W.O.M.E.N. Education News was a non-profit community research service for teachers and students of Waterloo County. They published seven "learning units" and selected bibliographies.
Unteaching Sexism (call number G22785) was a learning unit providing introductory information for teachers on sexism in education. Selected pages of the unit were transcribed by Women's Studies 101 students in Fall 2017.
7. [Underlined: YOU AND YOUR SCHOOL: AN EVALUATION] Stereotyped behavioral practices are sometimes reinforced unconsciously. The following checklist is intended as an assessment of possible subconscious double standards. There has been no attempt to assess its statistical reliability or validity. It is simply meant to be a list of questions that may reflect sexist practices in schools. 1. [ Underlined: Curriculum Development and Learning Resource Materials] YES NO ? A. (a) Do teachers make it known that they are aware of sexist content in instructional materials? ____ ____ ____ (b) Are students encouraged to critically analyse instructional materials? ____ ____ ____ (b)) [ i.e (c)] Is there a deliberate on-going effort to bring in materials that portray both sexes in positive and non-stereotyped ways? ____ ____ ____ (d) Are supplementary materials that avoid sex-role stereotypes being developed within the school or in the curriculum development team? ____ ____ ____ B. Do social science and history courses include fair and honest portrayals [Overwritten portraaals] of contributions made by women? ____ ____ ____ C. Do science or other relevant courses include the study of other societies in which the sexes have different roles from the ones in our society? ____ ____ ____ D. (a) Do literature courses include the work of authors of both sexes? ____ ____ ____ (b) Are the works of women authors or poets categorized as minor works? ____ ____ ____ (c) Are all courses in your school open to both males and females? ____ ____ ____ E. Is there family life education which includes open discussion of human sexuality, birth control, venereal disease abortion, rape? ____ ____ ____
8. YES NO ? F. In textbooks (a) Do females appear as frequently in illustrations, photos, ect. as do males? ___ ___ ___ (b) In illustrations where females do appear, are they depicted in subservient roles? __ _ ___ ___ (c) In illustrations where females appear, are they always depicted as smaller than males? ___ ___ ___ G. (a) Are both men and women depicted in nurturant roles? ___ ___ ___ (b) Are both men and women shown in other than nurturant roles, e.g., as decision-makers? ___ ___ ___ H. (a) Is there a women’s studies course in your school? ___ ___ ___ (b) Is it a credit course? ___ ___ ___ II. Counselling and Guidance A. Do counsellors recommend courses on the basis of a students’s sex? ___ ___ ___ B. Are all students encouraged to explore the advantages and disadvantages of their course choices so that their preferences are based on factors other than traditional sex-role expectations? ___ ___ ___ C. (a) Are the students exposed mainly to career materials which stream males and females into specified directions based on sex? ___ ___ ___ (b) Is your occupational information non- sexist and up-to-date? ___ ___ ___ D. (a) Are boys “disciplined” differently from girls? ___ ___ ___ (b) Are women proportionately represented on the counselling staff? ___ ___ ___
9. [underlined: III. Sports and Extracurricular Activities] YES NO ? A. Are girls’ competitive sports programmes as numerous as boys’? ____ ____ ____ B. Are girls encouraged to participate in team sports with boys? ____ ____ ____ C. What proportion of the total physical education budget is expended ____ ____ ____ on girls? D. Do girls have equal access to facilities, equipment and coaching? ____ ____ ____ E. Are extracurricular clubs or programmes segregated by sex? ____ ____ ____ [underlined: IV. Staff Behavior] A. Are there different methods of reward and punishment for males and females? ____ ____ ____ B. When disciplinary action is applied, is it based on a student’s sex ____ ____ ____ rather than on the situation? C. Are classroom activities prescribed by teachers on the basis of sex? Are boys encouraged to help with heavy or technical things and girls asked to’ perform cleaning or serving duties? ____ ____ ____ D. Do teachers’ expectations of students vary according to the student s [students] sex rather than ability or interest? ____ ____ ____ E. Do teachers use sexist terms as “doll” or “chick”, ect. [etc.]? ____ ____ ____ F. Does the school offer its staff in-training programmes concerning sexism and its implications? ____ ____ ____
11. The following was excerpted from the Federation of Women Teachers’ Associations of Ontario material, January, 1974. Some Criteria for Evaluating Materials [underlined and capitalized: some criteria for evaluating materials] 1. Preliminary - How many stories have a boy as main character? How many have a girl? Are the girls limited in their activities? Are the boys? Why? - In animal stories, are the animals cast into traditional sex roles (e.g. Daddy reading the paper, Mommy sweeping the floor)? 2. How females are portrayed? In the stories and illustrations, are women and girls independently significant, or are seen only in relation to males? Do mothers have names, or are thy [i.e. they] referred to as -------’s wife, -------’s mother? Are any women [1 word illegible] [portrayed?] in careers? What careers? What range of [1 word illegible] [of?] career models are presented? With mothers, how realistic is the range of activities presented? e.g. Are women mostly making food? 3. Men and women together Do men and women share activities? Do men/boys appreciate the company of women/girls? Or, do the [i.e. they] exclude women and girls? Are there suggestions that men’s/boy’s activities are better and/or more demanding than wimen’s[i.e. women’s]/girl’s? Do the fathers do the”fun” things with their children (trips, reading) while the mothers pack lunches and tell the children to get washed? 4. Qualities of charter [i.e. character] Which qualities and values become associated with boys? With girls? Are any boys shown to be compassionalte[i.e. compassionate]? Which sex is shown as scared? Are any girls portrayed [2 words illegible] [as daring?]? 5. Differences in people Does the material show variety in individuals of the same sex? And life styles? Is the family the traditional daddy-mommy-boy-girl-cat-dog? Any single parents?. Does anyone [1 word illegible] [else?] look after the children besides mother? 6. “And by their words……” Examine any words describing men and women. Is “man” used generally to mean “male”? Or, is it used to mean “human being” or “people”? What kinds of descriptive words apply to men and boys? To women and girls?
12 [Underlined and capitalized: A [in quotations: Thumb Test] -- Pictures] 1. Flipping through the text do you get a sense that the majority of pictures or most prominent pictures are of: [Capitalized: Males [space] Females [space] Both] [Capitalized and underneath the word both: Males [space] Females] 2. Number of pictures showing all [followed by ellipses] 3. Number of times [capitalized: adults] are shown: in roles inside the home [followed by ellipses] in roles outside the home [followed by ellipses] in authority positions [followed by ellipses] in subordinate positions [followed by ellipses] 4. Number of times [capitalized: children] are shown: in [in quotations: active] play [followed by ellipses] in [in quotations: passive] play [followed by ellipses] receiving help [followed by ellipses] giving help [followed by ellipses] being independent (from adults) [followed by ellipses] [space] [capitalized: Total] Your reactions to this text: [space for a response] Your reaction to any of the above items: [space for a response]
14 [brackets: For fourth or fifth graders] 1. Write your answer to the [question?] [quotation: Who is this person?] for each picture. [brackets: do this [underlined: before] reading rest of instrct [horizontal line] ions [instructions?]. 2. Look at your answers and circle any that identify the person as [underlined: either] a man or woman. 3. Take a separate sheet of paper. Put two headings on your paper; [underlined: Man Woman]. Under each heading write the numbers of the pictures you labelled that way. 4. What of things did you [underlined: see] men as doing? What kinds of things did you [underlined: see] women as doing? 5. Look at each picture in your man list. Ask yourself, [quotation: Have I ever seen a women doing this? When? Where?] And, [underlined: Could a woman do something like this?] 6. Look at each picture in your woman list. Ask yourself [quotaion: Have I ever seen a man doing this? When? Where? And CCould [sic] a man do something like this?] [underlined: Who Is This Person???] 1. [Picture: A small drawing of a stick person laying bricks on top of one another] 2. [Picture: A small drawing of a stick person looking inside the hood of a four door car] 3. [Picture: A small drawing of a stick person standing in front of a podium on a stage with a chair behind it]
HIGHLIGHTS FROM STUDIES OF TEXTBOOKS IN CURRENT USE A. THE RAPE OF CHILDREN’S MINDS: *interim report by the Ad Hoc Committee re the status of Women to the North York Board. *tabled June 3, 1975. *report on the print media used in Grades 1-3. *punctures the myth that the reading content was and is, merely a vehicle for the acquisition of the skill of reading *sriking [i.e. striking] conclusion: readers reflect and perpet- uate a biased society. *story, plot and setting show females inferior and males superior. *fear is frequently the theme in stories about woman, while confidence is the theme for boys *all stories cited exemplify attitudes, expectat - ions and beliefs about the abilities, characteristics, and possibilities for females and males. B. AND THEN THERE WERE NONE: *produced by the F.W.T.A.O. [Federation of Women’s Teachers Association] *September, 1975 *a study of the texts used in Grades 4-5 From Circular 1[A?]. *the series recommended with reservation: Nelson Language Development Program. criteria: balanced numerical presentation: characters of quality; worthwhile story plots; breadth of human activities and occupations; ;contemporary; varied content; pleasing format *Canadian topics. *12% of main characters in the books analyzed are woman, 10% girls. [space] Women are shown with greater frequency than men in a background position.
