Women Teaching High School
I had my student teaching interview this morning. My possible co-operating teacher is a middle aged, white, male choral director at a very rich school district. I also met with the vice-principle of the school, who is a middle aged white female. I felt that the interview went well. They did not ask me any questions that I felt were too difficult or that I did not have an answer for. However, throughout the interview, I felt that my every movement was being monitored or judged. My possible co-op then asked me to come back another time and observe a few classes.
About an hour after I got home, I received a call from Prof. Schmidt saying that my possible co-op called and was concerned that I did not want to teach high school. I have no idea where my possible co-op got this impression. Through my practicum experience, I’ve found that I was more comfortable teaching high school students than elementary students. I enjoy making music with high school students more than elementary students. I have never wanted to be a full time elementary school teacher. (Not that there is anything wrong with wanting to teach elementary, I simply don’t feel it’s for me). I was baffled on how he got this impression.
Then I started thinking, I am a young woman being interviewed by an older man. When I am dressing for an interview, I often dress more “off-beat” than professional. It’s my style. I don’t feel I look like me in suits. I realized that my appearance is one of an elementary school teacher. I do not think any parent would have any qualms with leaving their small child with me. However, I am not interested in student teaching in an elementary placement. I have always considered myself a high school teacher. The possibility that I was stereotyped due to my gender, age, and dress makes me furious. If I was a man, I doubt my possible co-op would be concerned with my desire to teach high school.
posted by Jenna @ 11:54 AM
2 Comments:
Jenna, I'm not sure if you had worn a suit it would have made much of a difference. I recall a few years back when a man called me to schedule an interview in his district. He asked me on the phone whether I'd be interested in the elementary job or the high school job, and I said high school. To my surprise, I got to my interview, and the man I spoke with was there with 3 women who were current elementary teachers in the district, and they proceeded to interview me for the elementary job. I was furious. I'm not sure if it was because this would be my first job teaching in public schools that he would not consider me for the high school position, or because I am a young woman, or a combination of the two, but he acted as if we had never spoken on the phone about which position I would be interested in.
I don't believe your desire to teach high school would have been questioned if you were a man. So many times the only men in vocal music positions are at the high school level. I was interviewed for numerous high school teaching positions before I took my current intermediate school/middle school job, and many of the interviewers were very interested in me but were concerned with my lack of years of experience. In two situations, I was offered elementary jobs in those districts instead of the high school jobs. However, since then, I have witnessed two male teachers get high school choral teaching jobs right out of college. I find this issue extremely problematic. Why is it assumed that teaching elementary students is suitable as an entry-level position but high school chorus is not? For me, teaching elementary students is a huge challenge and i feel much more comfortable with older students.
I think I am rambling on, but I am very passionate about this issue.
Jenna, I'm sorry this happened to you. It was unfair of the co-op to make an assumption like that, especially since you said that you thought the interview went well.
You know, I never realized it before now, but even here at WCC, that stereotype is portrayed. I'm sure it's not purposefully, but the teachers of the secondary methods class are men, and the teacher of the elementary methods class is a woman.
Something I remember Matt saying in class is relevant to this topic. Matt was talking about being a male who enjoyed teaching young children, and the obvious discomfort this caused with some of the parents of students in his class. So I guess sometimes the roles go both ways.
It's just really unfortunate that we all can't be seen as teachers instead of male or female teachers.
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