Sex and gender
In modern society, it is customary to distinguish between the concepts of sex and gender. Gender is a biological characteristic of an individual that determines the distinctive characteristics of a man and a woman at the chromosomal, anatomical, hormonal and reproductive levels. Gender usually means the social sex of an individual, the differences between men and women depending on social conditions. Such conditions may include social functions, a system of social division of labor, cultural stereotypes, etc. Thus, gender acts as a sociocultural phenomenon, meaning what it means to be a man/woman in a certain society. For example, if a man does not work, but is engaged in raising his children, then in a traditional society his behavior will be considered atypical (unmasculine) in terms of gender roles. However, despite this, according to biological characteristics, this individual does not become “less of a man.”
As for the acceptability of certain norms that determine an individual’s gender, they are initially set by society itself and its culture. In American sociological theory, the concept of gender developed gradually. At the same time, at different stages of development of this concept, various aspects were in the focus:
- gender from the perspective of the social roles of men and women,
- gender as an expression of power relations,
- gender as control over the behavior of men and women,
— gender as a special social institution.
The social roles of men and women are usually considered in two directions - vertical and horizontal. Thus, in the first case, gender is considered in the context of such concepts as income and wealth, power, prestige, etc. From the position of the horizontal approach, the institutional aspect of differentiation (politics, economics, education, family) and functional (division of responsibilities in the process of implementation) is considered. labor).
According to the concept of Sandra Bem (1944), three types of gender should be distinguished: masculine, feminine and androgynous.
Gender-sensitive education of older preschoolers
Raikovskaya Irina
Gender-sensitive education of older preschoolers
Good afternoon, dear teachers.
The topic of my speech is “ Education of older preschoolers taking into account gender characteristics .”
Before we start talking, I would like to tell you a parable about a chest.
Parable about the chest. One day the teacher brought a chest and said to the students: “Before you study, you must open this chest in any way .” The students crowded around the chest. One tried to open it with tools, but the lock was too difficult. Another brought different keys from home, but none of them fit. The third tried to break the chest with an axe, but was unsuccessful.
- Teacher, maybe we can start studying? – one student asked timidly. -I will study different locks and someday I will open this chest. But for this I need knowledge and time. The teacher hugged the student and announced: “You’re right.” Education is a treasure, and work is the key to it. Only by gaining knowledge will you be able to open this treasure.
Let's give the values:
«Gender»
translated from English means
“social gender”
.
It assumes gender awareness that “I am a boy”
or
“I am a girl
,” hence the behavior model
“I behave and act like a boy”
or a girl.
Gender education is the organization of conditions for the upbringing and development of a child, taking into account belonging to a particular gender.
Gender education is aimed at:
• mastering female and male roles that are accepted in society,
• mastering the culture of relationships with one’s own and the opposite sex,
• mastering the skills and abilities necessary for the implementation of gender .
Difference:
A child is born with a certain biological sex, and a gender role in the process of socialization, that is, in the process of communicating with other people.
Gender is a set of anatomical and physiological characteristics of an organism , given from birth;
Gender is a social sex that determines a person’s behavior in society and how this behavior is perceived ;
Gender roles are shaped by culture ( upbringing , education, training)
Sex education in the broad sense of the word is the entire process of gender socialization .
Gender socialization gives girls “roots”
, and for boys -
“wings”
.
The formation of gender stability is determined by sociocultural norms and depends on the nature of parental attitudes and on the upbringing of the child in a preschool educational institution.
Relevance of gender education .
1. In preschool age, there is an intensive process of developing a child’s self-awareness, an important component of which is awareness of oneself as a representative of a certain gender.
2. The task of gender education is to form in a child a stable concept of his gender - I am a girl; I'm a boy.
3. Organize the upbringing and education of the child in accordance with his gender.
GEF slide
Social changes taking place in modern society have led to the destruction of traditional stereotypes of male and female behavior. Against the background of these changes, the internal psychological positions of children and their consciousness also change: girls become aggressive and rude, and boys adopt a feminine type of behavior.
According to the UN definition, gender relations are one of the global problems of the 21st century.
In Russia, this is due to the fact that the state’s social strategy, which is aimed at creating conditions for the sustainable development of the country, involves the inclusion of gender components in all areas of public life: politics, economics, culture, education. To resolve this issue in education, in the order of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation dated October 17, 2013 No. 1155 “On the coverage of gender issues in the education system”
Official recommendations were given for studying the basics
of gender knowledge .
The relevance of gender education at the moment is enormous, since the direction of the gender education program also takes into account the fact that modern society is categorically against men and women having only a set of advantages based on their gender.
There is a huge need to create conditions in preschool educational institutions for gender socialization of preschool children .
The educational space model is being built in 4 directions:
1. Acquaintance with theoretical knowledge about the psychosocial differences between boys and girls, the characteristics of their upbringing and education ;
2. Promoting pedagogical knowledge on this issue with parents and involving them in participation in the educational process;
3. Building a developmental environment.
4. Construction of a pedagogical process model.
The goal of the gender approach in pedagogy is to educate children of different sexes are equally capable of self-realization and revealing their potentials and capabilities in modern society.
