Shis issue: (¥Y What is love? Baby, don’t hurt me (Y The Report Card: Holiday ins and outs (Y War of the Words: Valentine’s Day meant for couples And more! Have your voice heard! Contact: Elliot Chan, Opinions Editor M opinions@theotherpress.ca www. theotherpress.ca The war of blue and pink » How gender-specific toys affect children’s perceptions of the world PF julia Siedlanowska | Staff Writer assigned gender roles early on in life, and a huge indicator industry. I was surprised when my sister prevented me from painting my five-year-old nephew’s nails. “Daddy would hate that,” she said. My shock was in the fact that I knew my nephew at this point had no connection between gender and nail painting. It was only after this comment and further replies to his appeals to join in the fun led to comments like, “Silly, you’re nota girl. Only girls paint their nails.” This is just one example of restrictions within our lives. We're attached to the belief that certain actions, patterns of behaviour, even colours have a solid and immobile place on the gender spectrum. It’s a self- fulfilling prophesy. If your son is told that only girls play with dolls, he will feel ashamed at the natural impulse to care fora human- replica. If your daughter is taught to idealize pink, she'll have a readily formed view of : femininity and what it means to : bea girl. : called Let Toys be Toys seeks : to get rid of the restrictions hildren take cues about their retailers place on children's : interests by “promoting some : toys as only suitable for girls, and : of these cues comes from the toy : others only for boys.’ The group : has achieved some notable : success, including persuading : major retailers Boots, Tesco, : and The Entertainer to remove : gender specific signage in : their stores. “Our 2013 survey : of toyshops in the run up to : Christmas showed a 60 per cent : reduction in the use of ‘Girls’ : and ‘Boys’ signs in stores,” states : the organizations website. : “Twelve of the 14 retailers : we've asked to remove gender : signs have said they will make : changes.” : : We should not let Hasbro or : : Mattel dictate our perceptions of : : : gender and the world around us. : how our notions on gender form : L hich I b : : Lego, which I remember once : being gender neutral, is now : riddled with advertising aimed ; at separating the genders. With : warrior, Star Wars, and The : Lord of the Rings themes, Lego : is sending subtle yet powerful : messages. With their “Friends” : line, Lego has created products : specifically aimed at girls. With purple and pink packaging, : products include sets with titles : such as “Mia’s Lemonade Stand” : and “Stephanie’s New Born : Lamb? A UK parent-led campaign Where's Fifi’s armory? : Where is Lulu’s spaceship? What : am I going to use to kill Barbie, : if my Lego set doesn’t include : daggers? All violence aside, : it’s simply illogical to place : limitations on how children play. Should girls not grow up to : be engineers? Does the love of : building have to be restricted to : a lemonade stand or “Heartlake : High”? Should boys not practice : their caregiving abilities on : dolls and stuffies? The bear is : acceptable, but why not the : Barbie? Parents are often afraid : of the thought that their son : might grow up to be “girly,” : or, to use the word that they : actually mean, gay. Personally, : I think that the overtly sexual : figure would promote other : developments, but that’s a whole : other story. Although I do believe that certain decisions will be made by children that show their : inherent preferences, we can : never know unless we give them : achance. Gendered toys are : limiting the minds and hearts : of children right from their : very beginnings. Just as my : obsession with Batman rivalled : my obsession with fairies, there : is enough room ina child’s mind : to move beyond the boundaries : we impose. In the line between blue and pink—between male : and female—lies creativity and : innovation. Let kids roam in that space. East meets West » Educational differences between China and Canada Pan Deng Contributor hirty years ago, Chinese politician and reformist leader, Chairman Deng Xiaoping quoted the Chinese motto, “Education changes one’s destiny.” This inspired a nation to learn. Local universities began to catch up with western education; Chinese high school students were accepted into universities at home and in the West. Chinese university education has grown a lot since those days and continues to make progress. However, after experiencing two semesters at : Douglas College, I feel that the : Chinese university education : scripture still has room to : improve when compared to : Canadian education. : cultural difference. Chinese : education teaches students : obligation, while Canadian The first area to note is the : education teaches responsibility. : : Asa subject of teaching, : teachers should think about : the objective of their lessons: : is it to educate the students, : or simply to get through the : curriculum and textbook? If : teachers take it as textbook, then : : students must pay attention to : the information in the textbook : and lectures—it’s the students’ : responsibility to learn. And as : long as the information has : been introduced by the teachers : : then the teachers’ job is done. : This is how the Chinese handle : education, through students’ : obligation. Most of Chinese : local universities, if not all, just : care about how much is taught, : learn. : Canadian education, especially : in the business program, : treats learning not only : as an obligation, but asa : students’ futures. Even though : students just open a tiny window ! : in their hearts to learn from the not how much the students On the other hand, responsibility. They take care of : teachers, teachers will always : welcome them and try to feed their needs. Students get real : experience from teachers and : a combination of theory and : practice, Teachers ask that : students not only know, but : also participate. If you don't : participate, then what's the : point of attendance? Chinese : teachers always have big hearts : as long as everybody shows : up. But attendance does not : always mean the students have : a positive attitude toward their : studies. Sometimes they can : be reluctant. So only paying attention to attendance is not : enough to understand the : effectiveness of the lesson. In my first class at Douglas, : an instructor told us that if you : don’t care then you don't have to : show up. Don't waste your time, : and go do something you want : to instead. This is a very mature : point. Canadian teachers care : more about students’ growth. : Normally, no one likes people : who go against their opinion, : Chinese teachers especially. In : China, a good student means : one who obeys their teachers : commands. In Canada, teachers : teach students to think critically : for themselves. And that’s more : than writing down notes.