Gender inequality in the classroom can harm students of both sexes. Messages that reinforce gender stereotypes (for example, boys are better at science and math) can discourage children from tackling certain topics and limit their ability to reach their full potential. By balancing educational content, activities and approaches to prevent gender bias and encourage individuality, teachers can give kindergarten students more opportunities to develop their talents and abilities.
Summary of this practical sheet
1 Role models
2 Group work
3 Learn
4 Play
Role models
Activities that use non-traditional role models can help challenge gender stereotypes and teach children about the endless choices available to them. A teacher can bring professionals from non-gender-related jobs to the classroom to talk about their work. Girls often lack appropriate role models in science and engineering and, as a result, may lose interest in these professions. Having professional women scientists in classrooms will break stereotypes and teach children that girls can be as proficient in science and math as boys.
Group work
Boys can sometimes fill stereotypical leadership roles and express themselves more in the classroom, while girls may be reluctant to participate actively. Girls should be encouraged to actively participate, especially in games or activities that involve science and math (such as counting games). One way to do this is to use groups that are unisex. While this may appear to foster division, girls in groups are less likely to express themselves or take on leadership roles if there is an assertive boy in the group. Using same-sex groups can give girls more say.
Teachers can encourage leadership among both sexes by distributing leadership responsibilities equally. This could be who is "leading" the student lines or who is helping the teacher to set them up.
Learn
Teachers can use books that portray women and men in non-traditional gender roles and discuss these roles with students. Books should include male and female protagonists. When books or course content that follow or reinforce stereotypes, this can be emphasized. Open discussions with students about these stereotypes can help discourage this way of thinking and allow students to question them.
The curriculum can be constructed to reflect strong female characters from the story as well as men who excelled in non-traditional male roles.
To play
Teachers can use play time to uphold gender equity. Providing toys that challenge gender stereotypes is one way to do this. It can be having male and female dolls; female dolls or puppets who work in traditional male roles (such as firefighters) and male dolls or puppets who work in traditionally female careers (such as nurses or librarians).
When students show an interest or particular aptitudes in an activity, they should be encouraged, regardless of their gender. For example, if girls show an interest in soccer or hockey, they can be given books or movies on the subject or encouraged to join groups to continue the sport. Likewise, boys should not be discouraged when playing with dolls or cooking.
