Co-educational guide

General ideas on co-education

Summary
Since we are born, we form sexist stereotypes
and role models from what we see at home, at
school or in the media. We assimilate these role
models so much, that not only do we follow them,
but we also unconsciously expect other to do the
same. For example, girls are expected to be better
behaved and calmer than boys. These stereotypes
limit how boys and girls think, feel and act and
prevents the full development of their abilities.
School is not neutral and plays an essential part
in transmitting values. To build a fairer and more
equal society, preconceived ideas of what boys
and girls are expected to do, should be eliminated.
To do this, schools should detect stereotypes
assigned to males and females, and take all
measures needed to eliminate them from our
language and behaviour.
Co-education means educating based on equa-
lity between people, regardless of their sex.
Co-education encourages the true autonomy of
girls and boys, granting them equal opportunities
and understanding that differences are positive
and enriching.

© Juan Alonso / FVF

School to School Program

Co-educational guide – General ideas on co-education
Examples that favour co-education in the classroom
• Working on and highlighting the role of
women in history, disseminating their contri-
butions and success achieved as scientists,
politicians, artists or athletes.
• Celebrate key days at school for equality
and against gender violence.
• Reflect on stereotypes assigned to each
sex based on legends and traditional stories
or from the analysis of professions. For
example, can a woman be a knight and save
a prince from a monster? Or, what happens
when the father is a househusband? Are there
any mothers who are engineers, mechanics or
firefighters?
• Avoid images of women only related to the
domestic environment. Promote children
taking on domestic responsibilities or care.
For example, caring for a class pet, watering a
plant or cleaning and tidying up the classroom.
© Juan Alonso / FVF
School to School Program
• Give time for girls to speak if you see that
they do not participate very much in class,
or if they find it harder to intervene than boys.
• Observe the space that girls and boys
occupy in the playground, is it the same?
Promote sports shared between girls and
boys in the playground
• Highlight the traditional assignment of roles
to boys and girls. For example, assuming that
girls prefer skipping and boys football.
• Revise the use of language, switching the
grammatical use of feminine and masculine
and of generic use.
• Generic use: pupils, teaching staff,
applicant.
• Double generic use: girls and boys.
• Use of the female gender in professions:
mayoress, waitress, saleswoman, etc.
Co-educational guide – General ideas on co-education

Inspiring video Resources

For teachers Co-education

“Girl and Boy”, animation about gender stereotype
Marcia Mailoa. June 2007
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF1j22x-yU8
For pupils
“Coeducación. Guía de recursos”
TECIS, Gobierno del Principado de Asturias, Consejería de la
Presidencia, Instituto Asturiano de la Mujer. Maig 2001
http://www.educarenigualdad.org/media/pdf/uploaded/old/
Mat_177_guia_de_los_recursos.pdf

“Derechos de los niños y niñas. Principio 1
igualdad”
Dos Orillas, Fundación Familias Unidas. July 2012
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1eB5l2nmSk
“Guía de coeducación. Síntesis sobre la Educación
para la Igualdad de Oportunidades entre Mujeres
y Hombres”
Red2Red Consultores S.L. Instituto de la Mujer: Observatorio
para la Igualdad de Oportunidades
http://www.inmujer.gob.es/observatorios/observIgualdad/
estudiosInformes/docs/009-guia.pdf

Co-education Collection of materials

Orientación Andújar. 2014
http://www.orientacionandujar.es/2014/03/06/coleccion-de-
materiales-de-coeducacion-para-todas-las-etapas-2014/

Co-education campaigns
Junta de Andalucía. Instituto Andaluz de la Mujer. Consejería
de Igualdad y Políticas Sociales
http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/institutodelamujer/index.
php/areas-tematicas/coeducacion

Children’s Rights

Declaration of the rights of the child

Amnesty International
http://www.amnistiacatalunya.org/edu/humor/mafalda/
index.html

© Adam Jason Moore / FVF

School to School Program