Early Childhood Teacher Beliefs, Attitudes, and Classroom Practices Surrounding Race and Gender

• In Event: Confronting and Countering Racism, Sexism, and Discipline Patterns in Early Childhood and Elementary Education Contexts

Abstract

As a result of immigration and demographic trends, students and teachers in the U.S. are experiencing more diversity in their lives than ever before (Plaut, 2010). Almost half (43%) of children under 5 in the U. S. are from ethnic backgrounds other than European American (Lim & Able-Boone, 2005). Children of color are consistently overrepresented in special education, underrepresented in gifted programs, and disproportionately represented in discipline referrals (Ford, 2012; Scott & Blanchett, 2011). Although the reasons for these phenomena are complex and multi-faceted, teachers’ beliefs and practices surrounding racial and gender diversity may be a contributing factor. However, research about early childhood teachers’ practices, and predictors of these practices, such as beliefs about race and gender, are scarce (Pollock, 2004). Therefore the current study uses an online survey methodology to explore these topics in-depth.

Some of the questions explored include: “What beliefs and attitudes do early childhood teachers hold about addressing race and gender in the classroom?” and “What is the relationship between early childhood teachers’ beliefs about race and gender and teachers’ self-reported classroom practices?” The dilemma of how to best address diversity, such as racial diversity, without inadvertently reinforcing stereotypes is referred to as the diversity education dilemma (Amoroso, Loyd, & Hoobler, 2010). This dilemma occurs when discussions of diversity-related issues in a classroom, such as discussions of social categories and social hierarchies, draw attention to group differences, and therefore reinforce stereotypes and prejudices they aim to debunk. For instance, according to developmental intergroup theory (Bigler & Liben, 2006, 2007), the explicit labeling and organization of children along perceptually salient social categories, such as race and gender, contribute to stereotype and prejudice development (Brown & Bigler, 2002; Hilliard & Liben, 2010).

Research questions were addressed through open- and close-ended survey questions administered to 250 early childhood educators. An online survey, containing a battery of questionnaires assessing early childhood educators’ beliefs, attitudes, and practices surrounding gender and race (e.g., colorblindness, sexism, multicultural teaching practices) were administered to participants. Analysis of close-ended responses relies on correlational and regression analyses, while analysis of open-ended questions relies on thematic analysis. To link the quantitative and qualitative data, extreme case analysis is used. Extreme or deviant case analysis is used to study anomalous cases and it refers to a mixed-methods type of data analysis in which extreme cases from one type of data (i.e., quantitative) are used to identify and further analyze cases in another type of data (i.e., qualitative) (Caracelli & Greene, 1993). Data analysis is currently in progress.

Implications for teacher education and self-reflection will be discussed. Becoming a culturally and racially competent teacher is not an easy task. Teachers must reflect on their own prejudices and biases before they can address these issues with children (D’Angelo & Dixey, 2001). Findings from this study may inform ways in which teachers may reflect on their own biases and beliefs.

Author

• Flora Farago, Arizona State University