20. [break] The following was excerpted in full from: American Association of School Administrators, [underlined : Sex Equality in Educational Materials], Volume IV, 1974 [break] [underlined, capital letters: What Can Be Done?] [break] As an executive of the school system, you can do several things to counteract sex stere- otyping in educational materials. Of course, you will need to plan carefully and organize support for your proposals. On this as on any other issue, you may be far ahead of your community. Opposition may be vocal and charged with emotion. But several sources offer help. [break] - Some of the materials listed In the bibliography of this report may help convince people who are open-minded and willing to approach the issue rationally. This group may [eventually?] supply some of your best allies. [break] - Your community may have some women’s groups - either brancches [i.e. branches] of national groups, like the American Association of Univer- sity Women (AAUW), Business and Professioanl [i.e. Professional] Women (BPW), National Organization for Women (NOW), or the Women’s Equity Action League (WEAL); or state or local groups, like Commiss- ions on the Status of Women - That are interested in eradica- ting sex role [roles?] stereotyping from the schools. Such organ- izations often study conditions in education and publicize their findings, so they can be very effective in mobilizing commun- ity opinion behind your efforts for change. - Students groups also maybe trying to get stereotypes out of the schools. Their efforts may not only help you, but give them valuable experience in research and community action. [break] - If your textbooks are being analyzed for their ethnic and racial attitudes, you may be able to extend the analysis to sex stereotyping. This can save the district the time and expense of a separate study. [break] [underlined: [Contact?] Publishers] - As a first step, write to the publishers and producers of the educational media. Let them know haw [ie. how] many new textbooks and other materials you’ll need during the school year and that you’ll be looking for ones that have eliminated stereotyping about women and men. Tell them too, that you want specific information about the ethnic and sex distribution of pictures and stories in their materials.
21. [underlined: Establish Guidelines] - Very few acceptable textbooks are on the market now. When you buy new materials, use guidelines to make sure they meet your standards. There are plenty of models. Some of the publishers have established their own guidelines. Women’s groups like Women on Words and Images and Feminists on Children’s Media also have drawn up standards. In some school systems task forces or the school administration have programs of their own. Here are some of the kinds of items they include. Humanity- - Are people of both sexes shown cooperating with one another on an equal basis? -Are genuine friendships between the sexes shown? -Are praiseworthy traits - strength, compassion, initiative, warmth, perceptivemess, [i.e. perceptiveness] resourcefulness, courage - treated as human rather than “masculine” or “feminine”? - Are women and girls as well as boys and men the leading characters in stories and biographies? - Are girls sometimes taller, older, and wiser than boys? - Do the books refrain from ridiculing or insulting either sex? The Family - Are single parent families, families with working mothers, and extended families shown in approximate proportion to their actual occurance [i.e. occurrence] in the population? - Do single people with satisfying lives and work. divorced, appear in the stories? including mothers or fathers who may have been widowed or divorced, appear in the stories? - Are different members of the family shown sharing responsibilities and working together on common problems? - Are childless couples shown unpatronizingly? - Are old people presented realistically? The Female Image - Are women and girls shown solving problems independent of male assistance? - Are they shown working and playing together in groups? - Are they shown doing outdoor work around the house or as an occupation? in strenuous physical situations? travelling? - Are girls shown earning money? awards and rewards? - Are mothers and other women shown in positions of authority in addition to those of teacher, nurse, and librarian? - Are girls shown operating machinery and constructing things? -Are they sometimes rough or rude-with the understanding that this isn’t “unladylike” but unkind and also sometimes natural?
The Male Image - Are boys sometimes shown en- joying musical instruments, visiting art galleries, maybe stroking a kitten rather than rough-housing with a dog? - Are males sometimes responsible for housework? - Are their hobbies sometimes crafts such as weaving and ceramics? - Do they express feelings – gentle as well as violent ones? - Are men or older boys often shown caring for children, not just disciplining them? - Are men shown in nontraditional [i.e. non-traditional] occupations, such as nurse and primary teacher? - Are boys sometimes depicted as sensitive and emotional? Woman’s Work - Is information about women’s achievements and they ways events and situations affect women integrated with the same kind of information about men rather than shunted off to a separate section? - Does the book convey the difficulty of the continuing struggle for women’s rights rather than imply that it ended when “Congress gave women the vote”? - Does it describe the inequities in property and marriage prac- tices, in education, and in the job market that women have long fought to change? - Does it recognize the import- ance of women in the development of agriculture, trade, the labour movement? - Does it discuss matriarchies as well as patriarchies? Language The publishers’ guideline, in particular, discuss language in detail. [space] Here are some constructions they and others recommend discarding. -“Man” or “mankind” to refer to humanity, people, the human race. - “[2 words illegible]” to refer to an abstract person who may be of either sex. [space] “He or she, “she/he”, “s/he” are some substitutes; or the sentence can be rewritten to use “they” or eliminate the pronoun altogether. - “The Egyptians (or farmers) and their wives,” or “….and ther [i.e. their] families”. [space] Again, substitutes are easy to find - “Egyptian men and women,” “farm families,” “Egyptians”, or “farmers”. - The use of “lady” or “woman” in front of an occupation - or a suffix at the end - to indicate that a person in that occupation is female. (Don’t say “male nurse,!” either.) If it’s an important piece of information, it can be con- veyed by_a name, title, or pronoun: the poet Emily Dickinson,” “Ms. Bridges got into the cockpit,” “the lawyer looked up from her desk.” [space] If necessary, use “female” in front of the occupation. - Names of occupation ending in “men” or “woman.” [space] Substi-tutes are plentiful - “fire- fighter,”“mail carrier,” “member of Congress,” “sales clerk,” “house cleaner.” - References to women’s physical characteristecs [i.e. characteristics] or family connections when the same information either is not given about the men men- tioned. [space] Why say “the assistant director, a pert, brown-eyed mother of three,” when the
Here are a feww [few] suggestions;- - Work our guidelines on sexism with the class, so that the students can evaluate the materials they use. This en- courages them to think critically and analytically rather than accept every statement at face value. - Hold class discussions of statements of situations in textbooks: Are they realistic? Why or why not? - Collect nonsexist supplement- ary materials - from periodicals, newspapers, library books, paperbacks, government agencies, private foundations, museums. Use such media as photographs, records, tapes, works of art, films, and videotapes. - Set aside a time for childre’s [children’s] presentations on “Women in the News.” - Ask students to fill in the information missing from history or social studies texts. Re- produce the materials they create. - Discuss desirable and undes- irable human characteristics. - Ask the class to gather statistics on the occurrence of various family structures – and on mothers’ employment outside the home – in the nation or in the community. Compare these with occurrence of these structures in readers, anthol- ogies, library books. - Ask students to compose descriptions or make collages on the ideal woman and the ideal man as presented in communications media… on the typical woman and typical man. Discuss whether it’s desirable to be like any of these images. Give reasons. - Ask history or economics students to relate women’s social condition in any given time and place to the require- ments of the lobour [labour] market.
