Equality in the classroom

Press, 15 May 1985, Page 8

Equality in the classroom

PA Wellington Primary teachers will have a code of practice aimed at making sure girls and boys have equal opportunities in the classroom.

It will encourage teachers to divide tasks such as cleaning and lifting evenly between girls and boys, rather than assigning them according to the traditional sex roles.

Also it will suggest that teachers do not use terms

such as “boys don’t cry,” “girls don’t do that,” as well as encouraging all children to use all the games and toys available. The code, which was approved in principle by the Educational Institute’s annual meeting yesterday, will also call for children to be taught as often by men as they are by women, including in the early years, and that suitable leadership models are available for

girls in the education system.

A report presented to the conference yesterday says that to counteract the effect of gender differences, the organisation of schools, and the activities and programmes in them, need to be changed. One delegate, Mr Karl Arnesen, argued against the provisions in the code of practice, saying they overstated the issue and would

simply annoy teachers. However, a national executive member, Mr Peter Singh, said it had to be recognised that not everybody had a liberal viewpoint, and guidelines therefore had to be clearly spelled out. Mr Graham Jones, of Christchurch, said the code should continue to exist until all teachers used nonsexist practices automatically.