The fourth and fifth grade students of Mabel and Beech Elementary schools
overall have the impression that some careers are labeled “just for men”
or “just for women.” They expressed the reality that they are receiving
most of their ideas from TV, particularly movies. Most of them have
chosen a career that their favorite movie is about. However, there
were those students who were more open-minded, and saw character traits
in their friends and family members that made them desire the career.
Many of the students came to the conclusion that both men and women can
handle most careers.
These same students also feel that toys are labeled as “boys’ toys”
and “girls’ toys.” As we questioned why they thought this way, their
reaction was explicit. Boys are “active and full of energy.”
Girls are prissy and snooty. Another reason the students gave was
the fact that they didn’t see “boys’ toys” commercialized with girls playing
with them. And they didn’t see “girls’ toys” commercialized with
boys playing with them. But, because they didn’t see the opposite
sex playing with the particular toy, didn’t mean that it wasn’t okay for
them to play with the toy. Girls expressed that they played with
“boys’ toys.” Yet, the boys were strongly against having anything
to do with “girls’ toys.”
As you can see, the media has influenced these fourth and fifth graders
in a way that separates the boys from the girls.
These
Are A Few of Our Favorite Things
(listed in order of popularity)
Books
Ø Harry Potter
Ø Goosebumps
Ø RedWall
Ø Holes
Ø Gundam Wing
Ø Babysitter’s Club
Ø Shiloh
Movies
Ø Coyote Ugly
Ø Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen movies
Ø Pokemon
Ø Scary Movies
Ø Scream 1,2,3
Ø Jackie Chan movies
Ø The Green Mile
Ø X-Men
Ø Passport to Paris
Ø Titanic
Ø Teaching Mrs. Tingle
Ø Godzilla
Ø Mortal Combat
Ø Road Trip
Ø Big Daddy
Ø Beauty and the Beast
Television Shows/Sitcoms
Ø Cartoons
Ø Boy Meets World
Ø S Club-7
Ø Wrestling
Ø Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
Ø Gundam Wing
Ø Full House
Ø Two of a Kind
Ø Friends
Ø Dukes of Hazard
Ø 7th Heaven
Ø Lizzie McGuire
Ø South Park
Ø Power Puff Girls
Ø Big Guy and Rusty
Music
Ø Pop- Christina A., Britney S., N’Sync, 98°, Backstreet
Boys
Ø Rap- Eminem, Outkast, TLC, Nelly
Ø Country- Faith Hill, George Strait, Leann Rhimes, Kenny Chesney
Ø Hard Rock- Metallica, Kid Rock
Ø Gospel
Ø Classical
Hobbies
Ø Sports- basketball, baseball, football, bull riding
Ø Play computer
Ø Telephone friends
Ø Art- carving, drawing, painting, sculpting
Ø Outside activities- hiking, snowboarding/skiing, riding bikes,
playing with pets
Ø Watch television
Ø Play video games
Ø Reading- books and magazines
Ø Hunting
Ø Farming
Ø Listening to music
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