Plan-it Girls : Samvaad

Adolescence is a period of transition from childhood to adulthood. It is also a period where societal expectations from boys and girls start to differ. They increasingly face gender-based discrimination and biases and are expected to follow gender roles more rigidly, which limits their aspirations and potential.
What can be done to make this transitional journey for adolescents a smoother and more enriching experience? A large body of evidence articulates that adolescents need the guidance and support of responsible adults to fully realise their potential.
Teachers play a critical role in shaping gender norms and beliefs amongst adolescents and their views on gender can deeply affect how adolescents think. However, they themselves are also part of larger society and are influenced by the dominant stereotypes and biases that have been perpetuated over the years. Further, the demand for academic and non-academic responsibilities leave limited time and scope for them to expand their own understanding of issues and challenges that girls and boys face during these dynamic years.
As part of the Plan-It Girls programme, this docket will support teachers to expand their own understanding of adolescents and sensitise them to their challenges through the lens of gender identity. It also suggests strategies to create gender responsive classrooms along with guidelines on what teachers can do when a student encounters harassment/abuse within or outside of school. We hope this docket will be helpful for teachers to engage adolescents in creative ‘Samvaad’, to learn from the experiences of their peers and to co create new narratives of gender equality. Adolescence is a period of transition from childhood to adulthood. It is also a period where societal expectations from boys and girls start to differ. They increasingly face gender-based discrimination and biases and are expected to follow gender roles more rigidly, which limits their aspirations and potential.
What can be done to make this transitional journey for adolescents a smoother and more enriching experience? A large body of evidence articulates that adolescents need the guidance and support of responsible adults to fully realise their potential.
Teachers play a critical role in shaping gender norms and beliefs amongst adolescents and their views on gender can deeply affect how adolescents think. However, they themselves are also part of larger society and are influenced by the dominant stereotypes and biases that have been perpetuated over the years. Further, the demand for academic and non-academic responsibilities leave limited time and scope for them to expand their own understanding of issues and challenges that girls and boys face during these dynamic years.
As part of the Plan-It Girls programme, this docket will support teachers to expand their own understanding of adolescents and sensitise them to their challenges through the lens of gender identity. It also suggests strategies to create gender responsive classrooms along with guidelines on what teachers can do when a student encounters harassment/abuse within or outside of school. We hope this docket will be helpful for teachers to engage adolescents in creative ‘Samvaad’, to learn from the experiences of their peers and to co create new narratives of gender equality.