A gender approach in education is an individual approach to a child’s manifestation of his identity, which in the future gives a person greater freedom of choice and self-realization, helps to be flexible enough and be able to use different behavioral possibilities.
Forms of organizing children's activities in which children will develop social (gender role)
behavior.
Slide game, etc.
Subject development environment
The formation of the gender identity of boys and girls is possible only in a joint environment, where boys and girls have the opportunity to communicate, play, and work together, but at the same time they can show their individual characteristics , as well as the characteristics inherent in their gender . Consequently, one of the most important conditions for the formation of gender identity is the creation of a multifunctional subject-development environment surrounding boys and play activities.
Game activity.
In preschool age, the main activity is play. In role-playing games, children learn gender behavior . Children's play reflects the traditional view of the roles of men and women in society. Girls take care of the house every day, take care of children, and get married. Boys fight in the war, defending their homeland, build bridges, repair cars. The game also lays the foundations of morality: generosity, reliability, respect for girls (women)
–– in boys.
Kindness, patience, loyalty, respect for boys (men)
The groups have created conditions for boys to play
“Sailors”
,
“Military”
,
“Motorists”
. Boys learn to be brave, restrained, and overcome difficulties. When explaining to the boys the course of military and heroic games, I emphasize that their characters protect those who need help and defend their Motherland.
For girls – “Beauty Salon”
,
“Hairdresser”
,
“Kitchen”
, play area
“Family”
with all the necessary attributes, where girls lay the foundations of motherhood.
Labor activity.
Mastering the experience of male and female behavior in household activities is facilitated by work assignments , which are also distributed depending on the gender of the child: boys do work involving the use of physical force, and girls do work involving the use of accuracy.
Cognitive activity.
Gender education is carried out not only in gaming activities, but also in the educational process.
Game activities and conversations are divided into three blocks:
“Who am I: a boy or a girl? What kind of boy am I? What kind of girl am I?
.
The block is aimed at developing the child’s ideas about his gender and the formation of positive acceptance of his gender. Formation in children of knowledge about male and female qualities and methods of behavior adequate to them.
"Man and woman in the family and society"
. The block is aimed at developing children's ideas about the social functions of men and women and the desire to imitate positive forms of masculine or feminine behavior.
“Me today and me in the future”
. The block is aimed at enriching the ideas of boys and girls about their present and future social roles in society and family. Formation of relationships between boys - future men and girls - future women.
Reading fiction.
Reading and discussing works of art, looking at illustrations: all this contributes to the formation of gender stability . Using the example of heroes, boys and girls learn to build friendly relationships and understand their social role. Such works as R. n. fairy tale “Little Khavroshechka”
,
“Crane and Heron”
,
“Ivan the Peasant Son and Miracle Yudo”
,
“The Frog Princess” “The Needlewoman and the Sloth”
, fairy tales by H. H. Andersen
“The Snow Queen”
,
“Wild Swans”
,
“The Steadfast Tin Soldier”
, stories about D. Donskoy, A. Nevsky, heroes and Russian soldiers, etc.
instill in boys masculinity, courage, hard work, nobility, the ability to overcome difficulties, a strong and courageous man, a defender of their loved ones and the Fatherland, and in girls - femininity , kindness, responsiveness, gentleness, tolerance, care, love for children, wise woman, mother, keeper of the family hearth.
Productive activity.
A differentiated approach to girls and boys is due to their psychophysical characteristics . And productive activity is no exception. Girls are ahead of boys in development in a number of ways. They have greater manual skill (fine motor skills are better developed, they are more diligent in their work, they are more careful, they better remember the algorithm for completing a task, they are more attentive and responsive.
In collective work, boys and girls complement each other. Boys lead at the planning stage, and girls at the implementation stage.
In productive activities, it is easy to track the development of gender education - awareness and positive or negative attitude towards one’s gender .
Musical activity.
In the classroom, work on gender education can be seen in various types of musical activities. When learning dances (waltz, polka)
boys master the skills of a leading partner; for girls, we focus on grace, elegance, and softness of movements.
Boys learn movements that require masculine strength and agility (riders, hussars)
.
In girls, smoothness and softness of movements predominate (round dances, dancing with flowers, umbrellas, dolls)
.
All this contributes to the development of the child’s ideas about his gender.
Physical activity.
Taking into account the differences in the development of motor functions of boys and girls, a differentiated approach to them is carried out in the process of physical education . The peculiarity of this differentiation is that girls and boys are not isolated from each other, but in the process of specially organized activities they develop physical qualities that are considered to be purely feminine or masculine. So, for example, there are:
— Differences in learning complex motor movements (throwing at a distance is easier for boys and vice versa, jumping rope is easier for girls)
— Distribution of roles in outdoor games (boys are bears, wolves, and girls are bees, bunnies, etc.)
The role of the family in gender education of children .
Parental relationships play an important role in the development gender identity. Therefore, it is important that mom and dad serve as an example in raising masculine and feminine principles.
The mother develops humanistic character traits (compassion, caring for loved ones)
• Acts with affection, kindness
• Develops deep affection, tolerance
• Reveals the beauty of the surrounding world
• Gives ready answers to questions
• Is a role model for my daughter’s behavior.
