Back to School, Back to Feminism
Today, I’m over at Gender Across Borders talking about going back to school and back to teaching feminism.
It is officially August. Which means it is officially time to start thinking about going back to school. As a teacher, it is a time I both look forward to and dread. On one hand, the first few days of school can be brutal after a whole summer off. Just waking up at 5:00 AM when you’re used to waking up at 8:00 AM and being on your feet all day when you’re used to sitting by the pool can be a tough adjustment. However – and you might not believe me on this one – sitting by the pool every day can get boring pretty quickly, so going back to school in the fall brings the intellectual stimulation and sense of purpose that I crave all summer.
The start of the school year also always brings the same challenge: How will I empower the young women in my classes this year?
I teach mostly sophomores in high school, so when my students arrive in my classroom, they come with an array of maturity levels and experiences. The same could be said for any grade level, I’m sure, but sophomores in high school are at such a delicate age. They’re on the cusp of grown up – not old enough for a driver’s license, but too old to sit at home on a Saturday night. They’re all trying on different hats, experimenting with relationships, pushing the envelope. They are all incredibly different and individual, but one thing seems true almost entirely across the board: the girls lack confidence. Of course, boys lack confidence, too, but they show it in different ways. Boys at this age are boisterous and outgoing. They jump at the chance to answer questions or share stories. Girls at this age, however, hide their faces with their hair, slouch in their seats, and I believe some would rather die than say two words in front of the rest of the students.
Go read the rest of the article! Even if you’re not quite ready to go back to school. 🙂
