March 25, 2022 • 14 mins
In this episode, we debunk a couple of widely shared misconceptions and set the record straight about how the education field has been shaped and molded into what we see today. We also discuss how female education leaders have become more and more empowered to break the glass ceiling and take our rightful position at the tables that were once exclusively reserved for men.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jasmine Foster (00:00):
Hey everyone.
Thanks for sipping the teatoday.
I'm Jasmine, your host and I'llbe talking about the best ways
to bring your own folding chairwhen there's not a seat at the
table.
I am so excited to talk aboutthis.
I know many of our listeners arewomen educators.
So, my goal today is kind oftwofold.
(00:20):
First, I'll be debunking mythsand setting the record straight
about how the education fieldhas been shaped and molded into
what we see today.
I'll also be discussing howwomen educators have become more
and more empowered to break theglass ceiling and take our
rightful position at the tablesthat were once exclusively
(00:40):
reserved for men.
So, let's jump into it.
Just a couple of weeks ago, Iposted a myth busters video to
(01:02):
the gram in which I talked abouttwo widely shared misconceptions
about women in education.
We've all heard said, or atleast have thought it in our
heads that the field has alwaysbeen female dominated and low
paying.
While there is some truth andmerit to both of those
(01:22):
statements, they are mythswithin the context in which they
are meant.
Let's start with the idea thatthe education field has always
been female dominated.
Not entirely.
As I explained a few weeks ago,around the 15 hundreds at the
start of the colonial period toaround the late 18 hundreds,
(01:46):
when the industrial revolutionmade its way to the United
States, white educated menactually dominated the field of
education.
Thanks to the industrialrevolution, men were presented
with access to more lucrativeand stable jobs.
Therefore, men began leaving theteaching profession thanks to
(02:06):
all of the new developments andexpansions our country was
receiving at that time.
And also people were gettingtheir swerve on, which meant
more babies.
And we know more babies meantmore schools were needed.
So, at that point, schools anddistricts started recruiting
young white women to join theprofession.
(02:28):
And by 1900 white womeninevitably dominated the
teaching field.
So, that means from 1500 to 1900for almost 400 years, men
dominated the field.
While women dominated the fieldfrom 1900 to 2022; so about 122
(02:49):
years.
Not even half as long as mendid.
I think we can say,"Myth One"debunked.
Now myth two (02:58):
the education field has always been a low
paying field.
Now.
Yes, that's true.
Still though, not in the contextin which we know and usually
mean it.
Back when men dominated theeducation field, they spent time
teaching as a way to supplementtheir income during the off
seasons of farming or duringtheir transition periods to
(03:21):
other fields.
Yes, the pay was lower than whatthey would usually earn during
farming season or what theywould eventually go on to make
as doctors, lawyers, industrialworkers, et cetera, but it was
still enough to sustain a decentliving and provide for their
families.
(03:41):
So when the industrialrevolution made its way to
America and men activelytransitioned from the classroom
to other professions, this lefta ton of teacher vacancies.
Remember, also during this timethere was an increased demand
for more schools.
Both of these things sparkedwhat we call today, our first
(04:04):
bout with school reform.
Which you know, is a fancy wayto say"let's change it up a bit
and start addressing some of ourneeds and gaps." This led to
change in how we did school backthen and the structure of
schools and school districts,which also inevitably meant the
introduction to new andimportant roles such as
(04:28):
principals, assistantprincipals, superintendents, and
educational experts.
To paraphrase what happened overthe course of the next 20 to 30
years or so, as men were leavingthe teaching profession, many of
them actually stayed in thefield of education, but they
opted for those leadership andexpert roles.
(04:50):
And two really big decisionsthat were made by the leaders
and experts, was to activelyrecruit white women to fill the
empty teaching seats, and adjustthe teacher salaries in order to
compensate for the salaries ofthose new leadership and expert
roles.
Back then you see much liketoday, schools were funded with
(05:12):
what we call a version oftaxpayer dollars, which
essentially meant there wasn't abig pool to draw from when
allocating dollars towardsteacher salaries.
So, what to do, what to do, whatto do?
