Challenging the Binary Nature of Gender in Our School Community

• In Event: Early Childhood Teacher Research for Professional Development: Teacher Inquiry Projects in Diverse School Contexts

Abstract

This presentation will explore the methods of challenging binary gender ideas within the presenter’s school community – not only to empower young children to fight gender inequities, but also to motivate adults to join children in this fight. This project was inspired by the anti-bias work of Derman-Sparks and Edwards (2010); the diverse writings of Ramsey (2015); and the multicultural education teachings of Souto-Manning (2013). Each of these sources provides perspectives on creating a multicultural classroom in a way that is truly meaningful for the children. Social justice and diversity have become popular topics in the field of early childhood education. This study examined social justice from the perspective of gender, while also challenging the children to think critically.

This research project was conducted at a private, nonprofit preschool in San Francisco in a classroom of 32 children aged 3 and 4 years old. Data was gathered through recorded conversations with the children and also through the use of a teacher journal, in order to reflect on conversations about gender with both the students and the adults in the school community. Several children’s books were used to incite critical discussion with the class. Most of the titles chosen presented characters challenging gender stereotypes with their behavior, although one book was selected due to a lack of gender diversity. The title lacking diversity was used to especially highlight the injustices that persist related to gender in our world.

The teacher researcher will show that her data analysis revealed personal experience to be a crucial component in the construction of our ideas about gender. Both the children and adults in the study cited personal experience to support their ideas about gender. The presenter also found that justice plays a vital part in giving the topic of gender and equity meaning for young children. Finally, the presenter’s self-reflections revealed the challenges a teacher faces in inviting such a critical discussion with young children, as well as the many tensions that arise when pursuing the topic of gender equity.

Author

• Rosemary Medeiros, Lone Mountain Children's Center