Gender discourse about an ethic of care: nursery schoolteachers' perspectives

Abstract

In this paper we will show some of the results of research which took place in the Principality of Asturias (Spain). Its purpose was finding out the gender discourses used by nursery teachers. Although we will not provide an exhaustive list of all the conclusions reached so far, we will put forward one of the aspects which has been developed throughout the investigation; that is, we will discuss some of our observations and hypotheses on the differences observed by the teachers in boys and girls' caring and supporting behaviours. In order to do so, we focus on the type of discourse related to the ethic of care. We consider it a tool which allows teachers to build a type of narrative in which boys and girls are presented as opposites, relational and different from one another.

Notes

1. It should be noted that when we refer to nursery education we are referring to the Spanish educational system, where this stage includes the period 3‐ to 6‐years‐old.

2. Asturias is a relatively small region, located on the Cantabrian coast which also includes the Basque Country and Cantabria.

3. We are aware that the post‐structuralist framework establishes different theoretical stances concerning constitution and reconstitution of identity processes through discursive practice. Within the pedagogical context, and as a paradigmatic example, we can see the different conceptual frameworks developed by two researchers (Davies, 1997; Jones, 1997) which are included in those stances. In this work, we show a general vision of the post‐structuralist paradigm emphasising common features in different approaches.

4. The ASOCED research group is formed by eight university teachers. All of them belong to the Department of Education at the University of Oviedo. They have been working in different educational projects and investigations, and are the authors of this article.

5. In these quotations which show how teachers think about this topic, we include some extra information: ‘U’ for urban schools; ‘R’ for rural schools, a number to identify each school that participated in the investigation and the age of the children's group (3‐, 4‐ or 5‐years‐old).

6. A very similar situation has been found in Marsh (2000). In this article an experience to help boys and girls to transcend gender dualism is described. There, boys and girls play and assume the superhero role, a good way to transcend hegemonic femininity and masculinity. However, Marsh observes a helping and caring behaviour when girls supply food and drink to the ‘villains’ who were caught and put into jail. There we can appreciate a perfect example of ethic of care.

7. The Bordo (1999), Porter (1999) and Woollett and Phoneix (1999) articles can all be found in English in Luke (1999).