Say What? 5 Comments that Reinforce Gender-Stereotypes in the Elementary School Classroom — and How to Respond

1. Pink is a girl color.
2. Boys have short hair and girls have long hair.
3. Girls play with _____ and boys play with _____ .
4. Boys don’t wear earrings.
5. Only girls wear _____ and only boys wear _____ .

How can teachers work to challenge their students’ ideas about gender-norms? The first step is active listening. Chances are we’ve all heard some child, somewhere make one of the comments listed. It’s what we do in response that will either further reinforce or cause them to question what they believe to be true.

Okay, so you’ve heard one of these statements — and it gave you that uncomfortable feeling in the pit of your stomach. The feeling that accompanies thoughts like, “Wait a minute… That’s not necessarily true. DO something!”

But what? Here are two options, to start:

1. Ask a question.

“What makes you say that?”

Oftentimes children (and many adults for that matter) don’t actually know why they’ve said a particular thing when it comes to a fixed idea. That’s the power of it — the stereotype exists and people rarely question it. But you just did — and now they are, too. Way to support the development of critical thinking skills! Give yourself a high five!

2. Make a statement.

“I know lots of girls who like…”

Give an example that challenges the stereotype. It’s likely they’ll be able to come up with examples as well.

Getting involved in these discussions is a great way to start taking action towards interrupting fixed views about gender roles in the classroom. This isn’t to say that teachers should jump into every conversation they hear in which gender-stereotypes are being reinforced. It can get exhausting for you and overwhelming for them. There are, however, a variety of other ways to go about introducing alternative (and more realistic) ideas about gender to young students. Books can be great catalysts for change in thinking, especially because they put the focus on fictional characters rather than the students themselves. Another way to spark inquiry is to engage students in activities that require them to reflect on their own interests and experiences in relation to gender, and to begin to question for themselves why we think about gender in the fixed ways that we do.

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