Father:
• Forms determination, perseverance, courage
• Is a generator of ideas, brings things to an end, develops collectivism and chivalry in a child
• The father is a role model for the child in later life.
• Contributes to the formation of self-esteem and status position
• Teaches you to analyze, generalize and draw the right conclusions
Against the background of these changes, the internal psychological positions of children and their consciousness also change: girls become aggressive and rude, and boys adopt a feminine type of behavior. Many girls lack modesty, tenderness, patience, and do not know how to peacefully resolve conflict situations. Boys, on the contrary, do not know how to stand up for themselves, are physically weak, lack stamina and emotional stability, and they lack a culture of behavior towards girls.
Conclusion: the influence of the gender approach on the upbringing , development and training of preschool children is very great . At the same time, children develop: gender-oriented behavior ; moral qualities accepted in society; communication and speech skills develop; thinking, memory, and imagination develop.
Feminine type
Often seen as the opposite of the masculine type. Feminine gender implies the presence in an individual of such traits as:
- femininity,
- responsiveness,
- passivity,
- softness,
- emotionality,
- compliance, etc.
At the same time, it was traditionally believed that femininity, like masculinity, is biologically determined. Accordingly, the dominant opinion was that these were purely feminine qualities, and every woman, to one degree or another, should correspond to them. The presence of such qualities in the male part of the population was considered, at best, strange, and at worst, unacceptable. However, feminist research has led to the discovery of a new view of the nature of femininity: it is not so much biologically determined as it is constructed from childhood. If a girl is not feminine enough, she is condemned by others. According to the concept of French feminist theorists E. Cixous and J. Kristeva, femininity is an arbitrary category that is assigned to women by patriarchy.
Androgynous type
Androgynous gender implies a combination of masculine and feminine traits. It is believed that from the point of view of adaptability, this position is the most optimal - the personality, as it were, absorbs all the best from the two types. Numerous studies have shown that masculinity and femininity are not, in a strict sense, opposites of each other - their strict opposition is erroneous. It has been found that persons who strictly adhere to the characteristics traditionally attributed to their sex are often poorly adapted to life conditions. The following patterns were identified:
- women with low levels of masculinity and men with high levels of femininity are often anxious, helpless, passive and more prone to depression;
— women and men with a high level of masculinity have difficulty establishing and maintaining interpersonal contacts;
— young married couples who strictly adhere to traditional models of male/female behavior often have sexual and psychological disharmony in the family, as well as sexual disorders;
— androgyny, as a psychological characteristic, has a positive relationship with the level of self-esteem, motivation to achieve, a sense of internal well-being, etc.
An androgynous personality has a rich set of gender-role behavior, using it flexibly depending on the dynamics of changing social situations.
The formation of children's gender identity can take place in accordance with the gender role or gender position of the immediate environment. And here we should distinguish between two fundamental approaches: sex-role and gender.
Article:
How we raise our children, what personal qualities we can develop in them, taking into account their individual and gender characteristics, directly determines what kind of women and men they will become in the future, what kind of parents they will be for their children.
All the most important personality qualities, inclinations and abilities are formed precisely in preschool age. DIFFERENCE IN THE CONCEPTS OF “SEX” AND “GENDER”
“SEX” is a biological difference between people, determined by the genetic structure of cells, anatomical and physiological characteristics and reproductive functions.
“GENDER” is the social sex of a person, formed in the process of personal upbringing and includes psychological, social and cultural differences between men (boys) and women (girls).
FAMILY FUNCTIONS
IN THE PROCESS OF SOCIALIZATION OF A PRESCHOOL CHILD
— the family ensures the physical and emotional development of the child;
— the family influences the formation of the child’s psychological gender;
- the family plays a leading role in the mental development of a preschooler;
- the family is important in mastering social norms (the function of primary socialization);
— value orientations are formed in the family;
— the family performs the function of socio-psychological support.
GENDER EDUCATION IN THE FAMILY
FAMILY is the place in which a child develops his first idea about relationships between people, about the place of each person in this world.
The child’s behavior pattern and his subsequent life scenario are seriously influenced by the relationships that have developed in the family.
Raising children should help them develop an understanding of the roles of women and men in the family and in society.
Under the influence of parents, the child develops a certain model of behavior that he will adhere to in society.
THE ROLE OF THE FAMILY IN GENDER EDUCATION OF CHILDREN
MOTHER: Forms humanistic character traits (compassion, caring for loved ones). Acts with affection and kindness. Fosters deep affection and tolerance. Reveals the beauty of the surrounding world. Gives ready answers to questions. She is a model for her daughter’s behavior.
FATHER: Forms determination, perseverance, courage. He is a generator of ideas, brings things to an end, develops collectivism and chivalry in the child. The father is a role model for the child for later life. Promotes the formation of self-esteem and status position. Teaches you to analyze, generalize and draw the right conclusions. He is a model for his son’s behavior.
SIGNS OF UNFORMED GENDER IDENTITY
- preference for toys and play roles of the opposite sex;
- the desire to be with an adult of the opposite sex, to imitate his behavior;
- actively expressed desire to change your gender and name;
- stories of a child in which he appears as a representative of the other sex;
- the desire to dress and behave like the opposite sex.
