A Girl's Education: Schooling and the Formation of Gender, Identities and Future Visions (Palgrave Studies in Gender and Education)

Palgrave Studies in Gender and Education Series editor: Yvette Taylor, Professor of Education, University of Strathclyde, UK This book argues that educators and the general public have become complacent about girls' education as a consequence of the more recent fuss about problems for boys. After an analysis of persistent disquiet about girls' lifestyles, it uses theories of gender and education to demonstrate that girls are being produced in contradictory ways in current schooling. Many girls develop a sense of themselves through close connection with friendship groups but schooling processes typically require them to adopt the position of competitors in the end-of-school rankings and to act out their individualized positions in imagining themselves into the future. Ultimately the work offers insight and understanding leading to a less divisive educational pathway for girls. Judith Gill is Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of South Australia and a former secondary schoolteacher who has worked in teacher education for the past 30 years. Her main research interest is in gender and its associations with achievement and working lives. Kathy Esson has worked widely in the fields of education and health, including her role as Senior Manager at the NSW Skills Board Secretariat, Australia. She has also been involved in a review of public education in NSW, taught psychology, and been a school and university counsellor, working primarily with young women. Rosalina Yuen is a psychologist in private practice in Australia. As a former social worker, she worked extensively with girls and young women in many settings. She provides counselling services to schools, universities and major employers "Dedication "--"Series Editorâ#x80;#x99;s Preface "--"Preface: Reclaiming the Space for Girls" -- "References" -- "Acknowledgments" -- "Contents" -- "About the Authors" -- "Abbreviations" -- "List of Figures" -- "Chapter 1: Who Are Girls in Current Times and Is There a Problem?" -- "Introduction" -- "A Time for Change" -- "Who Are Girls?" -- "Is Education the Problem?" -- "Aim and Key Lines of Enquiry" -- "Girls as a Focus of Public Concern" -- "Beyond the Romantic Dream: New Positions for Girls and Women in Media Representations?" -- "Sexuality" -- "Our Focus" -- "Overview of the Book" -- "References" -- "Chapter 2: How We Know What We Know: Knowledge and Evidence" -- "The Ways of the World" -- "Theorizing Gender" -- "Explanations of Gender" -- "Bourdieuâ#x80;#x99;s Theorization Applied to Gender" -- "The Connected Self" -- "The Individual in New Times" -- "Psychological Research: Cognitive Abilities" -- "Mathematics Ability" -- "Language" -- "From Sex to Gender: The Role of Affect" -- "Differences in Self-confidence" -- "Differences in Attribution" -- "Researching Gender" -- "Quantitative Approaches" -- "Qualitative Approaches to Research" -- "This Book: Mixed Methods" -- "Summary" -- "References" -- "Chapter 3: See How Far Weâ#x80;#x99;ve Come! Girlsâ#x80;#x99; Education in Recent History. And Where Does This Leave Girls Now?" -- "Background: The Movement Begins" -- "School Completion" -- "Curriculum" -- "Subject Choices" -- "Classroom Treatments" -- "Achievement Patterns and Assessment Styles" -- "Resourcing" -- "The Extra Curriculum" -- "School as a Gendered Institution: Staffing Patterns" -- "And for Girls?" -- "Girlsâ#x80;#x99; Schooling for Girls" -- "Are Girls Better Off in Girlsâ#x80;#x99; Only Schools?" -- "Academic Outcomes" -- "Subject Choice" -- "Girlsâ#x80;#x99; Learning Can Proceed Better Without Boys Present?" Front Matter....Pages i-xxiv Who Are Girls in Current Times and Is There a Problem?....Pages 1-25 How We Know What We Know: Knowledge and Evidence....Pages 27-60 See How Far We’ve Come! Girls’ Education in Recent History. And Where Does This Leave Girls Now?....Pages 61-93 The Balancing Act....Pages 95-124 Girls at School: The Formation of Learning Identities....Pages 125-152 Post-school Pathways and Girls’ Imagined Futures....Pages 153-179 Girls at School: A More Complex Picture....Pages 181-201 Back Matter....Pages 203-210 Who Are Girls In Current Times And Is There A Problem? -- How We Know What We Know : Knowledge And Evidence -- See How Far We've Come! Girls' Education In Recent History. And Where Does This Leave Girls Now? -- The Balancing Act -- Girls At School : The Formation Of Learning Identities -- Post-school Pathways And Girls' Imagined Futures -- Girls At School : A More Complex Picture. Judith Gill, Katharine Esson, Rosalina Yuen. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This volume argues that educators and the general public have become complacent about girls' education as a consequence of the more recent fuss about problems for boys. After an analysis of persistent disquiet about girls' lifestyles, it uses theories of gender and education to demonstrate that girls are being produced in contradictory ways in current schooling