Monday, July 9, 2007
The Stereotypical Female?
After reading Lamb's article, I had to wonder if I am oppressed in the fine arts department of my school. I am the only female in the music department...3 male band directors are my superiors. Sometimes I feel like they place me in the nurturing role only because I am female, while they get to stand on stage and wave the baton. Does anyone else encounter this? I know that I am valued but sometimes it feels like I am shoved to the side just because the band program is so big and strong and run by two "competent" males and an assistant. Didn't we all have to go through some of the same curricula in order to get where we are today? Don't we all appreciate music and value it as a great art form? If this is the case, shouldn't we all be counted as equals and recognized for our work in music with our students? How do I even start to formulate the answers to these questions?
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2 comments:
Heh--I hear you! I teach at the middle level. We are two "competent males" delivering the choral program in grades 3-12, yet there is a difference in recognition of programs. No matter what I do with the students or how many are involved in the program, because of the very nature of the age, the High School program always receives more recognition. It seems that the older the students get, the more capable they are of producing a higher level of performance, thereby receiving more recognition. I have come to terms with the fact that the high school program would not be where it is without my efforts in the middle. I have also realized that it is not at all about me; rather, I look for the end result from the students I pass along.
(My A.P. and my principal are both women. In my department the orchestra teacher is male. Two of three band teachers are male and two of the three choral teachers are female. I have actually noticed that in H.S. choral music as opposed to band music there are a lot more female teachers. ) but I do also notice that as a H.S. teacher the high school is almost romanticized. middle schoolers come to the concerts and are amazed by the deep male voices and the maturity of the tone of the sopranos and altos. I think the parents buy into it because their children do.
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