CHAPTER 11 Working with Families Around Gender Issues Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education Sixth Edition Janet Gonzalez-Mena Updated by: Ruby Willey-Rendon, West Texas A&M University

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 11-2 Relevance of Gender “Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance.” -- Kofi Annan, 7 th Secretary-General of United Nations

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 11-3 Definitions Gender refers to person’s identification of male or female through socialization process Sex refers to the biological fact of male or female

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 11-4 Relevance of Gender Historical Perspective for Women: Were considered inferior to men Were seen as property, just as slaves were Had few rights as citizens Could not vote until 1920

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 11-5 Women Today Women earn less than men do for the same work (75 cents for every dollar) Imagine getting 25% less pay because you have blue eyes Barriers to certain professions still in place - “glass ceiling” Women juggle many more roles now

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 11-6 Equity and Child Rearing Gender imbalance in child rearing Women spend an average of 2 hours a day with their children Men spend an average of less than one hour a day with their children

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 11-7 Equity and Child Rearing (cont.) Environments and toys Clothing Media messages

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 11-8 Toys and Gender Types of toys define gender expectation Block play is valuable for ALL children (math, science, spatial relationships) Reducing gender segregation

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved 11-9 The Power of Language Language shapes expectation and perception Communication styles: Interruption indicates power Direct and informative, “okay?” Cultivate open conversations about communication styles with families

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Modeling Children imitate the behavior of: Important people in their lives People they look up to, People in books, and People in the media (sports, music etc) Consider children you know and the multiple gender messages they get.

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Differential Socialization How does gender socialization occur? Parents Preschool Elementary school

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Differential Treatment - Parents Begins at birth Expectations Projection Differences in touch Quantity and quality of talk

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Differential Treatment - Preschool Teachers reinforce different things in boys and girls Communication styles vary with gender Content of message is different for each Praise patterns vary

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Differential Treatment - Teachers Boys allowed more physical range Girls trained to be quiet/passive Boys expected to be more active Girls can be criticized for active learning

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Guidelines for Adults Point out sexist stereotypes Create a non-sexist environment Check your own attitudes / behaviors Teach anti-bias skills to challenge sexism Foster empathy and problem-solving Expand children’s views of capacities

Gonzalez-Mena, Child, Family, and Community: Family-Centered Early Care and Education, 6e. © 2013, 2009, 2006, 2002, 1998 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved Working with Families Cultivate effective and meaningful communication skills With a partner, create three distinct “conversation starters” that allow you to find out how families perceive these issues.