In our class, I learned that gender and society are deeply connected.

Before the subject

discussion, I still have questions in my mind about sex and gender even though I have some idea
or prior knowledge on the difference of the two. Now, that I understand that sex is biological,
while gender is something that society teaches us. Through understanding it I learned many
things not just about sex and gender , I aslo learn the diversity of everyones identity. And there
are many factors that can influence our understanding about gender and sex for example our
environment because from the moment we are born, society tells us how boys and girls should
act, dress, and speak. Also schools play a huge role in this process and as a future teacher, we
must development a better understanding in this matter because we are the role models in school.
We should know that school It is also a place where children learn how to view themselves and
others. This subject opened my eyes to how much power a teacher has in shaping a child’s
identity.

To help us understand better, our instructor propose several engaging activities. For example, we
have a lot of group activity and have different topics connection to gender and sex, we do the
role playing with different scenarios ,gallery walk and also discuss idea and understand with a
pair , through this we can express and deepen our own understand about this subject. This hands-
on activity helped us see exactly how media reinforces strict pink-and-blue boundaries in real
life.

To understand better on how children learn about gender, we studied five main theories in class.
Each theory helps us see student behavior in a different way. First is the Gender Schema Theory,
this theory was made by Sandra Bem. It says that children learn about gender from their culture.
They build mental blueprint or “schemas” in their brains to organize information about what is
for boys and what is for girls . They filter everything through them. For example, a young boy
might refuse to play with a pink toy because his mental blueprint says “pink is for girls.” This
theory teaches me that children always watch their environment to understand how to act. The
second one is Kohlberg’s Cognitive Development Theory, his theory explained that children
understand gender in three steps as their brains grow. First is Gender Identity (ages 2 to 3), where
they can say if they are a boy or a girl based on looks. Second is Gender Stability (ages 3 to 4.5),
where they know they will grow up to be the same gender, but they still think changing clothes
or hair can change their gender. Third is Gender Constancy (ages 4.5 to 7), where they finally
understand that gender stays the same no matter what a person wears. This helps me know that
young children naturally have rigid ideas about gender because of their age. The third one is the
Multifactorial Theory it say says that gender identity is not simple or one-size-fits-all. Instead, it
is made of many factors, the family and friends, biological and personality, culture and media
and last is the life experiences. This helps teachers see students as complex individuals instead of
forcing them into one strict box. The fourth is Theory of Performativity by Judith Butler, she
argues that gender is not something we are inside. It is something we do. It is a performance. We
repeat actions, speech, gestures, and clothing choices every day because society expects us to.
People perform their gender to fit in and avoid being judged. For a teacher, this means the
classroom is like a stage. If we change the daily rules and routines, we can give students the
freedom to be themselves safely. The last one is the Queer Theory, this theory questions the strict
binary choices of society, like male versus female or normal versus abnormal. It looks at people
who do not fit into traditional boxes and asks why they are left out. In schools, using Queer
Theory means checking our books and rules to make sure we are not ignoring or erasing students
who are different. It challenges us to build a school where being different is respected.

Why Gender Responsiveness Matters. Gender responsiveness means that a teacher should
notices the different needs of boys, girls, and students of all identities, and treats them all with
respect. This is very important in education because again we are the role models inside the
school and we should do everything to make every student feels safe and can learn in peace,
because if a school is gender-responsive, students do not feel limited they would become more
motivated. For example, girls will feel confident to excel in science and math, and boys will not
feel ashamed to show emotions or enjoy the arts. Through this we can helps children grow into
adults who respect everyone, no matter their gender.

How to Avoid Gender Bias in the Classroom. There are many simple ways a teachers can do to
avoid gender bias every day. First, we must change our language not totally change but we
should be mindful in using it for example, instead of saying “Good morning, boys and girls,” we
can say “Good morning, everyone” or “Hello, students.” This makes every child feel included.
Second, we should not divide the classroom by gender. We should not make a line for boys and a
line for girls, or group them that way for projects. Instead, we can group them by colors,
numbers, or random choice. Lastly, we must share tasks fairly. Boys can clean the classroom, and
girls can help carry books. We should never assign chores based on stereotypes. This simple
actions we avoid gender biased because we promote equality where everyone can work together
and help one another without looking at their gender.

Challenges I Expect to FaceBeing a gender-responsive teacher will not always be easy. I know I
will face a few big challenges. One challenge is my own subconscious bias. Because I grew up in
a traditional society where we often beliefs what should a girl like me do or act.I might say or do
biased things without realizing it. But I will always Try my best andpractice self-reflection
constantly. Another challenge is dealing with others. Some parents or older teachers might still
believe in strict, traditional gender roles. They might get upset if I challenge these ideas. Lastly,
some school textbooks are old and contain biased pictures or stories, so I will have to work
harder to find better materials were everyone should feel understand and value.

In conclusion, learning about gender and society has deeply changed how I look at education.
The five theories we studied—Gender Schema, Kohlberg’s Cognitive Development,
Multifactorial, Performativity, and Queer Theory—show us that gender is complex and shaped
by our environment. As a future teacher, I now see that my words, choices, and rules in the
classroom can either limit my students or set them free. While I know I will face challenges like
old school rules or my own hidden biases, I am fully committed to being a gender-responsive
educator. By using inclusive language, treating all students equally, and creating a safe
environment, I can ensure that every child feels valued. Ultimately, my goal is to build a
classroom rooted in fairness and kindness, helping to shape a better, more inclusive world for the
next generation.