ERIC Number: EJ846571
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2005-Mar
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0312-5033
EISSN: N/A
Teacher Understandings of and Commitment to Gender Equity in the Early Childhood Setting
Lee-Thomas, Kerrin; Sumsion, Jennifer; Roberts, Susan
Australian Journal of Early Childhood, v30 n1 p21-27 Mar 2005
Despite considerable examination of gender and gender equity within early childhood education, gender inequity remains problematic in many early childhood settings. Using qualitative methods, the study reported in this article investigated four early childhood teachers' understandings about gender and their commitment to promoting gender equity. It adopted a triangulated investigation of the teachers' understandings, attitudes and commitment to gender equity that involved talking with the teachers about their practice, observing their pedagogic practice, and inviting them to reflect on gender-based scenarios. While the participants believed gender to be a significant issue for early childhood teachers, their understandings about many aspects of gender and gender equity were heavily grounded in socialisation theory. In addition, their reliance on socialisation theory seemed to contribute to a sense of fatalism regarding their capacity for intervention. The study concludes that engaging with feminist poststructuralist theory may enhance teachers' understanding about gender and gender equity and offer a way of intervening effectively at the local level.
Descriptors: Feminism, Early Childhood Education, Young Children, Sex Fairness, Methods, Teaching Methods, Preschool Teachers, Equal Education, Gender Bias, Teacher Attitudes, Vignettes, Socialization, Social Theories, Teacher Role, Social Attitudes
Early Childhood Australia. P.O. Box 7105, Watson, ACT 2602, Australia. Tel: +61-2-6242-1800; Fax: +61-2-6242-1818; e-mail: publishing@earlychildhood.org.au; Web site: http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A