Psychologists and educators believe that the formation of gender stability is determined by sociocultural norms and depends on:
- the relationship of parents to the child;
— the nature of parental attitudes;
- mother's attachment to child;
- child's attachment to mother;
- The role of the father in raising a child.
Undoubtedly, for the development of a child’s personality, a healthy psychological atmosphere in the family is necessary. It has been proven that girls and boys have different needs and developmental characteristics. Therefore, it is impossible to raise boys and girls, guided by the same principles of education!
DIFFERENCES IN THE PSYCHE AND BEHAVIOR OF CHILDREN
GIRLS:
- play in a confined space;
- detailed, concrete thinking. Manipulate with numbers and formulas;
— the right hemisphere gets tired faster (imaginative thinking, emotional well-being);
- focused on relationships between people. When communicating, look into the adult's face. Waiting for approval;
— ready to react to the emotional factor at any second.
BOYS:
- use all the space;
- generalized, abstract thinking. Manipulate geometric shapes;
— the left hemisphere gets tired faster (verbal thinking, logical operations);
- information-oriented. When communicating, look to the side or in front of you;
— short-term, but vividly react to the emotional factor.
WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE GIRL
Girls require a calm environment and consistently structured activities. They like to confirm the correctness of their knowledge and decisions through repetition. Adapt better. Aimed at communication. They try to get a high-quality result that can be positively assessed by other people.
The space of interest to girls is small, but it is carefully worked out to the smallest detail and reflected in the mind. Girls are more often attracted to household chores. The girl is more inclined to be a caregiver: to look after, nurse, show concern, teach, instruct, criticize younger brothers or peers, sometimes losing her sense of proportion.
Girls' games are more often based on near vision: children lay out “riches” of dolls and decorations in front of them and play in a limited space, in a corner. They are less interested in the internal structure of toys and are usually used for their intended purpose. In preschool age, they willingly master various social roles; the role of “mother” is very attractive to them.
In constructive games, girls more often act according to a model: they build not cities, castles or train stations, but a house, but with furniture, household items, and various decorations.
The period of involvement in activities in the classroom is shorter for girls than for boys. Girls raise their hands less often, although they answer correctly. When answering in class, the girl looks into the teacher’s face, waiting for confirmation of the correctness of the answer, and after the adult nods.
Girls more often ask questions like: “Will you come to us again?”, i.e. more focused on establishing contact with adults, relationships between people. Girls are prone to subject-evaluative speech; nouns and adjectives, negations and affirmations predominate in it.
Girls often draw people, princesses, including themselves. They often draw themselves with especially highlighted eyelashes and mouth, they like to draw “adult” attributes - jewelry, heels, they often draw a cat, trees, etc. nearby.
Girls are more suggestible and less decisive in their actions. They do not have a holistic perception of the subject. Girls perform better tasks that are no longer new, typical, or formulaic. Girls are wary of unfamiliar surroundings, get lost more quickly, and have difficulty finding something to do. When they go somewhere, they have a specific purpose.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PARENTS ON RAISING DAUGHTERS
In order for a girl to achieve a healthy gender identity, a warm and close relationship with her mother and a similar relationship with her father are necessary, and parents need to emphasize a tender and caring relationship in the couple so that the girl has the impression of a happy family life.
The task of parents is to show more trust, acceptance and approval towards the girl in order to motivate her to activity.
A father should find time to communicate with his daughter: show that his daughter is different from him, she is of a different gender. But he must do this with respect and benevolence, so that she understands that she is worthy of a man’s love.
By respecting their daughter’s personality and demonstrating satisfaction with her actions, parents form her positive self-esteem.
Mother and daughter should have their own “women's secrets.” A mother should find time for privacy with her daughter and make these conversations ritual and traditional.
Real care for each other is demonstrated through respect for the older generation.
The mother should involve her daughter in “female” household chores, passing on to her the secrets of her skills.
WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE BOY
Boys are capable of momentary effort. They prefer search activities. They don't like repetition. They prefer to do it quickly, but “somehow.” It is more difficult for them to adapt to unsuitable operating conditions and try to get rid of them.
For boys, the perception of the space in which the objects of interest are located is practically unlimited. Boys, in general, show less interest in household chores and become less accustomed to self-care. Boys, as a rule, do not have the inclination to look after, teach and mentor younger ones, especially sisters.
Boys' games are more often based on distant vision: they run after each other, throw objects at the target, using all the space provided to them. If the horizontal plane is not enough, they master the vertical: they climb ladders, climb trees and other objects. When a boy plays with a doll, he makes the toy jump and march, do various tricks, puts it as a passenger in a cart or car, rides on toy animals, etc. and soon quits. Only in exceptional cases is touching, caring courtship observed in the game.
Boys show more creativity in constructive games. They build cities and railways, paying attention mainly to the structures themselves. Boys “swing” longer. Boys are more active and restless, they behave more boldly in class, they raise their hands more often, and they are not afraid to make mistakes. When answering, the boy often looks to the side rather than at the teacher and, if he knows the answer, speaks confidently. Boys more often ask questions like: “What are we going to do now?”, i.e. more information-oriented. Boys' vocabulary includes more words denoting objects not used in everyday life and general concepts; their speech is dominated by verbs and interjections that help convey actions.
