Workshop 1: BBC: Breaking Boundaries in K-12 Classrooms: Fostering Gender Inclusion in STEM Teaching
We applied the first workshop on teachers and pre-service teachers. The worshop is about helping educators—especially in STEM fields--integrate gender awareness and inclusivity into their everyday teaching practices. It focuses on:
- Creating inclusive classroom environments that address gender equity.
- Identifying and challenging stereotypes and unconscious biases in teaching.
- Equipping educators with tools to recognize and counteract subtle forms of discrimination (like biased language, unbalanced group dynamics, or exclusion in course content).
- Introducing intersectionality, acknowledging how gender interacts with other identities like race, class, or age.
- Interactive game (Memory Association Test) to uncover unconscious bias.
- Analysis of national data to contextualize discussions.
- Real classroom scenarios to explore inclusive strategies.
- Tools and techniques to address “master suppression techniques” (like ridicule or making people invisible).
- Discussions and reflections on inclusive pedagogy, language use, and representation.
Workshop 2: Breaking Boundaries in K-12 Classrooms – The Integration of Gender into Classroom Instruction
This workshop was designed for school managers, principals, and decision-makers to explore practical strategies for integrating gender inclusion into K–12 education systems and fostering equitable learning environments. It focused on addressing the persistent issue of the “leakage” of women from STEM fields despite early interest and academic success. Participants examined gender disparities across education and career stages, including university selection, workforce transition, and leadership progression. The workshop presented solutions such as developing macro-level gender equality policies, adopting inclusive classroom practices, and enhancing communication and support structures within institutions. Findings from a prior survey revealed gaps in policy implementation, lack of follow-up and evaluation mechanisms, limited access to resources, and low awareness among educators regarding institutional support for inclusion. The session also included a manager’s checklist to help leaders evaluate and improve inclusivity in teaching materials, classroom dynamics, and organizational culture. Group discussions encouraged reflection on national policies, international comparisons, and the development of long-term strategies to support inclusive education. An example from the film Hidden Figures was used to emphasize the importance of representation. The workshop ultimately aimed to empower educational leaders to become agents of change by embedding gender and diversity considerations into all levels of teaching and school governance.
