Can you help me make sense of why this conversation annoyed me?

[Mrstumbletap]

So I'm a teacher and I am lucky to teach sixth form students too, they are awesome and come back with real questions about rape, about same sex marriage, about wearing revealing clothing, equal pay etc and want to know more, they challenge me and I challenge them back and I can literally see their minds unfolding in front of me, it's fantastic.

Anyway I am currently training a teacher too and he often observes my lessons and contributes. On Friday the students were talking about job roles and the trainee teacher I will call him 'Gary' said "yeah but some roles are better for men, they are stronger, not all roles should be given to all people". He used army/infantry roles as an example. I challenged this but he stuck to his guns and said some things that involve strength are just better for men.

Then later the class were talking about the footage of a trump supporter being interviewed saying "women shouldn't rule a country they could start wars too easily" the reporter replies "but aren't all wars started by men?" Gary then chips in and says "No Helen of Troy started a war!"

I was then showing the students a link I found on social media called "women at the top" (don't know if you have seen it) and it shows images of The Houses of Parliament, the EU, White House meetings etc with loads of people and then another image with all the men removed using photoshop, showing there are only 1 or 2 women in these important meetings. The strap line is 'There is room for more women at the top'. Gary then says "I have no problem with the women being in these positions as long as they are qualified". But he isn't questioning the qualifications of the men in these positions?!

It has bugged me all weekend, am I over thinking this or is his challenging of these examples justified?

Vegan and vestal hit the nail on the head.

But i agree, whatever you teach sounds great!

Helen of Troy is a great example of how women were (and still are in some countries) chattels of men to be fought over, rather than human beings with rights. What a sexist thick prick. As pp have said.

Why was Gary chipping into your lesson? Undermining you? Doesn't he understand that his role is to observe, not behave like a member of the class?

What subject will he be teaching?

Gary doesn't even know his Greek mythology

I actually teach art, but it covers so many feminist topics through the ages it's easy to just bring in interesting or relevant topics into conversation.

Also whilst all the students are working on a painting, conversations always flow between them so I like to get them thinking about things. Politics, feminism, recycling, healthy eating anything really that broadens their minds.

You sound like an ace teacher OP. Gary sounds like a misogynistic Dick.

I don't envy you, OP. You're going to have to say something but he sounds such a hidebound sexist you'll be lucky to get through. I suppose getting him to substitute other groups for women might make a glimmer of light dawn. That Helen remark was just ignorant. I'd be asking him where he got that information.

I'd guess making him aware that in your opinion he's not performing well and that you'll say so is the most likely way to make him listen. I'm surprised one of your students hasn't said anything. We can but hope.

Thank you reggaeshark.

When I challenged him on a few things he said "I grew up with Maggie Thatcher as Priminister, and have 2 sisters". as if to justify what he was saying. He also said "I don't think it's easier to be a man, apart from childbirth". He really has some interesting views.

Really? Put Rhonda Rousy against GSP in an MMA match and we know who will win

Men are naturally stronger and as such suited to certain jobs

You sound awesome

He sounds like a twat

Oooh gary has turned up

Hey misswatch i know its you really

Hi rufus. How you been? Hope everything is ok where you are

As for Gary. This one is for you

Gary is behaving like a student- as a teacher (I realise he is not yet but) he should not be offering opinions like this, he is supposed to be acting in loco parentis and I would guess not all of those students parents would share this view. In short he should keep quiet.

I found this situation very similar to one I am in- I teach and there is someone who I am friendly with in my school who I have helped to make a successful pgce application. Her role in schools means that sometimes she is free and has recently taken in upon herself to wander into my classroom and tell me in front of students how I should be teaching. I wouldn't mind if she came to me one-to-one but I find her approach undermining. Also, and this is where I sound mean, her subject knowledge is weak and sometimes she has wandered in and given incorrect answers to students which I have to hastily correct. She is leaving at the end of this year and i do want to stay friendly with her as otherwise she is lovely. Sorry to hijack your thread but I may follow similar advice from pps as I am getting a bit peed off.

Fine thanks miss

Went out for dinner with work tonight so that was nice

Hope everything is well in your world

He is a bit of a dick really.
I worked in a male dominated role,and I could easily move around a sheet of plasterboard or a fire door on my own whereas a couple of the men I worked with couldn't.

Next assignment. "Donald Trump would not be where he is today if he had been a female". Discuss. Start with Gary and watch the ignorant sexist fucker sweat.

"I grew up with Maggie Thatcher as Priminister,"

If he is 33 he was 6 when she resigned.

Clearly some of his examples are flawed, Maggie Thatcher and Helen of Troy! He is so certain, so sure when he is talking about his opinions it's only when I pick it apart afterwards I think that isn't right?!

It wasn't even an observation it was exactly that same situation as you mentioned cheekyandfreaky it was just a free of his that he wondered in and volunteered his thoughts on the topic we were discussing.

He basically mansplained feminism to my class as I wasn't doing it right, clearly.

Op I sympathise- it's so difficult as you are trying to model good adult behaviour to young people and when someone blurts out crap in front of a group what can you do? I am sure your 6th formers have noticed- students who are learning all day are way sharper than most adults. I would say as frustrating as it is I wouldn't engage his nonsense in front of the students- I am sure from your posts you wouldn't, but it sounds like he wants a reaction.

Dickish smart-alec (and incorrect but in a way that would take ages to go into and derail a discussion) comments are annoying enough when they come from the kids. When they come from a colleague it must be bloody infuriating.

Gary is your intellectual servant OP. He will probably go far.

Gary is an enormoknob. Let us know how the chat goes.

Even if Helen of Troy did start a war (Thatcher would have been a much better example, though), how does that make any sense?
"Men start all wars - no, one woman once started a war".
Well, done, he's found one counter example in the last 3000 years.
He sounds like a dick, though, and will wriggle to find anyway of justifying his beliefs.

This is immature and maybe a bit unprofessiona, but is there anyway you can somehow show him up through discussion - kind of draw him out into saying something more stupid than he already has, that even the students can see that so he looks ridiculous/they can see how unreasonable/sexist he is sounding and either laugh at him/dismiss him. Maybe going too far but would be very satisfying!

Otherwise just keep plugging away at it, or mention to someone that he is often chipping in inappropriately.