Various gender biases have been demonstrated in early childhood educators (ECEs) with unintentional preferential treatment provided to boys during STEM-related play activities. These biases could impact young girls' identity formation, resulting in continued underrepresentation of women in STEM domains in future. In China, however, little research…

Caribbean nations have leaned on and undergirded their early childhood programmes with Developmentally Appropriate Practices promulgated by the NAEYC. For many years the guidance provided by DAP has been used in both the development of standards of practice for early childhood professionals as well as curriculum development. In recent years…

This article describes the main findings of a Colombian case study in which an English language teacher, who was enrolled in a gender-based optional course, carries out small-scale research to understand gender in her ELT practices. The study aims at describing what and how English language teachers learn when they incorporate their gender…

The purpose of this article is to qualitatively explore the disparity in the perspectives of female and male staff in promoting physical activity towards 3-5-year-old girls and boys in the outdoor playground of a Norwegian kindergarten. The sample consisted of eight female staff and two male staff members from one kindergarten. Semi-structured…

Research suggests that children as young as 6 years old could begin to develop a negative attitude towards the STEM disciplines and this results in disengagement and loss of interest in these areas, particularly for girls. Finding ways to address this apparent lack of interest among young students is critical as reports highlight a lack of…

This qualitative case study investigated how two White female preschool teachers, who were familiar with anti-bias pedagogy, discussed gender non-conformity using a book in their classrooms. The book discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed. Teachers challenged some of the children's gender stereotypes about gender non-conformity; however,…

The purpose of this mixed methods action research study was to determine the effectiveness of a gender-responsive early childhood teaching workshop for community college practicum students. The problem addressed in this research is a lack of competency (knowledge, skills, and behaviors that support positive gender identity development in young…

This article is a critical ethnographic study that examines rural Chinese girls' literacy practices in sanctioned and unsanctioned spaces, and their negotiations with the articulated and delivered literacy program. In particular, this study focuses on a group of 1st-grade girls, who I call the "Spy Girls," engaged in the celebration of…

We present how gender treatment is envisaged in the formal framework that defines early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Slovenia, with special emphasis on the curricular document, which frames the system and concept of ECEC in Slovenia. We present in detail how the latter deals with the issue of gender in individual areas of activities in…

This dissertation investigates the issue of gender stratification within engineering and other STEM-related fields. The dissertation is divided into three articles that address different aspects of the problem and propose potential solutions. Article 1 explores the persistent gender imbalance within STEM fields, particularly in engineering and…

Gender norms and stereotypes are a part of human development and socialization in America from an early age. Research shows that not all children identify with those stereotypes and not all families fit into those stereotypical roles. Early childhood educators have the responsibility of implementing a family centered approach to early childhood…

This article presents results from qualitative research on children's dominant gender discourses in kindergarten and the influence of the socio-pedagogical aspects of kindergarten culture, transmitted via teachers' gender discourses and personal epistemologies, on the construction of children's gender discourses and identities. The main questions…

Previous research makes clear that racism can be a barrier to parental involvement in education. However, it is less clear how racism can facilitate parental involvement. This study uses national early childhood education data to gauge if racial/ethnic and gender disparities exist in teacher contact with parents/guardians. The study's aims are to…

Currently, 3% of the early year's education workforce is male, a figure that has remained stubbornly resistant to change over the last four decades. Research has shown that support is key to increasing the number of male employees in this sector. In recent years, there has been an increase in the demand for male-only support activities, such as…

Open conversations regarding sexuality education and gender and sexual diversity with young children in early childhood education settings are still highly constrained. Educators report lacking professional training and fearing parental and community pushback when explicitly addressing these topics in their professional practices. As such, gender…