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?

Update?

So glad you said something!
I've just read the Let Toys be Toys page on schools but there isn't much practical guidance. Does anyone know if there is any out there, perhaps with evidence about girls' and boys' ideas of themselves and their peers (eg 'girls can't do maths' or whatever) at the start and end of primary? Or guidance about how to combat stereotypes?
I think we really need to be much more challenging about stereotypes in primary schools. DD's school has boys and girls lining up separately (and I suspect that boys go in first; I know they always did in Y1 ). In her current class, the certificates they get for behaviour have a princess (girls) or spongebob (boys). Girls are apparently different in the after-school football club (if it's hot, girls don't play, which DD is apparently fine with because she is not particularly keen on football). I too want her to think she can be anything. She likes maths and science and chess and is amazing at climbing ropes. She likes Frozen and Elsa too. I don't want her thinking she should like rainbow fairies and princesses more than whatever she genuinely likes.
Maybe we need a new MN campaign again sexism in primary schools ...

I have the same question as nooka? How is this related to writing?

I do try to pick my battles these days, but I would be bouncing off the walls at this. Well done pinguina.

Have a look at the ABC Does blog - he advocates that boys will write if they have something exciting to write about.

Turn it around slightly. Hand massage = what muscles are being used, how are they attached to the bones. How does the blood flow around these areas before and after a massage. I would turn it into a human biology project.
How to make an entrance. Appearance how do you feel when someone walks into a room. If a teacher walks in wearing a wedding dress to teach what and how would you feel. How do they feel people should dress to make entrance.
Strike a pose. Again another human biology lesson. What muscles are used.? what happens if we stay in that pose to long?
Climbing ropes, What are the ropes made off and how? what knots are used
Bend it like Beckham. Lets see if we can make a better film!!
paper planes. How is paper made? what shapes and designs work better? does weight help?

Would I complain no, not really but I would turn things to my advantage!

But Aebj the OP isn't the teacher, she won't be there in order to turn things to her advantage, will she.

Besides, you're missing the point by a country mile.

Also the children are six. They're not in a position to turn anything to their advantage

Update: spoke to the teacher. She apologised

I would have been sorely tempted to ask if she had a vagina and if so insist on speaking to the 'real' teacher as she can't possibly be qualified to teach, her dear little head wouldn't cope with a degree.

Actually I would be tempted to shake her - probably good I'm not a parent

Shocking - fashion shows and posing? Jeez.

Aebj - but why would a lesson on the anatomy of the hand be restricted to girls?

Sorry for the delay but am still waiting... the school sent an 'update' on the activities with their explanation - which sounded like a justification, slightly embarrassed and too late, and not good enough. They say they were looking for inspiration so used the dangerous book for boys and the glamorous book for girls (!!!!). They have invited parents to attend on friday 24th to see what the children are doing and their progress (or regress...)

I would get back to them on those books and why they're even IN school.

In that case I'd be tempted to write formally to the Head, copying the Chair of Governors, asking how this activity and the gender differentiation meet the school's statutory duty to promote equality, including gender equality.

Those dreadful, ludicrous books! Just grim. Agree - would you consider writing to the head?

You know, the worst thing is that I'm pretty sure few parents will have seen an issue with that. Because you know, that's what 'my son/daughter likes to do anyway'. :(:(
I would complain to the governors.

I am really shocked that this could ever happen in today's world.

Please definitely complain to the governor.

Agree with the others - that 'explanation' would make me feel even more angry. Does the school post their equalities policy on their website, or if not could you ask for a copy? Assuming that it commits them to gender equality, it might be useful to point out the gulf between what they've committed to and what they're actually doing.

The 'glamourous book for girls'? Ugh.

When my DD was about 6 there was something sort of like the 'dangerous book for boys', something like 'The girls book of how to be the best at everything'. Not that I like genderized books, but at least that one had a wide variety of things in it, many not at all stereotypically girly.

I think sadly Pots might be right. What's a good response to "well, that's what my girl likes to do anyway" or even (from the school) "that's what most of them like, and so that's a good way to engage /teach them" (more re girls getting princess stuff and boys getting vehicles etc)?

It annoys me but also most of the parents do it as well. eg parties, separate circles for boy and girl pass the parcel, pink or blue party bags etc and almost all the toy adverts etc are sexist so it is hardly surprising.

I just found this report:
it's about challenging gender stereotypes in primary, and has quite a bit about why we should do it but it's more a descriptive report about 5 schools that tried to do this. Interesting reading but kind of depressing. Is this 1964? I thought we might have moved a bit more in the past 50 years...

It feels like we should have taken some noticeable steps forward since I was a kid (1980s) but I swear we're going backwards.

And sometimes the people who spout it can be the ones who should know better - I've heard this shit come from teachers, uni researchers, medics...

Who has the time for organising gendered party bags?!

What's a good response to "well, that's what my girl likes to do anyway" or even (from the school) "that's what most of them like, and so that's a good way to engage /teach them"

The response ot this is that it is fine to offer a wide variety of activities, including the thigns that are covered by stereotypically "boy" or "girls" activities, but insistisng that those choices are restricted to actual girls or boys regardless of their preference is* the heart of discrimination. And then to go on to point out tat supporting a social setup in which peoppe feel obliged to exhibit the characteristics generally associated with sex or gender regardless of their ablity to feel allegiene to interests that are nit as socially endorsed is what creates the gender dichotomy we currently have.

And I know that looks wordy. But teaching is a graduate profession concerned with a social endeavour (i.e. education) and this is really, really basic social science stuf. So they really ought to be held to at least an assumption that they are capable fo considering these ideas and how they can help tham do their jobs properly.

(Apologies for typos etc. typing without my glasses and after wine....)