Guys and dolls: a qualitative study of teachers’ views of gendered play in kindergarten

Abstract

Drawing on data collected for a larger study investigating kindergarten teachers' online discussions of play, the present qualitative study examines teachers' discussions of gender. Findings suggest that teachers' project onto their kindergarten students many of their own gender prejudices about play. These teachers reinforced gendered attitudes by encouraging the children, especially the boys, to play only with toys and in activities traditionally associated with their gender. Email interviews were then conducted with seven kindergarten teachers to further explore the main theme from the netnographic research. Findings support the contention that further research is needed to examine gendered play in kindergartens, and that kindergarten teachers could benefit from becoming aware of their unintentional teachings and in learning how better to encourage gender equity in play-based class activities.

Parents’ Judgments about the Desirability of Toys for Their Children: Associations with Gender Role Attitudes, Gender-typing of Toys, and Demographics

“…Preschools, however, are promising starting points for enacting change in parents and preschool teachers. Previous research found that preschool teachers project gender prejudices about play onto their students (Lynch 2015) and that children in preschools with a focus on gender-neutral education were found to show less gender stereotyping than children in typical preschools (Shutts et al 2017). Thus, training programs on gender-sensitive pedagogy for preschool teachers that include parental outreach may be an important step in promoting gender fairness in education.…”

Perceptions of gender in early years

“…Suggesting that children may learn to play with toys from significant adults who inculcate and promote particular gender behaviours. This is also reflected in Lynch's (2015) research in to the gendered attitudes and expectations of kindergarten teachers' which found that the adults' assumed gendered expectations about the children's conduct influenced the pre-school children engagement and behaviours with the play activities. It is recognised, as noted by Chappell (2011), that there is no setting that is a wholly neutral space and that gender behaviours are learned, modified and reproduced in all areas of children's lives as a result of gender specificity existing in all institutions.…”

“…Thus, the very sector charged and trusted with promoting justice through education and care may, through the adoption of pseudoscientific practices or blindness to practices, reproduce the old rhetoric that boys and girls are immutably different and require different educational experiences. How gender is done depends on how it is perceived by those who influence and nurture children's development in the world (Lynch, 2015).…”

Tracking gender in kindergarten

“…Therefore, boys are trained from an early age to take active positions and the opposite applies to girls (Bø, 2014). Therefore, gender-stereotypical attitudes towards girls and boys contribute to upholding traditional perceptions (Aune, 2012;Chen & Rao, 2011;Chick et al, 2002;Gerouki, 2010;Hamilton, Anderson, Broaddus, & Young, 2006;Lynch, 2015).…”

“…Boys are generally given a greater degree of attention and space to express themselves than girls. Boys are expected to be more active, physical and assertive, while for girls it can be difficult to push these boundaries (Chick et al, 2002;Eidevald, 2009;Lynch, 2015;Månsson, 2000). Therefore, boys are trained from an early age to take active positions and the opposite applies to girls (Bø, 2014).…”