The Role of the Female versus Male in Spanish Society, as explained to a 4th Grade Class

This past week the subject of the female versus male role in the Spanish working force came up in my 4th grade class. It wasn´t by accident either, there is an actual separate section discussing the different classifications of workers, the active, non-active, unemployed oh yes and WOMEN. They are apparently a separate breed here.

So I was not really sure as to why there was a separate little box about women in the work force (complete with a picture of a woman in case you forgot!) and I sat there puzzled as the class started reading the section.

Women play an important part in the work force, blah blah blah


I realize Spain is different, but why do the women need to be pointed out in an elementary science book? Girls know they are awesome, and while there is still discrimination out there, it just seems a bit heavy for 4th graders.

Well maybe SOME 4th graders could handle this information, but this particular class is one in the same as the class who was asking about how praying mantis´ mate,"But what hole is what???". Yup there was a picture of that in their books too!

Anyways, back to the "Women in the Workforce." The teacher stopped reading, and backtracked to explain that women didn´t always have equal rights.

Several boys in the class then start pointing at the girls and laughing.

"Girls didn´t always have the right to go to school."

Boys continue laughing and pointing, girls look nervously at eachother and then down at their desks.

"When girls DID begin going to school, they often went to school for domestic jobs, working in the house, cooking, cleaning, etc.."

Boys are in hysterics at this point, the girls continue to look embarassed. I sit and smile at them, and shake my head at the boys who think this is hilarious.


"But then women got the right to vote, go to school and do more besides domestic work."

Boys continue laughing, although this information is probably way over their heads.

"However, there are still some differences between the pay women and men make, but they have much more equal rights."

The boys look at eachother, unsure of how to react to this. However, several of the (for PG purposes) "clever" ones continue laughing and commenting about domestic work and cooking. They point out a few girls, commenting that they should be cooking or cleaning.

The teacher then put a stop to this nonsense, but I don´t feel it was soon enough.

I feel it is important for students to realize that different groups are discriminated against in post past and present society. However, to include this as a separate "Women in the Workforce" section, it didn´t do much of a comparision of the groups. That would have been more appropriate, and it wouldn´t allow for the finger pointing from the "superior" men. This is most definitely the icing on the cake with these textbooks, I haven´t really enjoyed these books all year. The information in the books is often above the comprehension level of the students (and not in a recommended way to challenge their minds, just WAY above). Granted, this is just my personal opinion and I felt uncomfortable witnessing this turn of events.

I feel they should gauge the maturity level of the students a LITTLE bit more, or tone it down a bit. I mean come on! These kids are 9 years old.

THE END!