<html> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; = charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10 (filtered)"> <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple id="role_body" = bottomMargin=7 leftmargin=7 topmargin=7 rightMargin=7> <div class=Section1> This discussion is definitely a = slippery slope and people are sensitive, overly in my view.  It’s too = bad really.  I don’t agree with Roger, we’re not all = equal—at least not in innate ability, and there are gender differences = (thankfully).  How those differences manifest themselves in terms of piano technician potential I certainly can’t answer nor would I claim that those = differences are ever relevant for any individual.  But there are patterns and = if your goals aren’t prejudicial, it can be interesting to observe = them.  The sooner we learn to appreciate those differences rather than fall = into the trap of “equal rights means we are all the same” the better = off we’ll be.  Of course, IMHO.  <div> David Love davidlovepianos@comcast.net </div> -----Original = Message----- From: = caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On = Behalf Of Jeannie Grassi Sent: Sunday, January 22, = 2006 3:27 PM To: 'College and University Technicians' Subject: RE: [CAUT] = Differences?   Wim, Not to be confrontational....But, when you make general, = sweeping statements about how women do or don’t behave, that IS being = sexist!!!   If you were to make the same sort of generalities about a = minority group, I think you could see how that would be equally as = misguided.   Perhaps the observations you’ve made about your wife, = may just have to do with your wife and not all women, as you = suggested.  There are many reasons why she may have preferred tuning.  There are many reasons why she may be mechanically challenged...one of which is that = the toys and opportunities marketed for girls offer them little in that = direction.  I had no brothers and I never got to have all the “cool” = toys and games that all the boys got.  (At least to me they were way = cooler.)  Back then, parents thought they shouldn’t cross over the gender = lines with those things.  Changing diapers on baby dolls was the most = mechanical thing some of us got to do.  And if you take a stroll down the = aisles of Toys R Us, you’ll see that it hasn’t changed all that = much.    When young girls are encouraged to have their own tools, = build things, fix things, take things apart....they are having some of the = basic experiences that begin to develop mechanical reasoning.  At least = in this area, things have begun to change.  It is the attitudes of those of = us making decisions for young women that still need to change.  =   I kindly suggest to you, Wim, that you might re-examine your thinking about such things.  Step up to the 21st = century.  A lot of us are here!  :>) Respectfully, jeannie   <div> Jeannie Grassi, RPT <a href="mailto:jcgrassi@earthlink.net">mailto:jcgrassi@earthlink.net</a>= </div>   <div> <div style='margin-left:.5in'> <div class=MsoNormal align=center = style='margin-left:.5in;text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center> </div> </div> From:</spa= n> caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Wimblees@aol.com Sent: Saturday, January = 21, 2006 3:36 PM To: caut@ptg.org Subject: Re: [CAUT] = Differences? </div>   <div> <div> In a message dated 1/20/2006 10:49:27 P.M. Central Standard Time, = jim_busby@byu.edu writes: </div> <blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid blue = 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt; margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'> A serious question here; I’ve got three daughters and a son who have learned to do quite a bit of piano work. The girls all love to do = tedious shop work but HATE to tune. The boy loves to tune but doesn’t like shop = work all that much. I just thought it was their personalities until I started = having students work here at BYU. Seems the same applies. I don’t want to = come across as sexist in any way, but I want to understand why. All the = female students seem to excel more at the shop skills, but seem to dislike = tuning. It seems harder for them than the guys. They seem to be less aggressive and = more perfectionists and can hardly stand it if they don’t get it right = NOW. There are other teachers besides me so I don’t think my teaching = style is to be blamed. I guess the real question is, do women (physically, mentally…) have a harder time learning to tune?? I really want to encourage more women to take up the trade. (Help!)  </fo= nt> Jim Busby BYU  </fo= nt> </blockquote> </div> <div> Jim</font= > </div> <div>  </f= ont> </div> <div> Women are perfectionist, and they do have a LOT more patience than men. Again, not to be sexist, but that is why they make good = secretaries. They catch all the mistakes their male bosses make. </div> <div>  </f= ont> </div> <div> But on the other side of that coin, 20 years ago I taught my wife to tune. She = did fine with that, but she is more or less mechanically challenged. She does not do well using tools. So when I tried = teaching her regulation and do minor repairs, it just didn't register with her. I think part of the reason is that she didn't do the same = thing within a couple of days. I could teach how to do one procedure, but = unless she could do it again within a week, she would forget what to = do.  I taught her how to do let off on a direct blow action. But when I tried = to show her the same thing on a drop action, it didn't register with her. The = same with making repairs. </div> <div>  </f= ont> </div> <div> Wim = </div> </div> </body> </html>