Ah, lower the teaching salariesin order to afford the higher
paying leadership and expertsalaries; which meant women...
(05:37):
teachers were making even lessthan men when they were
teachers, which was alreadylower than other professions to
begin with.
This adjustment and decisionalso meant that there was a
glaring discrepancy and gapbetween the wages of leaders and
teachers.
With the profession beingoverwhelmingly, dominated by
(05:58):
women, this also meant that theteaching profession itself paid
low wages.
And there you have it.
I think we can say,"Myth Two"debunked.
So, what does this mean and looklike today?
Well, unfortunately not much haschanged since the 19 hundreds.
(06:19):
Women are still overrepresentedin the teaching field.
Men are still overrepresented inleadership roles, and there is
still a discrepancy betweenteacher and leader salaries.
Studies as recent as 2021, showthat 76% of public school
(06:39):
teachers are female and 24% aremale.
The ratio of men and women ineducation leadership is two to
one and there is a 21% paydifference between teachers and
leaders.
To add to that...
a report from the Council ofGreat City Schools revealed that
(07:00):
pay gaps in education, start inthe classroom and follow women
into the principal's office theprincipal's office.
This is an exact quote that I'llcircle back to a little bit
later.
But I do want to stamp that thereport reveals in Illinois, for
example, female teachers make onaverage$2,000, less per year
(07:23):
than their male colleagues.
And the gap grows to$4,000 atthe leadership level.
Two thirds of superintendentsare.
And they out earn their femalecounterparts by an average of
20,000 to$30,000 per year.
(07:45):
At the state level, this is nodifferent.
There's a similar gender gap of$25,000 per year.
Even though there is still alarge gap between men and women
with regard to salary andattaining leadership roles, that
gap has narrowed over time.
Back in 1987, the salary gapbetween men and women educators
(08:09):
was 42%.
And today that gap is at 21%.
Similarly in 1987, the ratio ofmen to women in leadership was
three to one; and today thatratio is two to one.
Now I would be remiss if Ididn't highlight that most of
the gap closing in leadershippositions between men and women
(08:30):
has occurred at the principallevel, being the highest level
with 52% of principals beingwomen.
However, still as of 2021, twothirds of superintendents and
state level administrators aremen.
There is still so much work tobe done with addressing and
(08:51):
combating these disparities.
But women have been makingremarkable strides and making a
spot for ourselves in educationleadership.
From my own experience, as afemale educator, I found three
practices that have helped mebreak barriers and shatter glass
ceilings.
I'd like to share them with you.
The first thing I had to learnalong my journey was the
(09:12):
importance of mentorship andsponsorship.
I've always sought after mentorswho are willing to share the
things they've learned alongtheir journey.
I made sure to observe theirpractices and adopt them as my
own.
After all, there is a sayingthat the best teachers are also
the best thieves.
We watch our mentors modelsuccessful approaches and
(09:34):
practices.
We try it ourselves and werefine them and make them
better.
My mentors have also sharedencouragement and advice and
helped me build my ownconfidence, which in its own
right is totally invaluable.
Now my sponsors have served adifferent, but just as important
(09:54):
purpose as my mentors.
Sponsors are to be those whohave influence in the field and
can use that influence on yourbehalf.
I've been fortunate andstrategic enough and my career
to find great sponsors who haveall believed in me and given me
an opportunity to shine andthrive.
Everyone should have a sponsorwho will advocate for you and
(10:18):
along side you and pursuit ofyour growth and happiness.
Which brings me to my secondpractice--advocating for myself.
Anyone who knows me, knows thatI pull no punches in fighting
for myself and what I believein, but this is not always the
case for women.
In fact, centuries of socialismand sexism have taught us to shy
(10:40):
away from being assertive orstraightforward and standing up
and speaking out.
Society tells us that thisbehavior from men in the
workplace is strong, commandingand direct, but when women
conduct ourselves in the samemanner, it is seen as
aggressive, confrontational,hostile, or even all of the
(11:00):
above.
However I have learned the sweetspot.
Well, somewhat; I'm stillworking on myself.