24. - Ask students to analyze sexism in popular songs, jokes, the district’s personnel directory, TV cartoons, children’s rhymes, nursery stories, and toys and toy packaging. You and your staff will probably develop many more ideas for classroom use. Attacking sexism in materials at the source – the publishers – will help spare students the damage sex stereotypes do. Teach- ing students to use experience and research to weigh the truth of communications help prepare them to live wisely. By doing both, you give them the chance to become stronger, more res- ponsible human beings. [underlined: In Conclusion] Excellence in educational materials is more than the simple, negative elimination of stereotypes. It is related to some of the basic tenets of education – to equality of opportunity, respect for for the rights of others, and the unbiased nurturing of dormant creative talent. Good educational materials, then – [pencil: checkmark] – Stir ambitions, stimulate latent capabilities, and guide growing personalities. - Strengthen ideals and aspirations, and an individual sense of worth and dignity. - Stretch imaginations, encourage investigation, and develop understanding. - Present to each and every child unimpaired freedom of choice in establishing priorities and in reaching for her/his own hopes and aspirations.
TranscriptionP25. [underlined and capitals: Positive Recommendations] re: Text and Illustrations The following was excerpted from Ontario Council of the Status of Women, [in quotations: About Face: Toward a Positive Image of Women in Textbooks], Toronto, 1974. 1. Illustrations of groups should include both females and males. 2. Both females and males should be drawn in the foreground as well as the background. 3. Both females and males should be shown engaging in a variety of activities. Examples: games, sports, chores, adventures, and work. 4. As many children and adults dress relatively the same, differences in costume and colour of outfits [need?] not be stereotyped. Example: girls in jeans and slacks. 5. When indoors, not all women need to wear an apron. Example: [they?] may wear jeans, shorts, dresses without aprons. 6. Both males and females should be shown indoors and outdoors, in the homes and at their places or work, with a wider range of occupational roles. Examples: a female doctor or lawyer and a male child care worker or telephone operator. 7. Females should be shown in a [variety?] of roles in the home other than serving and kitchen duty. Example: gardening, balancing cheque books, making home repairs. 8. Males should be shown in a variety of roles in the home other than being [served?], and general handyman. Example: washing dishes, laundering, ironing. 9. Girls should be shown with their fathers engaged in interest- ing activity and boys with their mothers as well as parents and children in non-stereotyping roles. Example: girls and boys with mothers at tool box, boys and girls helping father bake. 10. Strict attention should be paid to toys, games, and sports. Girls play with [1 word illegible] [other?] than dolls and boys enjoy a variety of toys other than machinery. Examples: girls and boys playing chess or checkers, baseball, tag, swimming.
WHAT IS GOING ON ELSEWHERE? Interest in the study of women and education is being pursued in the [underlined: Halton, North York, Scarborough] and [underlined: City of Toronto] Boards as well as the W.C.B.E. The [1 word illegible] on going administrative structures concerned with sexrole stereotyping, to the best of our knowledge, are at the [underlined: Toronto Board]. It has the only fulltime women’s studies consultant of her kind, [underlined: Pat Kincaid] who is directly responsible to the Director of Curriculum Resources for the Board. There is also an [underlined: Ad Hoc Committee] re the [underlined: Status of Women] in the [underlined: North York Board of Education] which had been mainly concerned with research to date. Their terms of reference are interesting: [indentation] 1. to identify and eliminate all teaching materials based on sex; [indentation] 2. to implement courses specifically designed to stress the role of women in our past and present society; [indentation] 3. and to provide professional development of all staff to assist them in the role of [1 word illegible] agents relating to the elimination of sex [2 words illegible] in society. (Further to reference (1.) please note that their report number 2 entitled “The Rape of Childrens Minds” has been forwarded to, but [not?] yet considered by, the management and academic programme committee of the Borough of North York Board. Other textbook studies, notable by the F.W.T.A.O., are excellent. There is also a report commissioned by the Ontario Ministry of Education about the balance of the Circular 14 holdings pending publication. This study is being conducted by [underlined: Dr. L. Fischer] at the Department of Sociology, University of Waterloo. It may not be released for two years because the Ministry’s statutory limitations, however. But it promises to be most extensive.
[underlined: SECTION III] STRUCTURE: This section outlines several different project proposals for practical classroom use through an initial process of general conscious- ness raising. The techniques formalized are based on analysis of classroom situations and activities, studies of textbook composition, discussions of community work roles, and determination of sex-role awareness in the student’s home environment. The proposals are products of 1) “Breaking the Mould: Lessons Aids to Explore Sex-Roles, K – 7”, prepared for the Board of Education by W. Hurst, D. Pedersen, and L. Shuts of the Status of Women Office, British Columbia Teachers’ Federation, Vancouver, 1974. 2) Women’s Kit and More......, Toronto: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, 1975. 3) W.O.M.E.N. Education News, Box 621, Waterloo, Ontario. and 4) “Assumptions on Being a Woman”, Vocational Awareness Workshop for Teenage Girls, the Human Rights Commission, Canada Manpower Centre and First United Church, Hamilton, Ontario, January, 1974.
28. A. GENERAL CONSCIOUSNESS RAISING 1. Have the students write an ssa [essay?] on “Why I like/dislike being a boy/girl”, or “Why I would like to be a boy/girl instead”. Have younger students perform this same task by drawing Pictures and orally interpreting them. Discuss the essays (pictures) in an attempt to determine the advantages and disadvantages of being a boy/girl, [underlined: or] - Have students compose a collage on what it means to be a boy/girl. - Suitable for Primary and Junior levels. 2. Have students compile a list of the activities of the characters in comic books, T.V. commercials, etc., in terms of their sex. Discuss the number of male as compared to female characters and the types of activities each character is taking part in. Can these activities be done by either sex? If not, why? Which characters are your favourites? Why? Why do the male characters outnumber the female characters, or vice-versa, given the nature of the comic? - Suitable for Primary and Junior levels. 3. Use of the group activity ‘Being a Man/Women Is”. - Suitable for Junior and Intermediate levels. Group Activity Being a Man/Woman Is: A group activity designed to raise the consciousness of male and female students, in regard to the roles of men and women. Procedure 1. The student is asked to draw a line through the statements that do [underlined: Not] apply to him/her (This exercise is best done quickly so that the student follows his/her first reaction.) 2. The student is asked to rank in order the [underlined: five] statements that most suitable [ie. suitably] apply to him/her. 3. The student is reminded that he/she may wish to defend the choices made. This may apply to the spontaneous elimination of certain statements in the first part of the exercise and/or the rank ordering of the five statements most applicable to his/her personality. Variations in Procedure 1. The sheet, “Being a Woman Means:” is distributed to everyone in the class. a. female students are asked to react to the statements as they apply to them personally. b. male students are asked to react to the statements as they see the role of women in society. 29. 2. The sheet, “Being a Man Means:” is distributed to everyone in the class. a.) male students are asked to react to the statements as they apply to them personally. b.) female students are asked to react to the statements as they see the role of men in society. 3. Those who wish may tell the class the five statements they have ranked in order based on a self-assessment or based on their view of the role of men and women in society. These statements may be listed on the blackboard as the class attempts to reach some consensus. 4. A consenus [ie. consensus] of those statements which were eliminated by the students in the first step of the exercise may also be attempted on the blackboard. NOTE: As in any discussion with a class, the role of the teacher is to remain somewhat neutral and to help the students focus on the issue of sex-role stereotyping in our society. The exercises are intended to heighten the consciousness of the students in their self-assessment and in their views of the roles of men and women in a society where people are better able to be what they want to be.
