Gender Based Discrimination in the

Hidden Curriculum

 Ahmad Butt  OCTOBER 18, 2020

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To understand how learning in the classroom affects a student’s life beyond school is an
area of interest that curriculum designers have to carefully consider. While the
curriculum designed by institutions (i.e. the visible curriculum) is a formal concept
embedded in academia, there is an unintentional and informal curriculum that is
often indirectly a result of imposing teachings of the visible curriculum – the hidden
curriculum.

The visible curriculum is the curriculum that teachers are instructed to deliver to
students, such as learning algebra in Math or analyzing Romeo and Juliet in English.
However, a student’s behavioural patterns, social processes and beliefs are influenced
strongly by the hidden curriculum. The hidden curriculum consists of implicitly and
informally behaviours and norms taught in a school. In essence, it is everything taught
by teachers that teachers aren’t explicitly stated to teach. A simple example is students
being taught to stand or wait in lines to maintain discipline.
 A teacher telling her class to be silent in the classroom is an example of the hidden
curriculum (Image Source: Valentina Gonzalez)

Negative lessons taught through the hidden curriculum can have a significant impact on
an individual’s behaviour, beliefs and values. Although the hidden curriculum does help
prepare students for integration into society outside of school and is also used as a way
of imposing the importance of obedience and discipline, it also reinforces outdated
gender roles. 

This a major flaw of the hidden curriculum because these ideas allow for the creation of
stereotypes, biases, and prejudices related to gender.  There are several different ways
the hidden curriculum acts as a means of perpetuating gender inequality; this article
explores some of these factors and the role they play in doing so. 

Daycare

Before entering schools, the majority of children start their educational journey at

daycares. There are two fundamental ways in which daycares reinforce gender schema,
which are both closely interrelated. First is the categorization of toys, which are labelled
as either being appropriate for boys versus those appropriate for girls. A study analyzing
daycares in the United States has shown that daycares had toys categorized based on
gender: dolls, dollhouses, kitchen toys, colouring books and ponies were toys made
available for girls while soccer balls, toy vehicles and action figures were toys made
available for boys. Furthermore, within these toys, the toys available for girls were
usually pink in colour, or some other light tone while the toys available for boys were
black, bright red, or some other dark colour tone. Subjective methods of measurement
in the form of surveys performed by these children also confirmed that they expressed
an association of gender with certain toys. 

(Image Source: The Loop)

Teachers and Caregivers

Teachers and caregivers play a major role in a student’s life and also contribute to
gender divisions.  For instance, students are often asked to provide assistance to their
teachers and caregivers based on gender categorization. Moving chairs or tables are
tasks often assigned to boys while helping clean the classroom is more suited to girls.
Furthermore, the continual actions of a teacher such as sorting of girls and boys into
separate lines and using terms such as “boys and girls” also reinforces the assumption
that males and females are separate and unequal social groups. 
 (Image Source: Global Citizen)

Educational Curriculum

Textbooks and class lessons are considered to play a part in both the visible and hidden
curriculum. The main role of these as part of the hidden curriculum observed through a
feminist lens relates to gender disparity in how often males appear in the children’s
books compared to females. Males are two to three times more likely to appear in
children’s books. 

An analysis of the Caldecott award, a prestigious award that is rewarded to the most

prominent picture books catered towards children in the United States showed that the
winners for this award had a boy to girl ratio of 11 to 1 in the books. An
underrepresentation of girls in their lesson curriculum results in feelings of inferiority to
boys and is a major deterrent for an equal appreciation of girls in the classroom. In
a research paper focusing on anecdotal evidence about girl’s experiences in the
classroom, a female student notes: 

“The textbooks I had as a child and teenager were filled mostly with history and
literature about males. I know now that I believed then that women could not be as
successful, influential and important figures to learn about in the classroom. I remember
teachers asking the class to name their role models and I always had a hard time
naming someone I connect with.”

Dress Code

Dress codes enforced by schools are another way of reinforced gender stereotypes
within the institution. Through the dress code system, certain types of clothing materials
have been associated with terms such as slut or prude while others have been labelled
with terms such as appropriate or good. Spaghetti straps or revealing necklines are
examples of clothing items that would be categorized in the former group according to
the dress code system and are thus strictly forbidden in most school dress codes. 

A study found that the rationale institutions provide for girl dress codes is defective and
unfair to girls. The rationale given by these institutions has been that certain clothes
worn by girls are deemed to be responsive to the male students and thus, were
prohibited in school as means of limiting the “enticement” of the male students. This is
problematic as clothing is an essential part of an individual’s perception of themselves,
especially at a young age. Harsh dress coding with biased justification has forced girls
to limit their individuality through clothing in schools.
 (Image Source: Marie France Asia) 

Sports

School sports also allow for the maintenance of gender stereotyping and inequality.
There is a significantly higher emphasis on male sports compared to female sports
given in schools. The UN 2007 Report reveals that there are fewer funds allocated to
girls’ sporting teams and increasingly more funding allocated to boys’ sporting teams in
schools. This has lead to an unequal and inadequate division of sports resources and
equipment. 