But I have learned to advocatefor myself in a way that
prioritizes clearly andcompellingly communicating my
intended outcomes andhighlighting the inequities or
disparities that are standing inmy way.
(11:21):
The key words here are"clearly"and"compellingly"...
I avoid the naivete of thinkingthat no one will be defensive or
take what I'm saying personally.
So, I put forth the time andintentionality in standing up
for myself in a way that createsresonance from the listener.
The best and most successfuladvocates have have sparked
(11:44):
conviction and empathy.
This is what it takes to trulymake people hear you and
understand you, and also becomemore aware of the changes that
need to be made.
It is at that point, when thedoor cracks open just enough for
you to push it wide open.
Which brings me to my thirdpractice attacking and changing
(12:07):
the way of doing things.
Once that door cracks.
I have always pushed it open andquickly sees the opportunity to
shift the policies andstructural practices that have
typically kept women, especiallyblack women, pigeonholed in
certain roles.
Once I had the ears, minds,hearts, and respect of those who
(12:31):
were already in the position ofpower and authority, I knew it
was time to latch on, pull up mychair next to the table, and
whip out my folder of the dataand evidence that point to all
of the changes that needed to bemade.
I found myself sitting next tothe table, metaphorically
speaking, by joining resourceand focus groups; speaking
(12:54):
one-on-one with CEOs andexecutive directors; or
collaborating with human capitalteams.
These actions have positioned meto effectively engage in certain
conversations and initiativesthat worked to dismantle
structural inequality andactually work to promote equity
(13:15):
in my workplace.
I cannot stress enough howessential this is for creating
the workspace and the workplacethat would allow you to move
from the side of the table toactually taking a seat at the
table.
This also creates systemicchange that other women, after
(13:37):
you can take advantage of.
After all, we are all herebecause of the strong and
courageous women who have comebefore us.
And on that note there, you haveit.
That's the tea.
And as Shirley Chisholm, whatreminds us all today, When there
isn't a seat at the table foryou, bring a folding chair."
(13:58):
Happy women's history month,everyone.
Don't forget to like, and sharethis episode with your village.
And to read more from thesources that I quoted in this
episode, visit our website atTheEnrichedEducator.com/
podcast.
Thank you for Sipping the T.E.E.
With me and I'll see you againsoon.
Hey everyone.
Thanks for sipping the teatoday.
I'm Jasmine, your host and I'llbe talking about the best ways
to bring your own folding chairwhen there's not a seat at the
table.
I am so excited to talk aboutthis.
I know many of our listeners arewomen educators.
So, my goal today is kind oftwofold.
(00:20):
First, I'll be debunking mythsand setting the record straight
about how the education fieldhas been shaped and molded into
what we see today.
I'll also be discussing howwomen educators have become more
and more empowered to break theglass ceiling and take our
rightful position at the tablesthat were once exclusively
(00:40):
reserved for men.
So, let's jump into it.
Just a couple of weeks ago, Iposted a myth busters video to
(01:02):
the gram in which I talked abouttwo widely shared misconceptions
about women in education.
We've all heard said, or atleast have thought it in our
heads that the field has alwaysbeen female dominated and low
paying.
While there is some truth andmerit to both of those
(01:22):
statements, they are mythswithin the context in which they
are meant.
Let's start with the idea thatthe education field has always
been female dominated.
Not entirely.
As I explained a few weeks ago,around the 15 hundreds at the
start of the colonial period toaround the late 18 hundreds,
(01:46):
when the industrial revolutionmade its way to the United
States, white educated menactually dominated the field of
education.
Thanks to the industrialrevolution, men were presented
with access to more lucrativeand stable jobs.
Therefore, men began leaving theteaching profession thanks to
(02:06):
all of the new developments andexpansions our country was
receiving at that time.
And also people were gettingtheir swerve on, which meant
more babies.
And we know more babies meantmore schools were needed.
So, at that point, schools anddistricts started recruiting
young white women to join theprofession.
(02:28):
And by 1900 white womeninevitably dominated the
teaching field.
So, that means from 1500 to 1900for almost 400 years, men
dominated the field.
While women dominated the fieldfrom 1900 to 2022; so about 122
(02:49):
years.