Boys develop the ability to isolate the main thing earlier. The boy's mind is more prone to generalizations and less specific. Boys perform search activities better, offer new ideas and non-standard solutions. They navigate an unusual environment more easily and perceive it positively, quickly finding something to do.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PARENTS ON RAISING SONS
— when communicating with their sons, fathers should restrain emotions that can suppress his masculinity (talk calmly, without raising his tone);
- boys often lack positive motivation: they should not be prohibited, but allowed something additional for a good deed;
- boys need to be allowed to show their emotionality - allowed to cry, for example (i.e. allowed to be natural);
— mothers of boys need to trust the male intuition of fathers: they feel how to raise a man;
- boys need to organize a regime and discipline: this forms his responsibility!
- Be sure to encourage the desire to do men’s work in the house!
— teach to trust, thereby forming the experience of social trust;
— use humor in communication to reduce aggressiveness and fear of responsibility;
- there must be physical, bodily contact - to increase the boy’s self-esteem;
- a boy is a promise to the future: he must be taken into account not only as a son, but also as a future husband, protector, etc.;
- Mom CARES, and dad FORMS a man.
Sex-role approach
The basis of this approach is the theory of structural functionalism, developed by American sociologists Talcott Parsons (1902-1979) and Robert Bales. The authors use strict differentiation of roles between individuals, in accordance with their gender. Thus, the man was assigned the role of breadwinner, and the woman the role of mother and housewife. This version of the distribution of roles was considered by the authors to be optimal for the functioning of the family and society as a whole. The gender role approach is an example of a traditional patriarchal model of behavior that became widespread and consolidated within the framework of pre-industrial society.
In accordance with the gender-role approach, the formation of gender identity in the process of socialization of a child should occur through the assimilation of typical characteristics of one’s gender. Thus, boys are oriented towards creation (instrumental role) and creation, and girls are oriented towards caring and serving. It is believed that this is provided for by nature itself. In relation to American society, the instrumental role primarily meant financial support for the family. In turn, the woman, while the man works, takes care of the children and home, maintaining an atmosphere of mutual love and support. At the same time, the inclinations and interests of the individual himself, which also determine the education of gender regardless of sex, were not taken into account. More precisely, they could simply coincide if a man or woman had inclinations and interests that corresponded to their gender role positions. If this did not happen (a man or woman showed interest in activities that were not typical for their gender), then they simply had to come to terms with established patterns of behavior. Thus, the task of society is to educate men and women in accordance with traditional gender roles determined by their biological affiliation.
“Girl, assemble the borscht”: gender education in Russian kindergartens
What is gender education and does it exist in Russian kindergartens? What are boys and girls taught (and not taught) in preschool? And how to talk to children about gender? Let's figure it out together with psychologists and social researchers.
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Boys are princes, girls are Cinderellas
“Boys should come dressed as princes, girls – in Cinderella dresses” - this message appeared in the parent chat of the Mel editor before March 8th. They decided to hold a festive party in the kindergarten where her daughter goes in the style of the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm. One of the planned numbers is “dance-washing”. To take part in the dance, each girl must bring a basin from home.
In one of the kindergartens in Nizhny Novgorod, on Defender of the Fatherland Day, they organized “dances with machine guns” (the weapons, of course, were toys). In a garden in the Leningrad region on February 23 of this year, boys did physical education in Soviet caps, and then brought home medals to “congratulate their dads.” In the same garden, on March 8 last year, girls were asked to “assemble borscht” from plastic vegetables and help grandmothers and mothers who “never know what to wear” - dress them up in beads and hats.
The repertoire of matinees for “gender holidays” makes us think about the roles that are offered to young children in kindergartens. We decided to figure out what gender education looks like for the little ones and beyond on March 8 and February 23 - at all levels, from state standards to individual institutions. And we discussed with experts how useful all this is for children.
What is stated in the standards and methods
In official documents for preschool institutions there are no recommendations on the different education of boys and girls in kindergartens. They are not included either in the Federal State Educational Standard (FSES) or in the Model Basic Educational Program for Preschool Education created to implement the standard.
Moreover, the Program, for example, along with others, has the following goal - “to ensure equal opportunities for the full development of every child during preschool childhood, regardless of place of residence, gender, nation, language, social status.” In other words, the Program calls for gender equality in preschool education; this is one of its values, along with strengthening children’s health, their overall development and family support.
Ideas to teach boys and girls differently or to teach them about gender differences appear in documents with a lower status - for example, in proprietary programs created on the basis of Federal State Educational Standards, and in manuals issued by the Federal Institute for Educational Development. This is also taught in advanced training courses for teachers and educators.
An example of a popular author’s program in kindergartens is the manual “From birth to school. Model general education program for preschool education" 2014. In it, for example, they write that the purpose of the kindergarten, among other things, is the formation and consolidation of “traditional gender ideas.”
