Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Dissertation Presentation

Jessica Constandelis

REFLECTING ON GENDER AS A SOCIAL CONSTRUCT: A QUALITATIVE CASE STUDY OF A GIRLS CRITICAL GENDER GROUP

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

What happens in the critical gender group?

• What is the curriculum?

• What activities take place?

• What do girls say they learned from participating?

• How do girls say they would alter & improve the group?

How do girls talk about gender in the critical gender group?

• How does their talk change over time?

• How do girls deconstruct and critically assess gender messages?

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK:DEVELOPMENTAL SYSTEMS ORIENTATION

Adolescent

Family

Community

School Peer groups

Social media

Popular culture

Individual shapes the context of which he/she is a part.

Adolescent active producer of identity development.

Galambos, N. L. (2004). Gender and gender role development in adolescence. Handbook of adolescent psychology (pp. 233-262). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, John.

RESEARCH DESIGN: QUALITATIVE CASE STUDY

CRITICAL GIRLS’ GENDER GROUP

Weeks Major Objectives

1-3 “Getting to know you” & Trust building activities

4 & 5 Identification & deconstruction of gender messages (FACILITATOR DRIVEN)

6-8 Identification & deconstruction of gender messages (GIRL DRIVEN)

9 Articulating themes & reflecting on identified gender messages

10 Focus groups

DATA COLLECTION

Research Questions SourcesAudio-tape

Observations Focus Groups

Journals Artifacts

1. What happens in a critical gender group?

X X X X

a. What is the curriculum of the group?

X X X X

b. What activities take place in the group?

X X X X

c. What do girls say they learned from participating in the group?

X X X

2. How do girls talk about gender in the critical gender group?

X X

a. How does their talk change over time?

X X X X

b. How do girls talk back to gender messages?

X X X X

KEY FINDINGS: MOVING BEYOND IDENTIFICATION & DECONSTRUCTION

Ways of seeing

Gender messages are EVERYWHERE

Critical consciousness (Shor, 1992)

Multiple perspectives & friendships

TAKE ACTION!

PERSONAL IMPACTAdolescence

difficult developmental

period

Provide my students tools

Apply empathy from my experience

 PROFESSIONAL IMPACT: STOCKING MY TOOL BOX

Perceived workplace barriers

• Young

• Female

• Male-dominated administration

• Girls’ experiences

Tools for addressing barriers

• Leadership skills

• Countless resources

• Voice

• Provide girls space & structure

 IMPACT AT DISTRICT LEVEL: EDUCATION & AWARENESS ON MULTIPLE LEVELS

Girls• Recruitment

Parents/Guardians

• Seminars

Admin.

• Professional Development

Staff• Professional Development

My Research

 IMPACT IN THE FIELD:ANOTHER APPROACH

ADOLESCENCE:

academic & social Identity

ADOLESCENT GIRLS:

confidence, low self-esteem, eating disorders

GENDER MESSAGES:

ideal girlhood

INTERVENTIONS:role models & girls group

Girls’ Group:Critical consciousness &

language