Not even half as long as mendid.
I think we can say,"Myth One"debunked.
Now myth two (02:58):
the education field has always been a low
paying field.
Now.
Yes, that's true.
Still though, not in the contextin which we know and usually
mean it.
Back when men dominated theeducation field, they spent time
teaching as a way to supplementtheir income during the off
seasons of farming or duringtheir transition periods to
(03:21):
other fields.
Yes, the pay was lower than whatthey would usually earn during
farming season or what theywould eventually go on to make
as doctors, lawyers, industrialworkers, et cetera, but it was
still enough to sustain a decentliving and provide for their
families.
(03:41):
So when the industrialrevolution made its way to
America and men activelytransitioned from the classroom
to other professions, this lefta ton of teacher vacancies.
Remember, also during this timethere was an increased demand
for more schools.
Both of these things sparkedwhat we call today, our first
(04:04):
bout with school reform.
Which you know, is a fancy wayto say"let's change it up a bit
and start addressing some of ourneeds and gaps." This led to
change in how we did school backthen and the structure of
schools and school districts,which also inevitably meant the
introduction to new andimportant roles such as
(04:28):
principals, assistantprincipals, superintendents, and
educational experts.
To paraphrase what happened overthe course of the next 20 to 30
years or so, as men were leavingthe teaching profession, many of
them actually stayed in thefield of education, but they
opted for those leadership andexpert roles.
(04:50):
And two really big decisionsthat were made by the leaders
and experts, was to activelyrecruit white women to fill the
empty teaching seats, and adjustthe teacher salaries in order to
compensate for the salaries ofthose new leadership and expert
roles.
Back then you see much liketoday, schools were funded with
(05:12):
what we call a version oftaxpayer dollars, which
essentially meant there wasn't abig pool to draw from when
allocating dollars towardsteacher salaries.
So, what to do, what to do, whatto do?
Ah, lower the teaching salariesin order to afford the higher
paying leadership and expertsalaries; which meant women...
(05:37):
teachers were making even lessthan men when they were
teachers, which was alreadylower than other professions to
begin with.
This adjustment and decisionalso meant that there was a
glaring discrepancy and gapbetween the wages of leaders and
teachers.
With the profession beingoverwhelmingly, dominated by
(05:58):
women, this also meant that theteaching profession itself paid
low wages.
And there you have it.
I think we can say,"Myth Two"debunked.
So, what does this mean and looklike today?
Well, unfortunately not much haschanged since the 19 hundreds.
(06:19):
Women are still overrepresentedin the teaching field.
Men are still overrepresented inleadership roles, and there is
still a discrepancy betweenteacher and leader salaries.
Studies as recent as 2021, showthat 76% of public school
(06:39):
teachers are female and 24% aremale.
The ratio of men and women ineducation leadership is two to
one and there is a 21% paydifference between teachers and
leaders.
To add to that...
a report from the Council ofGreat City Schools revealed that
(07:00):
pay gaps in education, start inthe classroom and follow women
into the principal's office theprincipal's office.
This is an exact quote that I'llcircle back to a little bit
later.
But I do want to stamp that thereport reveals in Illinois, for
example, female teachers make onaverage$2,000, less per year
(07:23):
than their male colleagues.
And the gap grows to$4,000 atthe leadership level.
Two thirds of superintendentsare.
And they out earn their femalecounterparts by an average of
20,000 to$30,000 per year.
(07:45):
At the state level, this is nodifferent.
There's a similar gender gap of$25,000 per year.
Even though there is still alarge gap between men and women
with regard to salary andattaining leadership roles, that
gap has narrowed over time.
Back in 1987, the salary gapbetween men and women educators
(08:09):
was 42%.
And today that gap is at 21%.
Similarly in 1987, the ratio ofmen to women in leadership was
three to one; and today thatratio is two to one.
Now I would be remiss if Ididn't highlight that most of
the gap closing in leadershippositions between men and women
(08:30):
has occurred at the principallevel, being the highest level
with 52% of principals beingwomen.
However, still as of 2021, twothirds of superintendents and
state level administrators aremen.