2. The sheet, “Being a Man Means:” is distributed to everyone in the class a.) male students are asked to react to the statements as they apply to the personally. b.) female students are asked to react to the statements as they see the role of men in society. 3. Those who wish may tell the class the five statements they have ranked in order based on a self-assessment or based on their view of the role of men in society. These statements may be listed on the blackboard as the class attempts to reach some consensus. 4. A consenus [i.e. consensus] of those statements which were eliminated by the students in the first step of the exercise may also be attempted on the blackboard. NOTE: As in any discussion with a class, the role of the teacher is to remain somewhat neutral and to help the students focus on the issue of sex-role stereotyping in our society. The exercises are intended to heighten the consciousness of the students in their self-assessment and in their views of the roles of men and women in a society where people are better able to be what they want to be.
1. Draw a line through the statements with which you would [underlined: not] agree 2. Rank in order the [underlined: five?] which best apply to you. You may wish to defend your choices. [Underlined: BEING A WOMAN MEANS:] - having a good job with responsibility - being hapily married - driving a station wagon full of children - looking after a husband - joining a community group - having a job that pays well - being able to buy lots of clothes - diamonds and furs - having children - a nice house and a picket fence - never beating a man at sports - developing a marriage based on cooperaion - being told what to do - combining a career and marriage - having a career - staying single - doing what you want to do rather than what you’re expected to do - earning your own money - having your own bank account - a husband, a baby, a dog and a cat - working to the best of your ability - working for a male boss - being the boss - being anything you want to be - not being able to fix things - doing the housework Notes: Page contains a line frame starting from the underlined sentence “being a woman means” to the sentence “doing the housework.” The left vertical line of the frame continues approximately 3cm longer than the right vertical line of the frame. The top horizonal line of the frame is a lot lighter than the bottom horizonal line of the frame. All the texts containd in this page were written in the colour brown on the yellow paper.
31. 1. Draw a line through the statements with which you would [underlined: not] agree 2. Rank in order the [underlined: five] which best apply to you. (space) You wish to defend your choice. [underlined, capitalized: being a man means:] - always being the boss - earning less money than your wife - encouraging your children in sports - being the “bread winner” - enjoying music and art - driving a big new car - doing well academically - being a good athlete - making the decisions - choosing a career that only men can do - working in a steel company - handling all the finances - taking your wife out to dinner - being a “house-husband” - being a bachelor - being strong - having a female boss - not doing any housework - being able to fix things - not crying in public [Page consists of a point form list in a box, with the heading: being a man means]
32. 4. From the list below, find a saying that contradicts each saying in column one, and write it opposite in column two. Could be done by students in small groups. [underlined ONE] [underlined TWO] 1. A woman’s place is in the home. 2. Women’s talk is all chatter. 3. Intelligent women are emasculating. 4. If you want to make decisions in this family, go out and earn a pay cheque yourself. 5. It is a woman’s duty to make herself attractive. 6. Women should be struck regularly like gongs. 7. Women don’t understand the value of a dollar. 8. Dumb broad. 9. A woman’s work is never done. 10. Women are only interested in trapping some man. 11. Women hate to be with other women. a) Women are always off chattering with each other. b) A woman who can’t hold a man isn’t much of a woman. c) All you do is cook, and clean and sit around all day. d) Working women are unfeminine. e) All women think about are clothes. f) Women are always envying about something. g) Don’t worry your pretty little head about it. h) It is glorious to be a mother of all mankind. i) If you’re so smart, why aren’t you married? j) A smart woman never shows her brains. k) Housewives are such dull people. [underlined: Discussion] Have the class as a whole compare solutions of each group. Discuss each saying. Point out that they are not true, and using them contributes to sex stereotyping. Suitable for Grades 4-7.
5.Set up a mock phone-in radio show with the theme being women's issues and women's and men's roles. The show show feature a group of panelists supporting women's issues (i.e. The Chairperson of the Ontario Status of Women Council, the Chairperson of the IWY Secretariat). One student acts as the moderator and the other students phone in to discuss the issues being put forth by the members of the panel. This same format could be used when illustrationg [i.e. illustrating] television programmes that deal with controversial issues concerning women, e.g. the TV show "Rhoda" and "Phyliss". Suitable for junior to senior levels. 6. [underlined: ASSUMPTIONS ON BEING A WOMAN] You are a member of the Status of Women group, to determine policy re the role of women in this country for the next ten years. 1.Below, is a list of assumptions about the role of women. Read through the list. Draw a line through thoses [i.e. those] state- ments with which you can't agree. Follow your first reaction, and don't spend too much time. 2.Pick out the [underlined: two] most important statements with which you [underlined: do] agree. Circle these [underlined: The role of women means:] Playing a supportive role to men Living happily - singly Having and raising children Having a career Organizing community groups for political action Packing my husband's clothes for his business trips Living happily with my husband and family forever Choosing to be a childless couple Voting for the smae [i.e. same] political party as my husband Sharing home and housekeeping duties with my family Moving to another part of the country when my husband is transferred Turning down a promotion in my career because my husband won't and can't move Having male employees Going to the top in business Always backing up what my husband thinks Running for political office Hiding my brains and abilitities [i.e. abilities] for fear of discour- aging the males Keeping my own earned money for myself Marriage contract Being poor at mechanics and finances Joining womens auxiliaries in the community Working under a male boss
35 [underlined: FOR A GROUP DISCUSSION] These statements can be used in mixed groups, assigning the statements to the appropriate sex. [underlined: Boys] What would you do if…….. How would you feel if…….. 1. you are very interested in a girl and you learn [space] that she has outstanding grades? 2. your mother was in hospital for six weeks? [space] You [space] and your sister were on your own because your [space] father worked most evenings. [space] How would you [space] look after the house and yourselves between you? 3. a teacher asked you to spend one day with a new [space] girl, showing her around and introducing her [space] to teachers and students since she was taking [space] the same course as you? 4. a girl that you really enjoyed talking to at school, [space] the kind of person you thought would be a [space] great date, was noticeably taller than you? 5. your wife earned more money than you? 6. you married a woman whose career was in competition [space] with yours? Add your own…….. - Suitable for Intermediate or Senior levels.
B. [underlined: RESTRICTIVENESS OF SEX ROLES:] 1. Have the students read one of their stories switching the male and female characters’ roles. Discuss the validity of this relating to the tendency of men and women to maintain certain prescribed roles. - Suitable for Primary and Junior levels. 2. Classroom task analysis: Ask the students to the list the tasks they do in class during the week. Are the boys’ and girls’ tasks different? If so, why? Could these tasks be changed? Could the tasks be overlapped for the boys and girls? Give the girls the boys’ tasks and the boys and girls’ tasks for a short time period. Discuss how they feel after this. - Suitable for Primary or Junior levels. C. [underlined: PARENTS’ EXPECTATIONS OF THEIR CHILDREN’S BEHAVIOUR:] 1. Have the students draw pictures of their mother’s and father’s activities during the hours of a day. For older children, suggest a composition. Discuss the different activities each parent does and why. Could these activities be reversed? - Suitable for Primary and Junior levels. 2. Panel discussion: one student plays the counsellor. The teacher composes a number of letters. about problems a child has with their parents. The rest of the class discusses possible solutions. - Suitable for Junior and Intermediate levels. 3. A number of situation vignettes could be composed by the teacher (examples of discussion between the child’s desires and the parent’s response or vice versa). Students could then take turns acting out the situations, some of them as parents and some of them as daughters or sons. - Suitable for Junior and Intermediate levels. 4. Discuss the difference and similarities of parental roles, the influence of their parents on their own career aspir- ations and goals, if their parents roles could be reversed and how, and the differences between the family environments when the mother works inside or outside of the home. - Suitable for Junior and Intermediate levels. 5. Role-playing exercise: three people--Mother, Father and Grade 11 Student at home discussing the student’s report card which shows failing marks in Maths and Science, fair marks in English and Theatre Arts. Improvise the script. This improvisation/ role playing situation should be used twice--once with the student being a girl, the next with the student being a boy. Points to be aware of: 1. Attitude of parents, e.g. which parent talks the most in either situation? 2. Are there differences in parental attitudes to specific subject failure? 3. Are there differences in student attitudes to specific subject failure? 4. Are there different expectations for girls than for boys? ** For counsellors who are unfamiliar with role-playing, they need only know that students talk as if they were a parent, teacher, vice-principal, etc. in each case. Students are given a brief outlin [i.e outline]. of a situation and character, and are asked to improvise their own script. The examples will be effective opportunities - for young people to stand, momentarily, in each other’s shoes. The role-players should move to the front or centre of the room while the rest of the group becomes the audience. [Notes: The last paragraph is in a double outlined rectangular box which has no fill. The paragraph is from: “ ** For counsellors” to “becomes the audience.”
