Early Elementary Educators' Responses to Race- and Gender-Based Discrimination

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 1
  In Roundtable Session: At the Intersection of Race and Gender: New Horizons in Educational Research

Abstract

Educational research increasingly finds evidence of interpersonal discrimination. Yet, few studies have examined early childhood educators’ practices in these instances. Such understanding is vital given the malleable nature of children’s attitudes. We examined 159 early childhood teachers’ reported responses to hypothetical scenarios of classroom-based gender and racial discrimination. Content analysis revealed 21 codes within three themes: anti-bias, color/genderblind, and general practices. Code occurrence frequencies illustrated the nuances of teachers’ socialization. In instances of gender discrimination, teachers explicitly referenced gender and endorsed both anti-bias and color-blind practices. Yet, in race-related scenarios, teachers rarely referenced race and relied on general practices. Findings contribute to scientific understanding of teachers’ role in reducing bias and discrimination, and offer implications for teacher professional development.

Authors

• Larissa M Gaias, University of Washington

• Jayley Ann Janssen, Arizona State University

• Diana E. Gal, Arizona State University

• Tracy L. Spinrad, Arizona State University

• Deborah Laible, Lehigh University

• Rebecca H. Berger, Arizona State University

• Sonya Xinyue Xiao, Arizona State University

• Jingyi Xu, Arizona State University

• Nancy Eisenberg, Arizona State University