This trend continues in higher education institutions and semi-professional athletics; the
national collegiate athletic association (NCAA) gender equity report for the years 2004
to 2010 has shown that even though there was an equal male to female participation
ratio in college sports, the funding to men teams was 60.4% while the funding for
women teams was only 39.6%.  

All of the data above confirms that gender-based discrimination, no matter how subtle it
may be, has a great impact on student’s lives and perceptions of gender. Many aspects
of a school that are part of the hidden curriculum allow for the development of gender
inequality and gender-based discrimination. An underrepresentation of females in all
aspects of the classroom manifests a sense of inferiority.

(Image Source: Green Queen)

As Peggy Orenstein, an author who writes about gender inequality sums up in her
book Schoolgirls, the hidden curriculum has allowed girls to take on the role of being
compliant and silent in society while it has allowed boys to be dominant and disruptive.
This reinforced idea about gender-based expectations creeps into later years of life
where the female is expected to take on a submissive role in a relationship, and aspire
to marriage while the male takes on a dominant role in a relationship, and is expected to
be the breadwinner of the house. If the hidden curriculum continues to promote gender-
based inequality, the cycle of segregation may never end. Thus, the hidden curriculum
warrants both human rights and social justice concerns.

Author

Ahmad Butt

Teachers: 20 Ways to Reduce Gender Bias at

School
POST FORMATS· SCHOOL· TOYS, BOOKS & CLOTHES

15 A U G

If you’ve ever told a boy he shouldn’t be upset, or called a girl bossy, keep on reading.

We all have gender bias; it’s okay to admit it. Even if you’re a strong believer in gender
equity or a self-proclaimed feminist, it lingers in the back of your brain, deep in your
subconscious.

Teachers play a critical role to prevent gender stereotypes and reduce gender bias in
the classroom. In early education in particular, our children’s young brains are forming
and imbibing every message.

I know that you’re probably stressed about setting up your classroom and getting your
lesson plans ready. And trying to scrounge up a few extra dollars for all of the classroom
supplies you need! But approaching the school year with a gender lens will help you
ensure that every student learns, grows, and embraces their individuality.
(While I’m not an education professional, I am a gender equity and women’s policy
expert… and a parent. Thanks for all you do for our children and for taking the time to
help them each shine brightly! And thank you for taking the time to read these gender
bias prevention tips with an open mind.)

ANTI- GENDER BIAS BASICS 

1. Address your students equally. Instead of “girls and boys” try to use “students” or 
“friends,” a wonderful category our preschool uses. Do you use pet names, like champ,
buddy, mate, lad, honey, sweetheart? These nicknames treat boys as tough and girls as
delicate. (I’ve been guilty of this too!) Similarly,  this piece articulates why saying “you
guys” is inherently sexist , but it can also be alienating to individuals who are LGBTQ+.  

2. Avoid separating children based on gender. Do you ask students to line up for the
bathroom or recess by sex or gender? Are they grouped for activities this way? If you
make sex a distinctive category frequently, children will think it matters more than it
does. It will also present a tough challenge for children questioning their gender.

3. Learn about children as individuals. I once had (what I thought was) an excellent
conversation with a new teacher at a preschool about my commitment to end gender
stereotypes, and she echoed its importance. The following day she greeted my child at the
door and asked her what her favorite color was. The teacher did not pause to wait for my
child to answer, but instead asked “is PINK your favorite color?” even though my child
was wearing yellow. Let the child tell you what they like.  Related: not all girls like pink .

CHILDREN’S APPEARANCES: COLORS, TOYS, AND

CLOTHES 

4. Evaluate the way you greet students. A well-meaning preschool teacher greeted my
daughter almost every morning with “you look so pretty today!” Constant comments
about appearance reveal adults’ internalized beauty standards for women and girls; a
lesson we needn’t pass on to the next generation. Try these tips instead .

5. Understand Walmart’s power over your teacher-student relationship . Your

students’ wardrobes are largely dictated by the big box stores’ arbitrary decisions about
what is labelled by gender and sorted in the “girls” and “boys” aisles. Only parents with
the privileges of time and resources can find children’s clothing that are gender-inclusive
and buck stereotypes (i.e. beyond superheroes and transportation for boys, and princesses
and rainbows for girls). Don’t rely on the t-shirt graphic to give you insight into the child.

Related: Finally, longer shorts for girls

Girls like trucks, too

6. Toys and colors are for everyone. Seriously; don’t ask that boy if he’s sure  he wants
the pink sticker. If he chose the pink crayon or the princess dress-up gown, let it be . This
is play, and I’m sure you agree that play is healthy, especially play that uses exploration
and experimentation.
7. Question your school’s dress code. Is there a dress code? If so, check to see if it has
different expectations for different sexes. Do many teachers feel that  a girl wearing
shorter shorts  or a tank top will “distract” boys? Talk to your colleagues about how
policing girls’ bodies can lead to self-consciousness, body monitoring, shame, and over-
sexualization at a young age.