37 3. A number of situation vignettes could be composed by the teacher (examples of discussion between the child’s desires and the parent’s responses or vice versa). Students could then take turns acting out the situations, some of them as parents and some of them as daughters or sons. - Suitable for Junior and Intermediate levels. 4. Discuss the difference and similarities of parental roles, the influences of their parents on their own career aspir- ations and goals, if their parents roles could be reversed and how, and the differences between family environments when the mother works inside or outside [space] of the home. - Suitable for Senior and Intermediate levels. 5. Role-playing exercise: three people—Mother, Father and Grade 11 Student at home discussing the student ‘ s report Card which shows failing marks in Maths and Science, fair Marks in English and Theatre Arts. Improvise the script. This improvisation/role playing situation should be used twice—once with the student being a girl, the next with the student being a boy. Points to be aware of: 1. Attitude of parents, e.g. which parents talks the most in either situation? 2. Are there differences in parental attitudes to specific Failure? 3. Are there differences in student attitudes to specific [subject?] failure? 4. Are there different expectation for girls than for boys? ** For counsellors who are unfamiliar with role-playing, they need only know that the students talk as if they were a parent, teacher, vice-principal, etc. in each case. Students are given a brief outline of a situation and character, and are asked to improvise their own script. The examples will be effective opportunities for young people to stand, momentarily, in each other’s shoes. The role-players should move to the front or center of the room while the rest of the group becomes the audience. *Page consists of a text box at end of the page
38 [underlined: D. PERSONAL PROBLEMS STEMMING FROM THE EXISTENCE OF SEX ROLE STEREOTYPING:] 1. Have the students draw pictures of what they would like to be when they grow up. -Suitable for Primary level. -Older students could perform this same task by written essay. Discuss with the students why they chose the occupations they did. 2. Panel discussion: have the students discuss any personal problems with parents, teachers, and friends concerning the types of activities they want to do, and the types of activities they are expected or allowed to do. -Suitable for Junior and Intermediate levels. [underlined: E. TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF SEX ROLE STEREOTYPING:] 1. Use the non-sexist colouring book available from O.I.S.E.’s Shopping Bags produced by the Women’s Kit and More group. -Suitable for elementary level. 2. Analyze nursery rhymes or children’s stories by counting the number of times male and female characters appear, what type of activities each character does, characters are the heroes or heroines, which the funniest, etc. Are either characteristics or activities of the people in the stories stereotyped according to sex? Try writing the stories with the characters’ roles reversed by sex. Or compose non-sexist fairy tales. -Suitable for Primary and Junior levels. 3. Have students compose a daily journal of the discrimination they feel they face. Discuss these journals periodically and propose alternative behaviour or solutions. -Suitable for Junior to Senior levels. 4. Students pretend that marriage is not an alternative for their future and make plans accordingly. -Suitable for Intermediate and Senior levels. 5. Have the students discuss the situations related to their futures, and the problems they face after leaving school. -Suitable for Intermediate and Senior levels. 39 6. Use a telephone setting, with the characters seated on chairs facing away from each other to create an “as if” situation. One student (male) asks another student (female) to go to the school formal. Discuss voice mannerisms, feelings, levels of comfort, possible causes of anxiety or concern. Then reverse the roles: have the girl ask the boy to the formal. 7. A student is sent to the office for causing a disturbance in class. Role-play Vice-Principal confronting student. Vary the situation with both characters as males, or as females, or as a male Vice-Principal with a female student or vice-versa. Ask the class to list differences in attitudes which emerge. What expectations are revealed in the dialogue? Observe body posture, gesture, voice inflection. Ask the participants what they were aware of with same sex administrator; what they were aware of with different sex administrator. -Suitable for Intermediate and Senior levels.
39 6. Use a telephone setting, with the characters seated on chairs facing away from each other to create an “as if” situation. One student (male) asks another student (female) to go to the school formal. Discuss voice mannerisms, feelings, levels of comfort, possible causes of anxiety or concern. Then reverse the roles: have the girl ask the boy to the formal. 7. A student is sent to the office for causing a disturbance in class. Role-play Vice-Principal confronting student. Vary the situation with both characters as males, or as females, or as male Vice-Principal with a female student or vice-versa. Ask the class to list differences in attitudes which emerge. What expectations aro [i.e. are] revealed in the dialogue? Observe body posture, gesture, voice inflection. Ask the participants what they were aware of with same sex administrator; what they were aware of with different sex acninistator [i.e. administrator] -Suitable for Intermediate and Senior levels.
40 8. Role reversal fantasy exercise: for a group of 12 – 30 people, male and female. [space] For this exercise you need a counsellor who is confident and a group of voluntary participants. Ask the group to become as comfortable as possible, as you Are going to involve them in a relaxing exercise in imag- ination. [space] Allow them to relax, have them close their eyes, breathe evenly, and empty themselves of any images, thoughts or ideas they have at the moment. When you feel sure your group is relaxed and ready, tell them: [space] “I’d like you to imagine that overnight you have changed sex……. you wake up and you are the opposite sex. [space] Imagine what your body is like…… your hair, your skin, you torso, your arms….legs…….feet… you stand up and look at yourself in the mirror….. now imagine yourself dressing….choosing your clothes. The leader continues this exercise through to a day at school, classes, talking to friends, after school, return- ing home, before supper, and after. Then after a while, ask students to open their eyes and move into small groups of four or five and talk about what their experience was. What differences did they discover? What feelings did they experiences? What part of the exercise was hardest to do? Which was the easiest? The leader asks the questions and listens to them Talking over their answers with each other. [space] When they seem willing, ask them to share some of their thoughts with the whole group. Sometimes students talk about how, as girls, they’re expected to do more cooking and babysitting chores than boys and, as boys, they do dishes or garbage or, sometimes, nothing. [space] Let the students share [underlined: their] experiences. This is a pleasant and productive exercise for Intermediate and Senior levels. 9. Role reversal afternoon: [space] Ask a group of students to behave as if they were members of the opposite sex for an extended period of time, e.g.girls [space] opening doors and lighting cigarettes for boys, boys going first into the subways, asking girls to help carry their books home from school, etc. Next day in class, have the students share their reactions and thoughts. -Suitable for Intermediate to Senior levels. 10. Use of game the role of men and women in our society, appendix 1. 11. Use the “Marriage Game” produced by the University of Oakville’s Women’s Club’s [underlined: Mind Warp] kit. [space] Available from The Waterloo County Board of Education or the Kitchener Public Library. Note: Each paragraph is indented about a third into the page.
