Rosalind C. Barnett, Ph.D. and Caryl Rivers, M.S., instructors

Today, both educators and parents are regularly fed a diet of “science” that is, at best, a misunderstanding of the research, and at worst, a deliberate misrepresentation of it. The education of young children is much too important to the future of our nation to let the situation remain unchallenged. A large body of literature refutes popular gender stereotypes. Through the use of lecture, interaction, and small group discussions, we will raise the awareness of program participants regarding their own potential gender stereotypes, for example, that girls are risk averse while boys are fearless, or that girls are naturally empathetic while boys are not. We will learn how stereotypes influence parents and teachers who unwittingly fall prey to them in everyday dealings with young children in their care.

Specific learning objectives:

1. Give examples of flawed research projects/conclusions related to gender stereotypes
2. Provide examples of new research findings which refute common gender stereotypes
3. List changes they can make in everyday interactions which would refute/avoid gender stereotyping

Program Code: TGB4
4 CE Credits, 0.4 CEUs, or 4 PDPs
Location: at Freedman Center, Newton

Rosalind Chait Barnett, Ph.D., has done pioneering research sponsored by major federal and foundation grants from the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Science Foundation, NIOSH, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the Silverman Family Foundation, among others. She is senior scientist at the Women¹s Studies Research Center at Brandeis and former director of its Community, Families & Work Program. Dr. Barnett holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Harvard University and has her own private clinical practice. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, is cited in Who's Who in American Women, received the Radcliffe College Graduate Society Distinguished Achievement medal, and the Harvard University Graduate School of Education’s Ann Rowe Award for outstanding contribution to women’s education. Dr. Barnett has published 100 peer-reviewed articles, 38 chapters, and 8 books. She is in demand as a speaker on several issues in psychology, and presents major papers at the leading academic forums in the field. The New York Times called Roz Barnett "one of the psychologists who is reshaping the map of the psychology of women."

Caryl Rivers, M.S., is a nationally known author and journalist. She was awarded the Helen Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Professional Journalists for distinguished Journalism. She was the 2006 keynote speaker at the national Women, Action, Media conference at MIT. She is the author of four novels and four works of non-fiction, all critically acclaimed. Her books have been selections of the Book of the Month Club, Literary Guild, Doubleday Book Club and Troll Book Club. Columbia University Press published two book of media criticism, Slick Spins and Fractured Facts and Selling Anxiety. In a review, Gloria Steinem says the book “will save the sanity of media watchers enraged or bewildered by the distance between image and reality.” She is Professor of Journalism at the College of Communication at Boston University.