Get our body image guide here , which contains 8 advanced strategies.

SET UP A GENDER-EQUAL CLASSROOM

ENVIRONMENT

8. Audit your bookshelf. In a review of our home library I found that the protagonist in
children’s books was 8 times more likely to be male than female . To conduct an audit of
your classroom books, download Think or Blue’s gender representation book audit form
here . 

9. Remember that female leads are for everyone. I’ve heard authors of girl-led books
recount stories of educators wistfully declining an author visit because the boys wouldn’t
be interested. Well.. boys certainly won’t be interested if adults fail to uphold stories of
women and girls in history and today as valuable and important.  

10. Reassess the visuals in your room. I personally find many classrooms to be visually
overstimulating when every wall, nook, and cranny is filled with bright colors and
posters. There is a case for the calm and serenity that comes with minimal decor . But if
you display visuals during lessons such as “Community Helpers,” be sure that they reflect
a variety of genders, ethnicities, and abilities.

11. Expand children’s role models. Use gender neutral words for professions, such as
police officer, worker, mail carrier, fire fighter, nurse. Substitute “the men are fixing the
roof” with “the workers are fixing the roof.” Read more about this easy tip .

In addition, witness the power of inviting real-life role models  to the classroom,
especially when they disrupt expected gender stereotypes.

INTERACTIONS AMONG STUDENTS

12. Encourage mixed gender friendships. Be cognizant of your tendency to encourage

single-sex friendships, even if it’s subconscious. A teacher once reported to me proudly
that my daughter had begun to develop closer relationships with other girls in the class. It
wasn’t a goal or concern of ours, so I was confused. I’m happy for her to be friends with
ALL children. Here’s why mixed-gender play is so healthy for everyone .

13. Equalize air time. Studies show that boys begin to interrupt other children  at a young
age. If my child is interrupted, she almost always stops talking. I’m currently working to
give her the tools to say “I wasn’t done speaking yet,” or “I’m not finished.” Try the
same in your classroom.

14. Evaluate children’s assigned and organic roles. During group projects, have you
observed whether they self-select certain roles? Does a girl always end up being the
“secretary/recorder”? If you observe this, take steps to rotate roles and help them share
accountability.

15. Teach consent your students. Remind them to ask before they touch each other and
that consent can be withdrawn at any time. Model this yourself, too. Once, on a day my
daughter had a tough time entering the classroom, an energetic assistant teacher swooped
my child up in the air and jiggled her. This trick may have worked well to acclimate other
students, but it backfired and my daughter started sobbing. I informed the teacher that my
child was not used to being picked up without permission.  Watch this video for more tips
about consent .

16. Help boys lose gracefully. If a girl beats other classmates at sports, or shines
academically, don’t console the boys or feel the need to shore up their self-confidence.
Boys will sometimes lose to girls, in the classroom and someday in the boardroom. The
earlier they learn this, the better. Help them take this defeat gracefully.
TEACHERS, CHECK YOUR PERSONAL BIAS

17. Check your assumptions. Do you assume girls will want to read or play hopskotch,
or that boys will want to build or play sports? Teachers have sometimes led my daughter
to crayons during dropoff, rather than asking her if she wants to build, or asking what
SHE is interested in playing with. Follow the child’s interests whenever possible.   

18. Work on your own anti-bias and stereotyping outside of the classroom . Who are
your friends? Where do you spend your time outside of school, and with whom? Whose
social media do you follow? Take steps to diversify your personal time. A few educator
accounts I love are:

 Britt Hawthorne  @britthawthorne

 Amelia Allen, @Hood_Montessorian
 Liz Kleinrock, Teach and Transform
 Naomi O’Brien, Read Like a Rock Star
 Nikolai Pizarro, Raising Readers

They have taught me valuable lessons about white saviorism in classrooms and the
importance of learning names properly. Plus many more important lessons. Go follow
them! 

19. Plan ahead for how you would respond to a transgender or gender non-
conforming child. If you haven’t had a transgender or gender non-conforming student in
your class or your school, even better reason to prepare for how you and your school
would handle it. Is there a policy about bathrooms, sports teams, and pronouns? How will
you help the other students be compassionate and better understand the child’s
journey? Get better educated .

20. Reconsider discipline. First, check your school district’s discipline record  within the
Office of Civil Rights, and how it differs by gender and race. Second, check your own
bias. Children of color are more likely to be disciplined, and adults tend to think that
black girls are more mature than white girls. Think about this before you discipline.

Thank you, teachers, for the work you do every day. And for taking the time to learn
more tips for how teachers can reduce gender bias and gender stereotypes in the
classroom. YOU are changing the future!