How is teacher A, a female, different than teacher B, a male in their gender roles? I observed teacher B a little closer last Tuesday to be able to describe how his teaching is different than A in regards to his male gender-ism. Teacher B's voice is not much deeper compared to teacher A but he sure dresses differently.
He is a man and is presence commands respect because he is firm and he loves his work. He stands tall and straight and his mouth is closed as he stares straight ahead. What?! I exclaim to myself, his silence brings everyone to silence themselves. When the class is disruptive or he wants to make a marked point he speaks firmly like a loving father would speak to his unruly child, in just that way. The class laughs when he laughs, and is serious when he is serious. I am not sure if that has to do with his gender but somehow I do.
Teacher A is smiles often to which we respond pleasantly. Sometimes she makes fun of herself and the class seems to relax more. When the class is disruptive or she wants to make a point, she speaks louder and to get every one's attention. Many students will laugh when she laughs and some students find it to be an opportunity to whisper to another student. She deserves as much respect as he does and shares the same degree of passion for teaching as teacher B; but she has to use more energy to receive it. She has to raise her voice more often without being demanding; she has to be more animated to get the eyes on her.
I think this has been the situation and atmosphere since I was in elementary school for teachers of different genders. I am referring to my experience in public schools which from what my parents informed me are different in private Catholic schools. I don't think it will change and that makes men and women different which makes life interesting.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Expectations working at 9 TO 5
My expectations of the organization 9 TO 5 were two fold: one involved the atmosphere of this grass roots movement at the Colorado headquarters and the second expectation involved my idealistic view of the world; seeing people more cooperative and compassionate of the needs of working women.
The image of walking into the downtown office at 9 TO 5 was a room that was as big as a Kmart store, full of cubicles where men and women are answering ringing phones. The energy was high and ongoing; the large white painted walls had bulletin boards scattered through out the room with brightly colored posters tacked to the cork boards shouting women's rights causes. I think my scenario's expectations came from the movie 9 TO 5, a comedy created in 1980 about 4 women who work for a large corporation and who seek revenge on their sexist, bigoted, condescending boss. A catalyst movie about sexual discrimination in the work place.
The second expectation I had before I walked into the first day of my Gender and Communication class room was organizations like 9 TO 5 having an on-going "civil war' between the government and ordinary people; or women vs. power hungry men. I thought that once society was aware of the inqualities still present in every day work life, problems like a lack of paid sick days- and a banner made for society to see this and shout at for changes- would implement change.
But it is not that simple and takes more than a banner or a day. It takes numbers- numbers of people to over ride the narrow minded views of people who hold positions in office. Those in office who dispute the less dominant classes of people.
And those people who are different in the work place and who ask for the focus to be on their families at critical times; and who ask for basic human rights to be reinforced such as respecting one another in the work place- they need to be persistent in seeking changes and it cannot be just the organization itself to make these changes. My expectations of the a grass roots organization making obviously important changes for citizens with little effort probably came from the media in books, movies and music. Stating that change is necessary, a no brainer, so nothing should hold up the issue because people are homogenous in their thoughts for a better world. But not everyone operates in the same way and has the same attitude. In my opinion there are a lot of black and white views out there wearing color.
The image of walking into the downtown office at 9 TO 5 was a room that was as big as a Kmart store, full of cubicles where men and women are answering ringing phones. The energy was high and ongoing; the large white painted walls had bulletin boards scattered through out the room with brightly colored posters tacked to the cork boards shouting women's rights causes. I think my scenario's expectations came from the movie 9 TO 5, a comedy created in 1980 about 4 women who work for a large corporation and who seek revenge on their sexist, bigoted, condescending boss. A catalyst movie about sexual discrimination in the work place.
The second expectation I had before I walked into the first day of my Gender and Communication class room was organizations like 9 TO 5 having an on-going "civil war' between the government and ordinary people; or women vs. power hungry men. I thought that once society was aware of the inqualities still present in every day work life, problems like a lack of paid sick days- and a banner made for society to see this and shout at for changes- would implement change.
But it is not that simple and takes more than a banner or a day. It takes numbers- numbers of people to over ride the narrow minded views of people who hold positions in office. Those in office who dispute the less dominant classes of people.
And those people who are different in the work place and who ask for the focus to be on their families at critical times; and who ask for basic human rights to be reinforced such as respecting one another in the work place- they need to be persistent in seeking changes and it cannot be just the organization itself to make these changes. My expectations of the a grass roots organization making obviously important changes for citizens with little effort probably came from the media in books, movies and music. Stating that change is necessary, a no brainer, so nothing should hold up the issue because people are homogenous in their thoughts for a better world. But not everyone operates in the same way and has the same attitude. In my opinion there are a lot of black and white views out there wearing color.
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