I chose this chapter because it explains a time when the author dissected gender stereotypes with the seven and eight year olds in her classroom. These children are very similar to the age I teach and I have had struggles with talking to them about gender stereotypes. However, I do feel that the content presented in this chapter is relevant to any teacher, as long as it is modified effectively.
I remember hearing students say things like "boys are just better at sports" and "boys are smarter". I was at a loss for how to show them that these statements weren't true, other than just telling them. Telling is all well and good, but I wanted to show them why those statements were harmful and why they were patently incorrect.
This chapter was incredibly helpful for me. Not only did it emotionally impact me as I really related to this teacher's experience, but it gave me actual strategies to combat gender stereotypes in my early childhood classroom.
In her classroom, this teacher had a discussion about Barbie and what she teaches us is true about women. Below is a picture of the Barbie doll that matches what she described in this chapter:
Daniel, I appreciate your reflections on how this article allowed a teacher to discuss such complex topics with younger students. I would be curious to hear how the teacher followed these conversations up. After students identified these stereotypes, how did she push them to challenge these ideas or was this activity just used to create space for students to notice and comment on these stereotypes? Thanks for your insight!
ReplyDeleteGreat insights from this article! You’re so right - understanding how media portrays body image and stereotypes is so important for all ages (elementary, middle school, and high school). It is a topic that extend even after school ends! I have also noticed that students can be very observant and socially tuned in when they have the space to do so!
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