STRUCTURE: This section is of general interest in the area of career counselling. It also includes a bibliography compiled by W.O.M.E.N Education News. [Underlined: CAREER PLANNING FOR HIGHSCHOOL GIRLS] By Gloria Stevenson "Why should I plan a career? I don't expect to work all my life. I'll pro- bably work for a few years after I fin- ish school, get married, and then quit my job to raise a family. Besides, I'm so busy doing school work and going out with Tom and doing other things that it' s hard to think about the future." According to a number of individuals and groups which counsel women, many teenage girls share attitudes like these. As a report on [vocational?] counseling project run by the Los Angeles YWCA puts it, "All the current Women's lib- eration movement publicity to the contr- ary, the average girl is still believing that she is not destined for payed employ- ment except as a prelude to marriage and child bearing." The record shows, however, that, for many women, work is far more then a bridge between school and children. If present patterns continue, this is the role that employment is likely to play in the life of a typical young women-let's call her Joanne-who is now in high school. Joanne will probably graduate from high school but is unlikely to finish college. The U.S. Bureau of Sensus reports that only 16 per cent of all women between the ages of 25 and 29 currently hold a college degree. However, the ranks of college-educated women have been growing and are expected to continue to expand. Once out of school, Joanne, in line with her expectations, will probably get a job. Marriage is apt to follow quickly. Nine out of ten women in the U.S. marry sometime during their lives; half, before the age of 21. Joanne is then likely to drop out of the work world to bear children. Eight out of 10 women become mothers, and half have their last child before the age of 30. Then come the facts of life which many girls ignore. Joanne is apt to be about 36 when her last child goes off to school. With the busiest years of child bearing over, she is likely to feel a need for new activities to fill her days and challenge her abilities. She may still have housework to do, of course, but work-saving appliances and convenient packaged food-possibly along with increased help from her husband- will enable her to take care of the home in far less time that it took her mother. Besides, Joanne, like many women, may well feel a need for more person-to-person contact and mental stimulation than generally is offered by unpaid work inside the home. At this point in their lives, many women return to work. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that, in October 1972, 51.3 percent of all women aged 35 to 39 were working or looking for work, as were 54.5 percent of women from 40-44, and 55.7 percent of women from 45 to 49.
42 Should Joanne return to work force at about age 35 and have no more children, she can expect to average another 24 years of work. Thus, despite the popular notion that women generally work only a few years after leaving school and then devote all their time to their families, many women actually combine marriage and a job for about a quarter of a century. That is what lies ahead if Joanne’s life follows the most common pattern. If she takes other paths, however, Joanne is apt to find work playing an even bigger role in her life. For example Joanne may be the one women out of 10 who never marries. If so, she will probably work for about 45 years. On the other hand, she may be the one women in 10 who is widowed before age 50, or hers may be among the three out of every 10 marriages which end in divorce. Joanne might then have to support herself, and possibly her children, alone. There is also the chance that Joanne’s Husband will be unable to earn enough to support the family comfortably. In March 1971, the latest month for which statistics are available, nearly a fourth of all working women were married to men who earned less than $7,000 the year before. All told, a young woman’s chances of sspending [spending] many years on the job are good and getting better. The number of work ing women has risen strikingly over this century, and this trend probably will continue. In view of these facts, it makes sense for high school girls to think seriously about their future roles in the world of work and to prepare for careers which will make their hours and years on the job as happy and rewarding as possible. HOW TO START [capitalized] Career planning is a bit more complicated for women than it is for men, partly because women may tend to drop out of the world of work during the years when their children are young and partly because women may tend to drop out of the world of work during the years when their children are young and partly because many women may have to juggle job and family responsibilities. Young women should be aware of these realities and should take them into consideration when thinking about employment. The first step in career planning, however, is the same for boys and girls. Both should start by talking stock of their interests, abilities and goals. Girls who are not exactly sure what interests them might start by making a list of those school subjects and extracurricular or job experiences which they have enjoyed. In drawing up such a list, a young woman might find for example, that her favorite school subjects are math and art and that she very much enjoyed a home economics class project in which she developed a floor plan for her dream home. Most vocational guidance counselors stand ready to talk with students who need help developing this kind of personal inventory and give them vocational interest tests. Young women thinking about possible careers should consider their personality traits as well as their interests and abilities. They might ask, for example, “Do I prefer working alone or working with others? Do I like to do the same kind of job over and over, or do I want more variety in work? Would I rather work indoors or out? Do I prefer to work with my hands or with my head? Would I rather give orders or take them?” They should also decide how much time and energy they are willing to invest in job training, keeping in mind that today’s workers are the best educated ever and that educational levels will continue to rise. This means both men and women who want to boost their chances of getting good jobs should prepare well. Moreover many of the best-paying, most interesting fastestgrowing occupations require education and training beyond high school. Women need not necessarily go to college, how ever although many of the most rapidly growing fields do demand a college deg [degree]
Junior colleges, technical schools and apprenticeship programs give excellent training for many other promising jobs. Girls should not hesitate to invest in posthigh school training-- even in graduate or professional school-- simply because they do not picture themselves staying in the job world for a long time. A sthe evidence shows, today’s high school girls will probably work for longer than many of them now imagine. Statistics reveal that the more education a woman has, the greater her chances of being in the work force- possibly because she is more likely than women with less education to get a well-paying, interesting job. Posthigh school education or training may also help women develop a sense of independence and self-confidence and introduce them to new ideas and fields which may lead to lifelong hobbies or interests. FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES Besides zeroing in on her interests and abilities, a high school girl should also think about how she would like to juggle family and job responsibilities. She might ask herself, for example, if she would be willing to take a job and work overtime, on weekends or during the evenings if she had a family. Would she prefer to work full or part-time after she has children? Women may be unable to answer some of these questions until the time comes. For example, a married woman who has the chance to get a promotion by transferring to another area may have to base her decision on that basis of her husband’s feelings about moving, his employment situation, the amount of satisfaction she gets from her job, and the economic benefits that should come from her promo she explores. Girls who plan to leave the work force temporarily in order to care for children also should remember that methods and techniques used in many jobs are changing constantly as a result of new research, knowledge and technology. This constant change is particularly evident in scientific, medical and technical fields, but it also occurs in many other occupations. Secretaries, for example, frequently must learn to operate new kinds of typewriters, dictating equipment, and other office machines. During that thime that they are out of the work force, women may have to keep up with such changes--perhaps by reading trade or professional journals, taking courses, or doing related partime or volunteer work-- in order to be ready to compete with good jobs when they return to work. Young women should also try to find out how much the occupations which interest them tend to change and be prepared to keep up with such changes in the fields they choose. WOMEN’s WORK Most women have worked in a relatively limited number of occupations. They have become primarily clerical workers, salesworkers, nurses, teachers, employment and school counselors, social workers, subprofessional health service workers, home economists, interior designers, and decorators, librarians, factory workers, cosmetologists, hospital attendants, hotel housekeepers, private households workers, stewardesses, and waitresses. Most of these occupations require tasks similar to those women have traditionally done at home. These include taking care of and teaching children, caring of the tion. Similarly, a highschool girl who now believes she would be unwilling to work overtime may find herself happily working late into the evening at a job she really enjoys. Nevertheless, a young woman should keep such personal considerations in mind when exploring working conditions in various jobs. If She thinks she might want to work part time after she is married, for example, she should check on the number of part time opportunities in the occupation sick, decorating homes, preparing and serving food, cleaning, answering mail and greeting visitors. The concentration of women in fields including such tasks has stemmed partly from society’s notions about the kinds of work that women can and should do. Tasks like those above have come to be considered “feminine” while other kinds of work--those involving use of machinery, driving, or a knowledge of mathematical and scientific theory,
44 for example, -- are generally seen as “masculine”. This distinction comes partly from the mistaken notion that men’s and women’s abilities are vastly different. Tests show that many men and women have similar talents. A combination of finger-hand dexterity, eye-hand co- ordination, and aptitude for space and form perception have been found almost [pencil: t]as frequently among females as among males at the eleventh grade level. Yet, relatively few women have entered some of the so-called “masculine” jobs which require this combination of abilities. These jobs include such skilled trades as radio and television repairman, automobile mechanic, and business machine repairman. Supporting the idea that men have not cornered the market on certain abilities is the fact that some women- in relative- ly small numbers to be sure- have enter- ed fields such as engineering and chemistry. Women are also currently enrolled in apprenticeship programs where they are learning to be plumbers, printing pressmen, operating engineers, oprators [i.e. operators] of heavy equipment, sheetmetal workers, jet engine mechanics and other skilled [pencil: d] craft workers. Young women who explore careers other t than those typically considered “feminine may find that nontraditional jobs best suit their personal [personll overwritten: personal] interests and abilities. They may find also that such jobs offer greater financial rewards than those in many “feminine” fields. Occupations which traditionally have been dominated by women often pay less than others requiring the same amount of education or training. Teaching, for example is the profession which employs the largest number of women. Yet it offers a salary considerably lower than average salaries paid in many other fields to beginners with a bachelor’s degree. Smaller paychecks are not the only disadvantages of some of the jobs women have traditionally filled. Some “women’s” occupations--private house- hold work and some clerical jobs are prime example-- are low paying, low prestige jobs offering very limited chances for advancement, recognition, d development of individual skills or talents, variety and independent work. In view of these facts, it seems reason- able to wonder why women have not entered other, better paying fields in greater numbers. One reason, the cliche [i.e. cliché] that there are “masculine” and “feminine” jobs, already has been discussed. Moreover, employers have discriminated against women in many of the so-called “masc- uline” fields. In addition many women have not gained the skills or education they need in order to qualify for more rewarding jobs. On the more positive side is [pencil: s] the fact that many of the fields which women have traditionally entered offer good opportu- nities for part time work which is especially important to many women with families. JOB PROSPECTS Overall, the traditional professions for women are not expected to absorb all the women who will be entering the work force in the 70’s. In light of these projections, college- bound girls may want to explore non- traditional occupations offering good prospects. Listed below are examples of growing fields which contain few women workers, *Accountants *Engineers *Physicians *Chemists *Computer programers [i.e. programmers] *Bank Officers *Hotel managers and Assistants *Business Managers. Four year college is not needed for: *Engineering and scieno [i.e. science] technicians *Wholesale trade workers *Draftsmen *Welders *Building Trades *Appliance servicemen *Automobile Mechanics. POSSIBLE DRAWBACKS Women who do decide to enter non- traditional fields may face various diff- iculties, including lack of employer enthusiasm.
