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Teacher -child interaction in the preschool classroom: Gender equity in context
Abstract
This study has investigated the quality and quantity of interactions between teachers and children at three preschool settings to find out whether these teachers interacted differently with girls and boys. The study aimed at understanding how teachers integrated gender equity as a value into their other values through curriculum, classroom management and discipline, conflict resolution, their use of language, discussions with children, and the rest of their daily interactions with the children. Three preschool classrooms were chosen to be studied in depth. The setting of the study was three schools in a rural college community in New England. The preschools included one that is privately owned, another run by a non-profit community organization, and a third that belongs to a prestigious private college. The qualitative data collection process included three components: Systematic observations and qualitative field notes; videotaping; and exit interviews with the teachers. The researcher spent an average of thirty five hours in each classroom, over the course of seven months. Data analysis revealed that for most of the time teachers managed to incorporate equity into their daily interactions with the children. At the same time, all teachers had a tendency to differential treatment of boys and girls in the area of discipline. The language used referring to animals, proved to be stereotyped in two of the centers. The data revealed also that when teachers used well planned curriculum, and effective classroom management, they provided a classroom atmosphere that fostered girls' and boys' growth as individuals and as community members equally. On the other hand, all children suffered when teachers were ill prepared, or had poor classroom management. The study has implications for teacher education programs. Teacher effectiveness training, that includes gender equity, can be an essential part of pre-service and in-service training.
Subject Area
Preschool education
Recommended Citation
Mari, Hind R, "Teacher -child interaction in the preschool classroom: Gender equity in context" (2000). Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest. AAI9978524.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9978524