aduates a$e d$%ing u)* Mo$e (o%s a$e d$o))ing out o"
high school and out o" college9 2Ma$.lein, 344A6* In addition to males lea!ing the school
en!i$onment, the num(e$ o" success"ul "emale students is g$o-ing* Acco$ding to a stud% (% =a%
#* '$eene and Ma$cus A* /inte$s 2344:6, 7ationall%, G3 )e$cent o" "emale students g$aduated
A
Female Students in Education
B"$om high schoolC, com)a$ed -ith :A )e$cent o" male students*9 Additionall%, -omen ma.e u)
AGH o" all college students 2Ma$.lein, 344A6* These statistics dis)la% the g$o-ing change o"
gende$ e+)ectations in education* Toda%, -omen a$e not onl% acce)ted in schools, (ut the% a$e
e+celling and "inding a use "o$ thei$ education outside o" the home* One suggestion "o$ the
g$o-ing gende$ ga) is the di""e$ence o" lea$ning st%les that a$e encou$aged "o$ (o%s and gi$ls at
an ea$l% age* Acco$ding to the -e(site, Remember Anything 2344E6:
/hile gi$ls a$e taught to )la% dolls and )la% houses, (o%s a$e gi!en (uilding (loc.s and
!ideo o$ com)ute$ games* Hence, the "oundation o" unde$standing $elationshi)s and
e+)$essions o" c$eati!it% a$e gi!en to gi$ls -hile (o%s a$e )$o!ided -ith the "oundations
o" )$o(lemFsol!ing, s)atial $elationshi)s and handsFon s.ills at an ea$l% age* In this light,
-e see that t$aditional child $ea$ing )$actices tend to limit the e+)osu$e o" "emales to the
co$e s.ills demanded (% !a$ious lea$ning disci)lines such as technolog% and enginee$ing*
Ia$ious studies ha!e con"i$med that "emale students st$uggle in math and science* As a $esult,
mo$e e""o$t is (eing made to encou$age gi$ls to (e success"ul in those classes* In gene$al, the
studies suggest that "emale students need to "eel su))o$ted in the male dominated su(1ects li.e
math and science* M* Lee Manning 2&EE>6 suggested, 7Changing institutional )e$s)ecti!es
to-a$d "emales and changing (o%sJ )e$ce)tions o" -ho can e+cel in mathematics can ha!e a
)o-e$"ul e""ect on gi$lsJ mathematics success*9 Also, teache$s need to )$o!ide e+am)les o"
-omen in histo$% that ha!e demonst$ated success in those su(1ects* E""o$ts a$e (eing made at the
di""e$ent education le!els to dec$ease the cu$$ent gende$ ga)* The$e is still conce$n "o$ gende$
di""e$ences in the "utu$e, (ut unli.e )ast decades, male students ha!e (ecome the "ocus* The (est
tactic "o$ teache$s to ta.e is to (e a-a$e o" and limit gende$ ste$eot%)es in the class$oom*
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Female Students in Education
In conclusion, -omen ha!e made immense ad!ancements in the education s%stem* In the
(eginning the )u$)ose o" thei$ education -as to (e a teache$ "o$ thei$ %oung child$en* The% -e$e
not encou$aged to a))l% thei$ .no-ledge outside o" the home and "amil% setting* O!e$ the
decades, -omen -e$e slo-l% allo-ed to ente$ schools and )u$sue highe$ education le!els*
Massi!e ad!ancement came a"te$ the /o$ld /a$s (ecause -omen had demonst$ated that the%
-e$e ca)a(le o" mo$e then the societal e+)ectation* Se!e$al "acto$s cont$i(uted to the
ad!ancement o" -omen in education such as, the g$o-th o" a "ede$all% "unded school s%stem,
diminishing gende$ ste$eot%)es, and -omen ente$ing the -o$."o$ce* Toda% -omen a$e e+celling
in the education s%stem and male students ha!e (ecome the "ocus o" conce$n* /hile the$e still
$emain some su(1ects that ha!e $emained male dominated, gende$ ineKualities in the education
s%stem a$e slo-l% disa))ea$ing* The goals "o$ the "utu$e o" gende$ di""e$ences in education a$e to
$educe the gende$ ga) in te$ms o" g$aduation and d$o)out $ates, and to c$eate cu$$iculum that is
"$ee o" gende$ (ias* /hile it -ill ta.e time to achie!e these goals, it is ama0ing the ad!ancements
-omen ha!e made in education8es)eciall% in the last si+t% %ea$s*
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Female Students in Education
Re"e$ences
Cam)(ell, = 234446* <en1amin Rush and -omen;s education: A $e!olutiona$%;s disa))ointment,
a nation;s achie!ement* =ohn D Ma$%;s =ou$nal, &?* Ret$ie!ed "$om
htt):LLch$onicles*dic.inson*eduL1ohnandma$%L=M=Iolume&?La$ticles*htm
'od-in, R* 2344E6* A loo. at &E44sJ men and -omen $oles* A$ticle )osted to
htt):LL---*helium*comLitemsLG>A:>>FaFloo.FatF&E44sFmenFandF-omenF$oles
'$eene, =*#*, D /inte$s, M*A* 2344:6* Lea!ing (o%s (ehind: #u(lic high school g$aduation $ates*
Civic Report, 48. Ret$ie!ed "$om htt):LL---*manhattanFinstitute*o$gLhtmlLc$M5>*htm
Ha$-a$th, I*, Maline, M*, D De<$a, E* 234436* Womens co!!eges in the United States" #istory,
iss$es, and cha!!enges* Ret$ie!ed "$om
htt):LL---*ed*go!Lo""icesLOERIL#LLIL-e($e)$t*html
Manning, M*L* 2&EE>6* 'ende$ di""e$ences in %oung adolescentsJ mathematics and science
achie!ement* Chi!dhood Ed$cation, S)$ing* Ret$ie!ed "$om
htt):LL"inda$ticles*comL)La$ticlesLmiMKa?:&5LisM&EE>45LaiMn>>4?5A>LNtagOcontentPcol&
Ma$.lein, M* 2344A, Octo(e$ &E6* College gende$ ga) -idens: AGH a$e -omen* USA Today*
Ret$ie!ed "$om htt):LL---*usatoda%*comLne-sLeducationL344AF&4F&EFmaleFcollegeF
co!e$M+*htm
Ma$%* 2344E, Octo(e$ 3>6* 'ende$ di""e$ences in education* Message )osted to
htt):LL---*$emem(e$an%thing*com
U$(an, /*, D /agone$, =*L* =$* 234456* American ed$cation" A history* e- Yo$., Y:
Mc'$a- Hill Com)anies*
/o$le%, M* 2344E6* A loo. at &E44sJ men and -omen $oles* A$ticle )osted to
htt):LL---*helium*comLitemsL&?>?GE?Fgende$F$olesFinFtheF34thFcentu$%
>