50 The first six cards raise issues about the life of the student here and now. The issues raised are common to students today. The last six cards, which are discussed after a lapse of a week or less, are more global and societal in nature. They are concerned with ad- vertising, work, marriage, career planning, and feedback. A CAUTION: If the material in the project seems overpowering in terms of the facilitator’s personal commitments to some of the issues raised, it is suggested that a group of counsellors or facilitators first experience the workshop together. CARD #1 (Imagine that this is you speaking and read: this card aloud.) One of the things we learn very early in life is to be a boy’s boy or a feminine girl. Some of the toys I had as a kid were given to me, I guess, so that I could learn my lesson early. For example, who ever heard of giving a doll to a 3 year-old boy or a hammer and saw kit to a little girl? Here are some things that I can recollect about my childhood…… CARD # 2 (Imagine that this is you speaking and read this card aloud.) I have sometimes wondered about the sports program in my last school. It seems that the boys played hockey and football and the girls played basketball and volleyball. When I think of it, sometimes I felt it was more important for our boys team to win the championship than it was for the girls team to bring honour to the school. I wonder why this is so? Could it be that boys are better at sports than girls…… CARD # 3 ( Imagine that this is you speaking and read this card aloud.) When you think about our Canadian code of manners it becomes rather obvious that men and women have been assigned distinct roles. In fact, it seems that men are trained to react in certain ways to a woman, eg. Opening a door for a girl, giving up a seat on the b bus to a woman, etc. I wonder what effect these codes have on us in times of equality……
POINTS TO PONDER WHEN COUNSELLING A FEMALE STUDENT HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF SAYING : 1. If you were a boy what would you want to be? 2. Getting married is good for twenty minutes. What will you do with the rest of your life? 3. Girls should carve out careers based on what they want to do rather than what they are expected to do. 4. How would you feel if you earned more money than your husband? 5. A career for female students is no longer a bridge between school and marriage. DID YOU KNOW THAT : 1. Eighty-three of the working women are married and all married women, forty percent are gainfully employed. 2. Eight out of ten of the female students in high school today will work for twenty-five to thirty years and will combine a carrier and marriage. 3. Girls can no longer operate within the old stereotype of having a career “to fall back on”. A girl who marries and has two children can still anticipate a twenty- two year period of employment during her life. 4. Teenage girls can no longer expect to “get married and live happily ever after”. They dream of marrying a wealthy man, moving into a beautiful house and having children. They feel they will be taken care of and forever happy. These are not the realities of life when in fact : sixty percent of all women work, often out of necessity; that forty-five percent of working women earn minimum wage; that the divorce rate is rising and many women, left alone with children, must go on welfare because they lack job skills. 5. More than one in ten women will be heads in their families. 6. After her last child is born, the average woman will have forty years ahead of her. 7. More women are working then ever before. In 1901 women accounted for less than fifteen percent of the Canadian labour force. By 1971, one third of all Canadian workers were female. 8. Well over on million women have entered the Canadian labour force in just the last ten years. 9. Ontario’s female labour force has increased by 168% in the last two decades. 10. The percentage of women age 25-44 years in the work force has almost doubled in the past twenty ears. In the age 45-64 years it has more than doubled. 11. The percentage of Ontario’s female labour force who are married has risen from 38% in 1951 to 61% in 1973. 12. In 1970 it was estimated that, in Ontario, 330,000 women workers had children under age 16 and 1/3 of these women had children under6. [ie under 6]
The following “We Are Furious (female) but we can shape our own development”, is excerpted in part from - The Career Equation: A Resource Kit for Guidance Counsellors and Teachers; developed by the Ad Hoc Committee [respecting?] the Status of Women, Board of Education for the Borough of North York. [space] Third Revision, June 2, 1975 “Society has not been meeting the self- development need of women, and little has been done in the schools - one of the major socialization agents.” There is no doubt that we, as females, have reasons to be furious - at the lack of regard for us as person, as human beings; - at the perpetuation of “factual” myths about women in the work force; - at the myths about women as the Weaker sex, myths that are reinforced and thus become self-fulled [i.e. self fulfilled] prophecies; - at the discrimination we encounter when we choose nontrad tional [i.e. nontraditional] paths and enter typically male work worlds; - at the lack of freedom to choose from a variety of roles and life patterns; - at the stereotypes about women that bombard us every time we turn on the TV, go to the movies, or attend a convention or party. We also have reason to be furious at the limitations that “conscious and non-conscious sexism put on the development of [underlined: male] potential. At the elementary level we can work with teachers in promot- ing a variety of techniques to improve girls’ self-concepts and self-awareness. [space] Through positive reinforcement and “I can” experiences - including hands-on experiences with tools, work in auto mechanics, and opportunities for home maintenance and political leadership - we can help teachers upgrade girls’ aspirations and keep options open rather than close them off. We can try to bring girls and boys into contact with a typical role models such as female pediatri- cians, female administrators, female executives, female lawyers, female mechanics, draftswomen, male [nurses?], male physical therapists, and male elementary teachers. [space] We can help teachers identify and provide girls with experiences that help them learn to cope with the social system in more astute ways, help them gain the political savvy they need to have equal opportunity. At the junior level we can help teachers provide broad, exploratory, action-oriented experiences to help both sexes see the vocational and avocational implications of school subjects. [space] Mattews and Tiedman (1964) found that there was a distinct change in girls; orientation be ween [ between?] junior high and senior high, from a strong vocational orientation in the 7th grade to a strong marriage orientation in the 12th grade.
