Exchange of good practice Gender training material for pre-schools in Denmark Cecilie Nørgaard, Independent expert/Gender- and Educational Sociologist. Lithuania,

Introduction The children's book The methodological material -s

Key points Gender is also constructed (sociocultural perspective) Equal is not the same as one More cultural accepted space for gender diversity

Motivation & Goals The project is based on the ideology that it is desirable to give girls and boys equal opportunities to develop their personal skills regardless of their biological sex. To give children equal opportunities to choose what and with whom they want to play. Adults must leave entrenched expectations of girls and boys and meet the child where the child are and also present the child to a wide range of possibilities to choose from. The project wants to inspire educators and others working with children to integrate gender perspectives in their daily work – e.g. as part of the educational curricula.

How to do? The pedagogical and didactical instructions Use stories from everyday life Pick up stories using observations of children or colleagues

Stories in everyday practice Things/ Physicalities can be historical gendered Rules can be gendered and standing in the way for gender equality The physical environment can control gender practice Activities can be historical gendered Fairy tales and stories often contains stereotype gender norms Structural gender norms also shows in language

The importance and impact of stories Stories are important as part of the formation of the identity More stories can create more possibilities for boys and girls

Ask questions Which stories are available to reflect in in the concrete pre-school? What is considered as normal behaviour, and does this work restrictedly as compared to the children´s possibility to become who they are freed from gender-stereotyped perceptions? How to change practice to get more possibilities for boys and girls for empathy and identification?

Concrete questions Does both girls and boys have the possibility for perceiving themselves as valuable participants and co- creators of a social and cultural community? Does both girls and boys get encouraged to be active and to get involved in the community? Which cultural offers can help boys and girls in seeing themselves multifaceted in becoming who they want to become?

Change practice Note when a child does something which is not expectable due to their sex – and accept it and maybe appreciate it Reflect upon your own practice – try alternative ways of being a role model for the children and expand your educational repertoire Add gender and gender equality perspectives into the learning plans for the pre-school

Danish evaluation / Follow-up Study Overall satisfaction with the materials But the materials are not used that much and the way they were intended to The practitioners have explanations & recommendations

Practitioners recommendations Create more material on gender and gender equality which can be used in daily work with the children Due to the fact that it was difficult for a lot of the professionals in the pre-school to use the additional guide, it was recommended to include gender perspectives into the education of practitioners

The Danish circumstances

Gender equality in Denmark Background and general policy context

How gender affects and shows itself in education in Denmark

The current situation: Practice is controled by a biological gender approach Boys and girls are often expected to have completely different needs, abilities, desires, dreams and challenges. In the classroom the girls are paired with boys to keep them quiet Children are divided by sex in activities Boys are met with lower expectations of capacity for concentration and contemplation

The lack of research- based knowledge on the widespread biological approach

Gender diversity “Girls’ brains are more different from each other, and boys the same – than boys and girls’ brains are different from each other” (Gerlach (2011), Søndergaard m.fl. (2005))

Remarks Gender neutral vs. Gender norm critic

Discussion Does Lithuania need a program on gender equality in pre- school education? What is the motivation? What are the goals?