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/

ausatlc@aol.com

Thank you

Feel free to contact us