TranscriptionP54 Although part of this change is biologically caused, this finding, combined with the fact that students begin to ask identity questions at the junior level, suggesting a need for girls! exposure [sic] to a variety of role models: women in typical careers, women who are effectively combining family and [4 letters illegible] [career?] career roles, working mothers, and others who can [Word illegible] [viden?] girls! horizons by [2 letters illegible] [demonstrating?] the multiple career patterns and opportunities from which they can choose. Perhaps the single most important thing to be done at this level [1 letter illegible] [is?] providing the opportunity for girls to discuss with [2 letters illegible] [significant?] role models the (ramifications) of follow- ing traditional roles, combining a family and a career, or [2 letters illegible] [pursuing?] other life patterns. [Space] Perhaps a class could develop a [1 letter illegible] [resource?] directory of like styles of local women, contain- ing pictures, histories, and personal statements of women in traditional, unusual, and leadership roles. [Space] Another approach might be the use of [3 letters illegible] [“strength groups,”?] in which both boys and girls are helped to focus on their potentials and develop action plans to become the kinds of persons they would like to be. [Space] Both boys and girls should take [Unreadable word] [desexed?] courses in home economics and industrial arts and be made aware of the educational paths to all kinds of occupations. The junior [4 letters illegible] [high?] years seem to be an important time to begin the value clarification process, in which students can identify values, become aware of alternatives, obtain infor- mation, consider risks, and decide on a tentative plan. At the [1 letter illegible] [senior?] high level the counsellor need to help girls and boys continue their value clarification and examine their needs, drives, interest, and abilities as they face some real decisions that will affect their life patterns. [Space] By this time, stereotypes about male and female roles should havebeen [have been] dealt with head on. [Space] Students now need to be make [made] aware of the reality of discrimination in hiring, promotions, and salaries and of the subtly ways in which society imposes its values rather than allowing conscious free choice of life options. [Space] They need some apprenticeship experiences with people, workers and role models in preferred occup- ations, and they need tryout tasks that will help them reality-test their preferences and tentative decisions. [Space] They need to get specific information about the educational paths to achieving life goals; for this they should be exposed to the vocational specialties or college majors related to subjects in which they have a strong imterest [interest] and do well. [Space] Direct experiences through courses in psychology of human relations can facilitate personal exploration. A nasculinity-femininity seminar of course, a group consel- ing experience focusing on male and female, or a “life planning lab” in which students have an intensive oppor- tunity to examine their values, potentials, and goals might [5 letters illegible] [productive?]. The senior high curriculum offers rich possibilities for focus on women’s issues. The introduction of courses in female [3 words illegible] [studies of feminist?] [history need not wait] [history does not need to wait?] until college.
[page number: 57] [underlined and capitalized: APPENDIX 1] [underlined and capitalized: THE ROLE OF MEN AND WOMEN IN OUR SOCIETY] A Consciousness-Raising Group Activity for use with Level 2, 3 and 4 Students in Canadian Schools By Phil Manuel, Faculty of Education, U. of T. [i.e. University of Toronto] [capitalized: PURPOSE]: To explore the issues relating to the role of men and women in our society. [capitalized: TIME REQUIRED]: Two three-hour sessions separated by a week or less. [capitalized: NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS]: Ten to twelve with an equal number of male and femal [i.e. female] students from grades 10, 11 and 12 and a counsellor who acts as a group facilitator. [capitalized: GROUP FORMATION]: On a voluntary basis only. [capitalized: METHOD OF OPERATION]: The facilitator will introduce the nature of the workshop and describe how the objectives might best be [met?]. Twelve numbered cards will be introduced on which is written a short descriptive statement of an issue relating to the workshop. A student will take card no. 1 [i.e. number 1] and read it aloud to the group and then react to the issue raised. Once that student is finished, the other participants will be invited to join in a discussion of the issue. [capitalized: NOTES TO THE GROUP FACILITATOR]: The purpose of this group activity is to raise the awareness of both girls and boys to the issue of sex-role stereotyping in our society. The group experience should be seen as just that-- an experience! The group experience is not intended to present one view or another but is to help students to focus on the issues and in turn heighten their consciousness so that they may influence their own destiny as they move into a more equalitarian society. It would be most valuable if you had undergone some consiousness [i.e. consciousness] - raising group work yourself. It would be helpful for you to read literature in the field of Feminist History or Women's Liberation, e.g. [i.e. exempli gratia] Green, Firestone, Bardwick, et al [i.e. et alii]. Your role is to remain somewhat neutral and to help the students focus on the issues raised on the cards. Only one card is to be discussed at a time. Each should generate 15- [i.e. to] 20 minutes of discussion. If you never finish all the cards, don't worry, but do card 12 as the last one before the group dissolves. Let the group pace itself and make some decisions about how fast or into what depth it wishes to go. As a facilitator you should establish a minimum number of ground rules regarding confidentiality etc [i.e. et cetera]. This ground rule has been useful in group situations: "Don't ask a question of someone that you are not prepared to answer yourself!"
59 CARD # 4 (Imagine that this is you speaking and read this card aloud.) When you look at our school in terms of what subjects the girls and boys take, an interesting pattern emerges. It seems to me that the boys seem to excel in Math and Science and often they avoid taking Art or Shorthand. In fact, I wonder if we sometimes think that a boy taking Shorthand is a bit “feminine” or a girl taking electricity is a bit too “masculine”. In other words, it seems at times that when we automatically assign roles to people, we in turn reveal our attitudes about sex role stereotyping. Let me think for a moment about my attitudes on this issue……. CARD # 5 (Imagine that this is you speaking and read this card aloud.) I know a few girls who are not planning to be anyone. Because they are going to be married someday they show little interest in planning a career. If they work after highschool or college the job won’t be as important to them as it is for boys. When you think about it, it seems curious because many of the boys are going to be married too!……… CARD #6 (Imagine that you are speaking and read this card aloud.) Girls seem more emotional than boys. I’ve never seen a boy in our school crying but I’ve seen girls cry, even in class. I wonder if that’s just the way girls are….. CARD # 7 (Imagine that this is you speaking and read this card aloud.) Why is it that in advertising and on T.V. in particular that womena [i.e. women] are made to look dumb? I mean who else gets upset about a whiter-than-white wash than som [i.e. some] keen housewife type? When you see men in advertising they seem to be strong, handsome, successful, and on the go. When I start to think about it, could it be that much of advertising is just one big put-on designed to keep us in our places?…..
CARD # 8 (Imagine that this is you speaking and read this card aloud.) How many women do you know that are lawyers? Not many I bet. Yet as you look at the world of work sometimes it seems that there are female jobs and male jobs. It’s rather rare that a male is encouraged to go into nursing or a femal [ie. Female] is encouraged to plan for a career in the construction industry. This makes me wonder about just how many real choices I have open to me int [ie. in] terms of my working life. I wonder what it’s like to a female in a predominantly man’s working world………. CARD # 9 (Imagine that this is you speaking and read this card aloud). I read somewhere that more and more women are entering the labour market these days. In fact, it appears that 8 out of 10 women will be engaged in the work force for over a period of 25 years. Thsi [ie. This] period of time for many women will be interrupted for a 10 year period or so of [child-raising overwritten: illegible]. In terms of education I wonder what this means to the female student who is preparing for a meaningful and productive working life. I hear that many girls just want to get out of school, get married and have kids and that’s that. I wonder if the gils in our school are seriously preparing for working life of 25 years or more?..... CARD # 10 (Imagine that this is you speaking and read this card aloud) As I look att [ie. at] marriage today it seems to me that the roles of husband and wife are gradually changing. I once read of a man who decided to look after the kids while his wife, who was a career executive with a large department store, went out to work and earned the money to keep the family going. I wonder what type of relationship I should be looking for in the future should I decide to marry. CARD # 11 There is no message on this card, but don’t [tell overwritten: illegible] anybody. Just raise an issue which is important to you or ask someone in the group to clarify a point raied earlier…… CARD # 12 (Imagine that this is you speaking and read this card aloud.) In terms of the future this is what this workshop has meant to me…..
