1. 2014 ROTARY INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION
How Rotary Clubs Can Support
Their Local Schools
in Addressing Gender Equity
Issues
Martin and Pat Buoncristiani
Wednesday, 4 June

2. Who are we?

3. District 7600

4. Our focus today is on interacting
with local schools to help
solve clearly identified problems.
How does your Club interact with
local schools?

5. Why is interaction with local schools important to
Rotarians?
it takes a village to raise a child
schools look for ways to interact with their
community
there are problems which can be solved
this is a good tool for recruiting
it involves getting volunteers -- already
committed people -- to be aware of Rotary
it is a clear community service

6. We will summarize some results from PISA
Programme for International Student Assessment
• a triennial international survey (2000, 03 ,06, 09, 12)
• evaluates education systems in more than 70 countries
• testing the skills and knowledge of 15-year-olds.
So let’s begin with the problems …
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

7. There is evidence for gender inequity …
Reading Assessment
Girls outperformed boys by about 1 academic
year
Mathematics Assessment
Boys outperform girls by about 1/3 of an
academic year
These results have been persistent through all
test years

8. The gender gap in student performance can be
narrowed considerably as both boys and girls in
all countries and economies show that they can
succeed in all three subjects.
Given girls’ lower levels of confidence in their
own abilities, school systems, teachers and
parents should try to find – or create – more
effective ways of bolstering girls’ beliefs in their
own abilities in mathematics, both at school and
at home.
From the OECD Report

9. There is evidence for gender inequity in
performance
… but there is no credible evidence that
this is due to a difference in gender
abilities.
So these two problems can be fixed
In summary …it is about attitude

10. Percentage of Degrees Awarded to Females (in USA 2009)
Discipline Bachelors Masters Doctorate
Biological Sciences 60 57 54
Chemistry 49 48 39
Mathematics & Statistics 44 41 29
Earth Science 40 44 39
Engineering 19 24 22
Physics 19 24 20
Computer Science 18 28 20
http://www.esa.doc.gov/sites/default/files/reports/documents/wom
eninstemagaptoinnovation8311.pdf

11. Research About Language in Children aged 1 to 4
in Stable Households by Economic Group
Economic
group
Number of words
exposed to
Affirmations
Critical or
negative
comments
Welfare 13 million words 1 for every 2
Working class 26 million words 2 for every 1
Professionals 45 million words 6 for every 1
Hart, B. & Risley, T.R. “The Early Catastrophe” (2004). Education
Review, 77 (1), 100-118.
Importance of language …

12. JOIN LEADERS, EXCHANGE IDEAS, TAKE ACTION
Strategy 1
Real Men Read

13. Whose idea was it to put a middle class, middle aged, white Australian woman here?
Whose idea was it to put a middle class,
middle aged, white Australian woman here?

14. What did I find?
95% African American
70% free and reduced lunch
Lowest achieving school in the
district
Physically neglected buildings

15. “The disclosure comes amid concerns that a lack
of male role models at home and school may be
turning boys off reading at a young age.
Earlier this year, the All-Party-Parliamentary
Group on Literacy warned that large numbers of
boys were failing to develop a love of reading
during primary education because of a shortage of
male teachers combined with an anti- book
culture among many fathers.”
The Daily Telegraph (UK) 2012

16. Do Australian boys think of reading as
some kind of “secret women’s business?”

17. Bedtime stories
Playgroup
Kindergarten
First years of school where reading is taught
Who do they see?
Mostly women
Boys need to see men reading.
Men they regard as strong role models
Boys’ early reading experiences

18. Rotarians have access to influential men in the community,
Role models who --
boys would look up to
boys would wish to emulate
For example:
sportsmen, firemen, policemen, rangers, scientists
tradesmen -- builders, plumbers, electricians, motor
mechanics, doctors, councilors, engineers, …

19. Implementation Step 1
Find men who:
enjoy reading,
would like to help primary school aged kids and
can spare a maximum of one hour a week –
either one time or regularly
Explain the general nature of the program to them and
determine level of support

20. Implementation Step 1 (continued)
Explain to volunteers what a typical session involves:
you will have chosen a book you enjoy reading and that is
suitable for the age (teacher may help)
introduce yourself briefly and describe what you do
explain why you like to read and why reading is important
to you
read the story – make sure kids can see pictures
invite questions and comments

21. Implementation Step 2
Approach a local primary school …
make an appointment to speak with the Principal his/her
delegate
explain the offered program and show the list of volunteers
negotiate a date, time and conditions
all volunteers come at the same time –
to make Real Men Read a special event!
inform parents via school newsletter

22. In Summary …
Real Men Read is a volunteer program involving
1 hour visit an elementary/primary school classroom
– tell the children about your life and work
– tell them how important reading is to you in your
personal and business life
– read them a story.
Exportable to other Rotary Clubs

23. Real
Men
Read

24. JOIN LEADERS, EXCHANGE IDEAS, TAKE ACTION
Strategy 2
Girls in Science

25. The second problem we attacked with the
support of the Rotary Club of Oyster Point
in Newport News, Virginia
District 7600
It is more difficult and requires more
resources … and help from local schools,
industry and laboratories.
Girls In Science

26. series of workshops designed
to provide encouragement for young girls who
show an interest in and aptitude for science
and
to demonstrate to them the viability of an
exciting career in science, engineering or
mathematics.
We designed …

27. Here is an outline of what we did
the story is better told in pictures (which follow)
we recruited scientists, engineers and
mathematicians from local industry, labs and
schools
to present Saturday workshops on a science
subject (with some attention to the local
curriculum)

41. Girls In Science Lectures: Fall 2007
A series of lecture workshops designed to provide encouragement for young girls in the
Hampton Roads area who show an interest in and aptitude for science and to
demonstrate to them the viability of an exciting career in science or engineering
The workshops are scheduled for
Anderson Hall (Room 101 of the Administration Building)
Christopher Newport University
Saturdays from 10 am to 12 noon
Open to female students and educators in the area.
This Program is sponsored by The Rotary Club of
Oyster Point
supported by

42. JOIN LEADERS, EXCHANGE IDEAS, TAKE ACTION
Strategy 3
Books for Babies

43. A preemptive strike
Books for Babies
What early reading by adults can do
develops a stronger bond between the reader and the
child.
improve a child’s ability to communicate and think
clearly, and
understand the notion of a book, how to read and
engender a love of reading and learning.

44. Rotary International is a key
partner globally supporting
300 Dolly Parton Imagination
Library communities in the
US, Canada and the US and
currently 3 in Australia.
United Way Australia bought the
Dolly Parton Imagination Library to Australia.

46. United Way Australia has Imagination Library in 11
communities.
Among them in Victoria are (from District 9810)
Rotary Clubs of Healesville
Rotary Club of Noble Park
District 9675 is working to bring the program to
Warrawong and Cringila (NSW).
The Rotary Club of Mareeba (Qld) is looking to come on
board.
Currently in Australia …

47. United Way Australia has a stall at this
convention with staff and volunteers
on hand to provide information kits!

48. Thinking and Learning in Concert
http://www.thinkingandlearninginconcert.org/
ausatlc@aol.com
Thank you
Feel free to contact us