There is still so much work tobe done with addressing and
(08:51):
combating these disparities.
But women have been makingremarkable strides and making a
spot for ourselves in educationleadership.
From my own experience, as afemale educator, I found three
practices that have helped mebreak barriers and shatter glass
ceilings.
I'd like to share them with you.
The first thing I had to learnalong my journey was the
(09:12):
importance of mentorship andsponsorship.
I've always sought after mentorswho are willing to share the
things they've learned alongtheir journey.
I made sure to observe theirpractices and adopt them as my
own.
After all, there is a sayingthat the best teachers are also
the best thieves.
We watch our mentors modelsuccessful approaches and
(09:34):
practices.
We try it ourselves and werefine them and make them
better.
My mentors have also sharedencouragement and advice and
helped me build my ownconfidence, which in its own
right is totally invaluable.
Now my sponsors have served adifferent, but just as important
(09:54):
purpose as my mentors.
Sponsors are to be those whohave influence in the field and
can use that influence on yourbehalf.
I've been fortunate andstrategic enough and my career
to find great sponsors who haveall believed in me and given me
an opportunity to shine andthrive.
Everyone should have a sponsorwho will advocate for you and
(10:18):
along side you and pursuit ofyour growth and happiness.
Which brings me to my secondpractice--advocating for myself.
Anyone who knows me, knows thatI pull no punches in fighting
for myself and what I believein, but this is not always the
case for women.
In fact, centuries of socialismand sexism have taught us to shy
(10:40):
away from being assertive orstraightforward and standing up
and speaking out.
Society tells us that thisbehavior from men in the
workplace is strong, commandingand direct, but when women
conduct ourselves in the samemanner, it is seen as
aggressive, confrontational,hostile, or even all of the
(11:00):
above.
However I have learned the sweetspot.
Well, somewhat; I'm stillworking on myself.
But I have learned to advocatefor myself in a way that
prioritizes clearly andcompellingly communicating my
intended outcomes andhighlighting the inequities or
disparities that are standing inmy way.
(11:21):
The key words here are"clearly"and"compellingly"...
I avoid the naivete of thinkingthat no one will be defensive or
take what I'm saying personally.
So, I put forth the time andintentionality in standing up
for myself in a way that createsresonance from the listener.
The best and most successfuladvocates have have sparked
(11:44):
conviction and empathy.
This is what it takes to trulymake people hear you and
understand you, and also becomemore aware of the changes that
need to be made.
It is at that point, when thedoor cracks open just enough for
you to push it wide open.
Which brings me to my thirdpractice attacking and changing
(12:07):
the way of doing things.
Once that door cracks.
I have always pushed it open andquickly sees the opportunity to
shift the policies andstructural practices that have
typically kept women, especiallyblack women, pigeonholed in
certain roles.
Once I had the ears, minds,hearts, and respect of those who
(12:31):
were already in the position ofpower and authority, I knew it
was time to latch on, pull up mychair next to the table, and
whip out my folder of the dataand evidence that point to all
of the changes that needed to bemade.
I found myself sitting next tothe table, metaphorically
speaking, by joining resourceand focus groups; speaking
(12:54):
one-on-one with CEOs andexecutive directors; or
collaborating with human capitalteams.
These actions have positioned meto effectively engage in certain
conversations and initiativesthat worked to dismantle
structural inequality andactually work to promote equity
(13:15):
in my workplace.
I cannot stress enough howessential this is for creating
the workspace and the workplacethat would allow you to move
from the side of the table toactually taking a seat at the
table.
This also creates systemicchange that other women, after
(13:37):
you can take advantage of.
After all, we are all herebecause of the strong and
courageous women who have comebefore us.
And on that note there, you haveit.
That's the tea.
And as Shirley Chisholm, whatreminds us all today, When there
isn't a seat at the table foryou, bring a folding chair."
(13:58):
Happy women's history month,everyone.
Don't forget to like, and sharethis episode with your village.
And to read more from thesources that I quoted in this
episode, visit our website atTheEnrichedEducator.com/
podcast.
Thank you for Sipping the T.E.E.
With me and I'll see you againsoon.
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