The Adventures of Blocks in a Pre-K Classroom: Performativity of Material Actors and Children

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 76
  In Roundtable Session: Children's Agency and Story

Abstract

Block play is a fundamental form of play in preschool. It is particularly related to spatial skills, mathematics, and engineering.However, some gender differences have been observed in mathematics.Gender differences in mathematics achievement are linked to gender distinctions in block play.In the previous literature, gender was used as a stable binary factor close to biological sex, and children’s building structure and mathematical ability were measured with standardized test tools. Post-structural perspectives against dichotomies enable us to understand children’s block play and their subjectivities with bodies and materiality beyond gender and mind-body dualism. Drawing on Butler's performativity and Latour's Actor-network theory, I demonstrated material actants and children's performativity in block play.

Author

• Su Yun Choi, University of Georgia - Athens