Abstract
I chose to study the links between nursery schools and gender construction because I wanted to show how this institution plays an active role in the representations children have of their social role as boy or girl. As my research is mostly about the toys and the games of the children in the context of the school, I decided to move between the various classrooms, in order to observe the children during their "free time" as much as possible, and their interactions with the teachers. I also chose to study some of the more supervised activities because it allows me to look at the so-called "differences" between the qualities of the boys and the girls, and how the teacher influences, and even sometimes creates them. I think it is only at this point that my experience on the field changed my question, because I do not take into account the fact that even in more supervised activities there is something which can be part of the gender construction, especially in the teacher's behaviors and comments.
Extract
[...] Maybe with a male teacher things would be different (boys could be calmer) - During "free-times" do you encourage children to select one toy instead of another? ? Yes, so as to push them into diversifying their games, but also to channel their energies. ? Or to use them in a particular way? ? With the little ones we often have to open their imagination to encourage them to play with some new toys because their experience is still limited. - How do you react when some children's behaviors do not match with their gender? [...]
[...] I consider myself as a female teacher in nursery school, thus I think it is an asset for the children to have a female teacher in order to fulfill themselves in an affective and reassuring context. Bibliography Relevant course reading Margaret Mead, Sex and Temperament in thee primitive societies, The New American Library 9-33, 119-135, 190-196, 209-218. [...]
[...] As the teachers told me, it is quite true that most of the children actually play with all types of toys, even the much sexed ones. But I had the opportunity to observe, for at least ten minutes, a group of three boys who were playing with dolls. It was very interesting because in comparison with another group made of five girls, they were playing in a very unusual way. First, there was a conflict about who will be "the father" of the babies. [...]
[...] I also believe that the observation of TV shows, and children literature may be very enlightening regarding the process of gender construction because they encourage children to conform to the behavior associated with their gender. Appendix - Transcript Interview with P. Choirat, teacher in first year at nursery school. - Do you modify your behavior depending on the gender of the child? If yes, how? ? No, or not consciously - To what extend your behavior towards children is influenced by the gender representation? ? [...]
[...] The drawings I observed were made without any teacher's instructions, so they are supposed to traduce the feelings, and even the psychology, of the children. On the other hand, the handwritings exercises are very supervised exercises: children have to strictly follow the instructions of the teacher. - Fieldwork's difficulties I find the fieldwork very interesting and I was quite satisfied of this experience. The day before I was afraid I will not have enough time in only one day to collect all the information I needed, but actually I observed much more interesting and relevant things and facts that I thought I would. [...]
