Most parents automatically teach their daughters a variety of tasks that are necessary to keep the house up and running. Girls are taught basics like laundry and ironing, cooking, cleaning, sewing, and more. Society also expects them to know all of these things whereas boys are given free run to do as they like. While this puts an extraordinary burden on women, it also disadvantages these boys when they grow older and are unable to live independently. A school in Spain is now trying to ensure that things are different for the students. On top of that, it promotes gender equality too.
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At the Montecastelo School of Spain, a new slogan is ringing out – “Equality is learned with actions”. In an effort to break through gender stereotypes and to ensure that all students are well equipped to handle life, classes on household chores are offered here. It is also an effort to remove the stigma surrounding men who do the housework.
Credit: © Televisión de Galicia / Youtube
Located in Vigo city, the school started this initiative last year by adding home economics to the list of subjects offered. In these classes, teachers work with the boys to help them learn their way around a kitchen, a washing machine, and so on. Beyond that, the boys are also taught other important skills like carpentry and plumbing. These classes are incredible since they imbue the students with real-life skills that will ensure that they become functional adults.
Image Credit: Colegio Montecastelo
Teachers volunteer to take these classes and even representatives of the school and the parents of the students have happily joined in to do their bit for these boys. According to Gabriel Bravo, who is the coordinator of the school, it is useful for the boys to be taught these things so that when they have families of their own, they can be involved in every aspect of running the household. It won’t have to be just the women doing all these tasks. These classes increase awareness and the boys will never have to be helpless in their own homes.
Credit: © Televisión de Galicia / Youtube
The administrators of the school came up with the idea for these classes when they were trying to find more ways of inculcating the idea of gender equality in the students. When they conveyed it to the students and parents, the latter were quite happy with it but the boys were unsure about having to learn things like cooking and laundry.
Image Credit: Colegio Montecastelo
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However, as they learned more and more from these classes, their initial apprehension faded away. They were quick to realize that these tasks were easy and that anyone could do them if they were taught properly. The moment of realization came for some of the boys when they first picked up the iron. They found the classes both fun and educative which was very surprising to them. And, of course, the parents were delighted that their children were finally picking up these skills.
Image Credit: Colegio Montecastelo
Hopefully, more schools around the world adopt these ideas for both boys and girls. These skills are incredibly important and go a long way towards helping young adults become independent and promote gender equality.
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The post Spanish School Teaches Boys Gender Equality Through Domestic Chores appeared first on Educate Inspire Change.