The authors believe that already at the age of 4–5 years it is necessary to form “primary gender ideas” in children
And they explain which ones: “Boys are strong, brave; girls are gentle and feminine.” It is proposed to teach boys this, for example, on Defender of the Fatherland Day - “to instill in boys the desire to be strong, brave, to become defenders of the Motherland.”
“Teach to realize the inevitability of gender”
Individual kindergartens usually operate according to programs developed on the basis of Federal State Educational Standards and benefits. Elements of gender education may also appear in them. For example, the kindergarten “Romashka” in the city of Sovetsky, Tyumen region, has developed an entire program “Boys and Girls - Two Different Worlds” for children 5–7 years old. Its goal is to form “sustainable forms of interpersonal interaction between boys and girls” and the “gender identity” of children.
To do this, they propose creating a special environment that “stimulates the preschooler to express his male (female) image in his life”
For example, separate toys for boys and girls, have them play separately and in different spaces, give children objects of different colors (pink for girls, blue for boys), and emphasize their gender all the time.
The authors of the program believe that children need to be explained behavioral patterns in connection with gender and taught special roles in the family and society (boys - “little knights”, “future men”, girls - “little housewives”, “future mothers).” The program proposes to teach children to clearly understand the “irreversibility of their gender.”
"Man and woman in the family and society"
“Goal: <...> To form ideas about social functions, to cultivate the desire to imitate positive forms of masculine/feminine behavior. Enrich ideas about male and female professions. Men are characterized by professions that allow them to demonstrate heroism, courage, physical strength, courage, nobility, and the ability to come to the rescue. Women choose professions that allow them to demonstrate peacemaking, responsiveness, kindness, and the ability to see and create beauty.”
From the program “Boys and Girls - Two Different Worlds”
Hidden curriculum
In addition to what is written in programs and documents, in preschool institutions you can find the so-called hidden curriculum. It is at the level of the hidden plan that the main part of gender education is implemented, say Olga Savinskaya and Anastasia Cheredeeva, sociologists from the Higher School of Economics, authors of the study “Gender (in)equality in kindergarten” (2018).
The hidden curriculum is those aspects of the life of a kindergarten that are not spelled out in programs, regulations or internal rules, but become an important part of its everyday life and “educate” the child in their own way. The term was coined by American sociologist Philip Jackson, author of Life in the Classroom (1968), in which he analyzed the hidden curriculum in schools.
Gender approach
The gender approach is based on the theory of the social construction of reality by Peter Berger (1929) and Thomas Luckmann (1927). The “revolutionary” position of this approach is the idea that gender roles are not innate, but are created in the process of interaction of individuals in society. Accordingly, the formation of a person’s gender, family, and citizenship should take into account, first of all, his individual psychological characteristics (character, temperament, interests, abilities, etc.), and not gender. Both women and men can perform those activities in which they are more interested. In modern society, for example, male fashion designers, female managers, etc. have long become commonplace. Nevertheless, stereotypical thinking regarding gender roles in society continues to exist.
Thus, supporters of the gender approach pursue the idea that the formation of gender in preschool children should be determined primarily by their personal characteristics. The boy will not be instilled with the idea that crying is unmanly, and tears are an indicator of weakness. In turn, the girl will not think that she should be neat “because she is a girl” - since neatness is not a purely feminine trait. When choosing toys for their child, parents (if they are supporters of a gender approach) will not be guided by the hackneyed scheme according to which, as a rule, the gender identity of preschoolers is formed in the traditional education system: boys - cars, girls - dolls. A little girl can be interested in cars in the same way, and a guy can be interested in a doll, and this one will not be forbidden. At the same time, the girl will not become “less of a girl,” and the boy will not become “less of a boy.”
Formation of gender identity of pupils in preschool settings
Kuzaeva N.A., deputy director;
Evstifeeva E.S., senior teacher of the secondary school "Teremok" GBOU secondary school, p. Isakly Samara region.
The changes taking place in education can be traced at all levels. Preschool education is designed to create conditions for maximum disclosure of the individuality of each child. Gender identity of a preschooler is an individualized process of a child’s awareness of himself as a representative of a certain gender with a set of social behavioral characteristics. Every teacher is interested in consciously regulating the process of gender as a fundamental characteristic of a preschooler, laying and determining the trajectory of personal development.
Gender can manifest itself in different ways, and individual manifestations do not necessarily coincide with the stereotypical (gender-role) ideas of others about the behavior of a girl and a boy.
In the process of forming gender, a kindergarten teacher needs to: - know the gender composition of the group of children; - navigate each age period of the child, taking into account the patterns of gender development; — take into account the gender component of games and toys; — identify differences in the acquisition of knowledge by children with different gender dominants; - navigate the activity preferences of children with different gender types; — create conditions for a positive transmission of their own experience to boys and girls, the optimal choice of forms, methods and means of teaching children of different sexes; - know your own gender type and understand the specifics of your own communication style in accordance with your gender dominance, taking into account your component position in relationships with children of different sexes.
The process of gender formation is realized through the introduction of a gender approach into the preschool education system.
In the process of planning work with children based on a gender approach, the teacher needs to know the gender typology of personality.
