Abstract
This research paper focuses on the issue of gender stereotypes and, more particularly, on the way in which kindergarten students choose the toys and games/activities that they play and the manifestation of specific behaviors which they express in the kindergarten class. The research questions attempted to answer to the correlation of gender stereotypes and the student’s choices of toys and games/activities, and the manifestation of pro-social and aggressive behaviors in students, as well as the teachers’ views on the influence which gender stereotypes exert on students and the way teachers attempt to solve related problems. As part of the research, semi-structured interviews with ten teachers who worked in Greek kindergarten schools were conducted, in order to explore their views and attitudes on the issues stated above. The results of this research show that kindergarten teachers spot differences in kindergarten students’ choices of toys and games/activities, as well as in the behavior between boys and girls. The responses of the kindergarten teachers show that they do not all agree that the aforementioned differences are due to gender stereotypes. The results also show that kindergarten teachers are aware of the ways in which gender stereotypes affect kindergarten students in the family and the school environment. Kindergarten teachers also stated that they know how to deal with gender stereotype problems which may arise in their classes.
Highlights
Despite the general progress in the field of gender equality, gender stereotypes still continue to bear roots in people’s perceptions at a global scale
The purpose of this research is to explore the views of practicing kindergarten teachers on the ways in which gender stereotypes are seen in the daily life of a kindergarten class, as well as to investigate the teachers’ attitudes on the influence that gender stereotypes exert on very young students
The comments of the kindergarten teachers in the present study showed that boys choose motor games more often during recess compared to girls
Summary
Despite the general progress in the field of gender equality, gender stereotypes still continue to bear roots in people’s perceptions at a global scale. The educational field does not remain untouched by this phenomenon, as teachers tend to consciously or unconsciously treat students according to their gender, from the way they sit in the class to the expectations for their academic performance [1]. Gender stereotypes influence student’s psyche from an early age, and this seems to continue throughout their lives, shaping their confidence, their sense of competence, and their aspirations for the future [2]. Students’ choices of toys and games, as well as the pro-social and aggressive behaviors which they display in kindergarten, are issues that have been studied by many researchers (see [3, 4]). The kindergarten teachers’ stance on the aforementioned
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