primary school - gender stereotyping

[pinguina]

Hello
I live in the Midlands with DH and 2DD aged 4 and 6. On Friday I received the school newsletter with this info: in order to improve their writing by giving them topics they are interested in, the children in my eldest DD's class have been split into groups, boys and girls. (I quote verbatim): boys' activities include climbing ropes, bending it like Beckham and making paper planes. Girls have been learning how to give a hand massage, how to make an entrance and strike a pose.This afternoon they will be getting together to put on a fashion show.
Is it 1954 and I hadn't noticed? I went to complain to the headteacher. What would you do?

I'd have gone in a fit of feminist rage and probably started ranting incoherently. It's ridiculous, are they are honestly saying it is all the girls want to do and the only way to engage with them is to pretend they are training to be glamor models? It's fucking insulting to your daughter is what it is.

The strike a pose thing could be quite fun (for those who like that sort of thing) and totally gender neutral if done as a "photo booth" type activity with lots of silly dressing up hats and big sunglasses etc

Yes Petula and HELL for those girls who don't. As a child I well remember the horror that was "Let's have a fashion show/do a dance for the boys/ type games and the LAST thing girls need is this shite thrust into their education!

As the fat girl in school who mostly wanted to not be seen until she graduated, yes, it would have been hell claphands

Sounds like they have read a few of Alistair Bryce Campbell's ideas about increasing children's engagement by offering a range of props and activities related to the children's interests and got it very, very wrong. (I think he used to be a bit dodgy, but has revised his views in his later work.)
I always try to do as much gender-neutral stuff as possible - minibeasts, transport, dinosaurs etc. I also do lots of forest school activities.
(I still had one of the boys laughing hysterically when I got my toolkit out to repair a scooter. Only 5 and it was already shocking for him to see a woman brandish a screwdriver.)

My DDs both adore science, history, geology and literature...as well as theatre and costume. They would not want to strike a pose.

Doh! Alistair Bryce-Clegg, not Bryce-Campbell.

I totally agree. All those things on the girls' list would be my worst nightmare. I don't like performing and I don't like touching other people. That is why I said "for those that like that sort of thing" and that it could be for boys and girls. It was an aside, I wasn't agreeing with the school's ideas!

My posts on here are all supportive of the OP. It's madness

I was thinking the same Spam, it's like the Ben10 box gone horribly wrong.

Link to Let Toys Be Toys resources mentioned upthread, I sent them to my school and asked them to take a look.

How do any of these things help with writing in any case? Are they supposed to be writing about making an entrance and striking a pose? Surely a fashion show is just a total waste of time even regardless of its total shiteness?

Will they let me attend? I am certainly able to attribute all my life's woes to not having been taught how to strike a pose and make an entrance. Perhaps my husband would have married me sooner, or I would have a better job, or be more liked and adored if I had.

BULLSHIT.

Sorry I wasn't implying that you did, I was just agreeing that those kind of tasks aren't great because they make some children (of all genitalia) want to crawl under a rock and never come out. I think teachers whould be aware of that. Theatre, that sort of thing is fine if you give everyone a chance to do it in a way they feel comfortable- posing is always about looks and there are certain kids who will never feel comfortable doing that.

Update: spoke to the teacher. She apologised ... without much of a satisfactory explanation. So off I went - again - trying not to shout, explaining as calmly as poss why and how and to what extent it was wrong. Spoke about Mad Men and Emma Watson and let toys be toys. And mentioned my DD would love to learn how to do a cartwheel or rope jump etc. and that if she decides to become a manicurist, then let her be. When she is 20. But that now I want and expect her to think and dream she can be anything at all: astronaut, PM, doctor, hairdresser. Whatever.
She said they'll review the whole thing and I'll be waiting for Friday afternoon holding my breath.
THANK YOU all for your amazing support

Well done! Let's hope she comes up with something more appropriate on second thoughts.

sorry FOF i got all tetchy at the idea that i might enjoy prancing about in front of the camera

pinguina you are fabulous, hope they review it properly

Hooray - well done pinguina.

Now to wait and see if they do anything.

Well done you, a good job done! I'll check back on Friday for the update

well done pinguina

WEll hopefully she has taken it on board and shall wait to see what comes out Friday.

Good grief!

I'd complain! I had to take a similar line with DS1's (supposedly progressive) nursery, which one week published a forward plan that divided the children along gender lines so the girl's could play "Dressing up as Disney Princesses and will enjoy curtsying and graceful dancing" and the boys were to learn all about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. DS came home telling me all about how cool it was fighting with swords and nunchucks

I got to 'how to make an entrance and strike a post' and lost the fucking will to live.

I'm so glad you challenged it pinguina and lets hope the teacher has truly taken it on board.

Long to hear how you get on on Friday, Pinguina. Honestly just ASTONISHED (and horrified) by this. Hope they realise why you were complaining and that it is a v. serious issue. Well done you.

hurrah, well done pinguina - you've just saved a whole class full of kids from being indoctrinated with misogyny (girls and boys). A good day's work indeed!

Let us know what happens on Friday...