Free Play, Free Choices? -- Influence and Construction of Gender in Preschools in Different Local Contexts

Autor/in	Hjelmér, Carina
Titel	Free Play, Free Choices? -- Influence and Construction of Gender in Preschools in Different Local Contexts
Quelle	In: Education Inquiry, 11 (2020) 2, S.144-158 (15 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Hjelmér, Carina)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2000-4508
DOI	10.1080/20004508.2020.1724585
Schlagwörter	Play; Gender Differences; Preschool Children; Sex Stereotypes; Power Structure; Preschool Teachers; Teacher Role; Gender Bias; Foreign Countries; Selection; Personal Autonomy; Socioeconomic Influences; Context Effect; Cultural Influences; Creativity; Social Influences; Sweden + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Spiel; Geschlechterkonflikt; Pre-school age; Preschool age; Child; Children; Pre-school education; Preschool education; Vorschulalter; Kind; Kinder; Vorschulkind; Vorschulkinder; Vorschulerziehung; Vorschule; Erzieher; Erzieherin; Kindergärtnerin; Lehrerrolle; Geschlechterstereotyp; Ausland; Auslese; Individuelle Autonomie; Sozioökonomischer Faktor; Cultural influence; Kultureinfluss; Kreativität; Sozialer Einfluss; Schweden
Abstract	The aim of this article is to acquire knowledge regarding children's influence and the construction of gender during free play situations in preschools in different local contexts. Attention is focused on both children's choices and pedagogical practices in which free play takes place. The research draws on ethnographic studies based on participant observation and group interviews of teachers and children in different contexts (high-income, immigrant, rural). Following deep immersion in the data, interpreted through the lens of Basil Bernstein's conceptualisation of power and control, in combination with gender theories, the research finds that play choices are strongly affected by norms and by what is "on offer" in the different preschool contexts. The analysis shows two dominant patterns of play that are salient; gender-stereotyped choices primarily divided into "girl and boy groups", and mixed choices with no clear gender-based division. The article argues that free play provides good opportunities to resolve the tensions between gender equality and steering of teachers, especially when clear pedagogical ideas guide the play offer in preschools. In such cases, gender equality and teacher influence can work in synergy in order to allow children's influence on free play to emerge without contradicting gender equality ideas. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01