The masculine gender type is focused on the authority of strength and independence of behavior, has high individual achievements, prefers male authority, needs male communication, is intolerant of objections, prefers to defend his opinion and take leadership positions, and reproduces an independently competitive style of behavior. Relationships with peers are authoritarian in nature.
The feminine gender type prefers dependent, subordinate behavior, is cautious, does not like to show initiative and independence, deliberately limits its “research space” (especially boys), needs constant moral support from others, and avoids contact with masculine children in play activities; Boys often have communication difficulties.
The androgynous gender type is free from rigid gender typing and traditional norms, is able to realistically comprehend and evaluate situations, overcome difficulties independently, is significantly socially active and outgoing, is able to actively and positively interact with children and adults of any gender, has good organizational skills and constructive personal qualities. character (protection, help), persistent, independent, has a high level of achievement.
The undifferentiated gender type rejects both male and female styles of behavior, is unable to navigate traditional norms of gender-role behavior, is passive, has low real achievements, deliberately avoids contacts, and does not enjoy authority among peers.
Having started work based on a gender approach, we were surprised by the monitoring results: it turns out that in senior preschool age children of the feminine type make up almost 40%, of which boys - 15%, while girls with a masculine (masculine) orientation - almost 25%, and 7% of children can be classified as the undifferentiated type. For comparison, we conducted a diagnostic study in a neighboring kindergarten, where diagnostic results revealed similar trends. We understand that atypical gender characteristics (when a girl behaves like a typical boy and vice versa) require an individual development path in a kindergarten setting. No adult is able to change the characteristics of a child’s gender development, and the manifestation of such individuality is practically the norm. After all, a modern woman today feels comfortable behind the wheel of a car and in the chair of the director of an enterprise, and a modern man can do typically female work, and this no longer surprises anyone.
At the very beginning of the work, teachers identified key concepts: gender approach, gender identity, gender, sex-role approach, socialization of a preschooler, subject-developmental environment, components, principles of constructing a subject-developmental environment, subject-developmental environment based on a gender approach, communicative, gaming, Productive child activities, play. Each teacher first studied these concepts independently, and then at the seminar we summed up the results of this work. Such individual work of teachers was carried out so that each educator and specialist understood the mosaic of the conceptual apparatus.
Working with teachers consisted not only of understanding and studying these terms; in parallel, pedagogical councils, seminars, and workshops were held for a more nuanced study of the range of new concepts and phenomena. Pedagogical councils were held: - “Gender approach in preschool educational institutions” (the goal is to clarify the knowledge of teachers about the principles of a gender approach in education); — “The principle of constructing a subject-developmental environment for preschool educational institutions based on a gender approach” (the goal is to familiarize teachers with the conditions for constructing a subject-developmental environment from the perspective of a gender approach to the educational process in preschool educational institutions).
Thematic seminars and workshops were held: “Planet Gender”, “Spatial-subject component of a subject-development environment based on a gender approach”, “Social component of a subject-development environment based on a gender approach”, etc.
In parallel with this, children of the second younger group were tested to determine the favorite color of each child; this knowledge was necessary for building the organization of a subject-development environment for the next school year. During the summer period, work was done to organize a subject-development environment in the group premises: cosmetic repairs were carried out, the walls of the room were painted in the colors that the children chose from the variety of colors offered to them (light green (quiet zone), pink (girls’ play area ), blue (motor zone), yellow (training zone)).
Furniture was arranged according to the shades of the walls, and toys were placed in play centers.
Modern exemplary basic general education programs for preschool education, which meet the latest requirements of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, adhere to the principle of comprehensive thematic planning and propose studying one topic with children throughout the week. Recommended topics are implemented in all areas of the teacher’s activity (direct educational activities, routine issues, interaction with the family). By organizing educational activities at scheduled times, the teacher creates conditions for varied and interesting activities for children within the framework of the theme of the week. During the morning reception, you should create a good mood for the child; if it is difficult to choose an activity, help: offer a toy, include the child in a game with playing children. The teacher is obliged to ensure that all children, during routine moments, find interesting activities and do not disturb others. For the feminine group (mostly girls), the teacher selects emotional, bright, colorful material that creates conditions for the use of adjectives, and places the toys close to each other. These children understand and remember well what they can touch with their hands. For the masculine group, the game material should have a slightly aggressive, chaotic appearance and complex design, promoting the development of spatial orientations. These children learn the material better if they show the ability to identify and realize all the properties of an object by subjecting it to various actions with it. The androgynous group copes with game attributes in the form of didactic games, board and printed games, games for the development of fine motor skills. Such children are considered “conditionally gifted,” their cognitive abilities are above average and allow them to solve mental problems in any activity. For children of an undifferentiated group, nursery rhymes, poems, and problematic play situations are needed that show an example of stereotypical male or female behavior.
Gender is revealed in the role-playing game; At the same time, children more often play in same-sex groups, but sometimes differentiated content of the game is observed. In the process of guiding it, the teacher needs to take into account the gender manifestations and preferences of children of different gender groups. For boys and girls of middle and senior preschool age, the distribution of roles in the game is formed according to gender; they do not confuse the gender of the game characters, choosing as their “partner” a child with whom they have developed friendly relations. Children play a gender-neutral role if there are not enough boys for “male” roles or girls for “female” roles, or if girls or boys playing alone are forced to play both roles themselves. Boys fight in wars, drive vehicles, build houses, bridges, cars, and go on trips. Realizing the need to be liked by others and to be beautiful, girls often stage weddings, “get married,” “treat the sick,” etc. When guiding the play of preschoolers, the teacher, knowing these features, creates conditions for the manifestation of each individual’s individuality. For example, if a girl has shown a desire to play the role of a driver, there is no need to prohibit this. The teacher supports and encourages the initiative of each student, regardless of the “typical” nature of the chosen role.
At this stage, the work consists of drawing up both calendar and thematic planning and taking notes of educational activities based on a gender approach.
In conclusion, I would like to say that working with children based on a gender approach is very exciting and produces certain results. Both the children and their parents were satisfied with us. In addition to general interest, the results also show an increase in the creative activity of students. The child understands his gender identity and knows his interests: “I’m a girl, but I like to play railroad with boys and I want to become a railroad worker!”
Games, toys, activities - everything is interesting and varied not only for everyone, but for everyone.
We are working in this direction, but we can already identify several difficulties: self-training of educators on this topic is necessary. Teachers are not familiar with gender issues regarding preschool children; neither secondary nor higher pedagogical preschool education introduces students to this topic. It is difficult to organize and provide theoretical study of problems in conditions of intensive work of teachers. The changing composition of children in groups also makes work difficult. Some children move to correctional groups, and new pupils had to be re-diagnosed and gender characteristics identified. In this regard, the work was slightly suspended until the desired result was achieved with the new children.
We advise all colleagues, when working in general education groups, to study the gender approach and typology before outlining a plan for educational work. This helps to find an individual approach to each child, help cope with difficulties, and adjust the personal development of each student.
Gender patterns in child development. Polytyping process
The formation of femininity/masculinity in children occurs at an early age. Thus, by approximately 4-5 years of age, gender identity is fixed (in the second youngest group of kindergarten). Children begin to show preferences for typical games that match their gender. This correspondence, as already mentioned, is determined by the cultural norms of society. Also, the formation of gender in preschoolers is manifested in the fact that children prefer to play more with children of the same gender. Sex-typing is called sex-typing in psychological science. It is accompanied by the individual’s acquisition of preferences, personal attitudes, skills, “I”-concept, etc. The significance of sex-typing, which determines the formation of gender, family, and citizenship in preschoolers, is considered differently in various psychological theories of development.
Polytyping in psychoanalytic concept
At the basis of sex typification, as its primary mechanism, psychoanalysis highlights the process of identification of a child with a parent of the same sex. The process of identification is carried out as part of the child's exploration of his own genitals as sexual differences. The appearance of penis envy and fear of castration, which arise in boys and girls, lead to the successful resolution of the Oedipus complex. However, this concept has also been criticized by feminist schools because it emphasizes the biological basis of gender differences.
Problems of modern child rearing
Gender education for preschool children has recently begun to gain popularity. In the recent past, men have always been leaders and were considered the stronger sex, and women - the weaker. Now everything has changed. Increasingly, boys grow up pampered and incapable of committing serious and courageous actions. When a child grows up, his outlook on life remains the same.
Girls, previously the weaker sex, began to “squeeze out” men. Increasingly, a woman becomes the head of the family, who provides its members with everything they need.
Due to improper upbringing, a child’s feelings of belonging to a gender become dulled, which subsequently causes inappropriate forms of behavior.
According to research, if no measures are taken, then in the near future the unification of the sexes will lead to loneliness. That is, established traditional families will quickly fall apart, as each will feel superior to the other or will not find protection in their partner.
Even if there are two children in a family and they are of different sexes, then parents must learn to raise them correctly from childhood. The fact is that boys and girls need a different approach.
As a rule, children under three years of age do not attach much importance to what gender they are. But this should not be a reason to raise kids the same way. A gender approach to the upbringing of preschool children should begin directly in the family.
Polytyping and social learning theory
Unlike psychoanalysis, social learning theory emphasizes the significant role of the reward-punishment system in the development of a child’s gender identity. If a child is punished for behavior that the parents consider unacceptable for his gender (or, conversely, is encouraged for what is acceptable), then the process of consolidating certain behavior patterns in the child’s mind occurs. The second significant aspect in the theory of social learning is the processes of observation and modeling.
Accordingly, social learning theory considers the source of sex typification in the sphere of socialization differentiated by sex. One of the advantages of this theory is the application to the development of female and male psychology of a general learning principle that is well known in relation to the development of many other types of behavior.
Polytyping within the framework of the theory of cognitive development
This theory primarily focuses on the primary agents of gender-role socialization of the individual. The process of sexual typing is carried out invariably, naturally, based on the general principles of cognitive development. In other words, from the perspective of cognitive development theory, because children need the cognitive stability of self-identification as women or men, this motivates them to value what seems more like themselves in gender terms. A gender-based assessment system, in turn, encourages the child to act actively in a gender-appropriate manner, by making appropriate efforts to master gender attitudes, and by giving preference to gender-identical peers.
