| Peer-Reviewed

Gender Responsive Pedagogy and Early Childhood Teacher Education: A Study of Pre-primary School Teachers in Nairobi County, Kenya

Received: 13 August 2021    Accepted: 30 August 2021    Published: 6 September 2021
Views:       Downloads:
Abstract

Gender responsive pedagogy, sometimes referred to as gender sensitive or gender flexible pedagogy is a key area recognised in 2015 Sustainable Development Agenda. In this 21st Century, teachers continue to play a key role in the teaching and learning process, while being expected to transmit gendered values, knowledge and skills to learners in the most responsible and appropriate way/s. In addition, pre-primary teachers are charged with the responsibility of caring and rearing children in schools. This means that teacher’s ideas and beliefs whether gendered or not are more likely to impact on the pre-primary school children's lives differently. Since children in their formative years nurture values, attitudes, life skills and virtues given to them by teachers, it means that teachers with gendered knowledge are likely to shape children’s mindset in a positive way. The idea of integrating gender responsive pedagogy in teacher training curriculum is well stipulated in both national and international frameworks. In this paper the author will present and discuss findings of a study done among teachers in public pre-primary schools in Nairobi County. The aim of the current study was to examine the extent to which teachers are grounded on gender pedagogical discourses during their pre-service teacher training programmes. Findings reveal that although majority of pre-primary teachers are aware of gender issues, they seem to have limited knowledge on how to use gender responsive pedagogy. In this era of globalisation and with the introduction of Competency Based Curriculum in Kenya, there is a need to critically re-evaluate teacher’s in-service and pre-service training programmes in order to ascertain proper inclusion of gender related topics, courses or units, a way of facilitating achievement of gender equity and equality.

Published in Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies (Volume 6, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.tecs.20210603.15
Page(s) 101-108
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Gender Responsive Pedagogy, Early Childhood Education, Teacher Education, Gender Equality

References
[1] Karlson, I. & Simonsson, M. (2011). A Question of gender sensitive pedagogy: Discourses in pedagogical guidelines. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 12 (3).
[2] Helakorpi, J. Hynminen, P. Ikavalko, E. & Lehtonen, J. (2010). Research on gender awareness in teacher education, TASUKO PROJECT, funded by the Ministry of Education (2008-2010), Working towards a research program on gender awareness in teacher education and in pedagogical practices.
[3] Lahelma, E. (2011). Gender awareness in Finnish teacher education: Impossible mission? Education Inquiry, 2 (2). 263-276.
[4] Reader, M. K. (2013). Gender studies components in teacher training: An essential requirement for teacher empowerment and gender justice in the 21st century. International Journal of Education and Psychological Research, 2 (2). 46-50.
[5] Abraham, F. F. & Sommorkorm, I. N. (1996). Promoting gender awareness in the classroom: An example from Germany, University of Hamburg.
[6] Warin, J. & Adriany, V. (2015). Gender flexible pedagogy in early childhood education, Journal of Gender Studies, XX, X. 1-12.
[7] UNESCO & UNGEI (2015). The 2015 EFA global monitoring report, Gender and EFA 2000-2015, Achievements and challenges, UNESCO, Paris, France.
[8] Plan International (2017). Gender inequality and early childhood development, A review of the linkages, Plan International, UK.
[9] Kahamba, J. S., Massawe, F. A. & Kira, E. S. (2017). Awareness and practice of gender responsive pedagogy in higher learning institutions: The case of Sokoine University of agriculture, Tanzania. Journal of Education Humanities and Sciences, 6 (2). 13-20.
[10] Nabbuye, H. (2018). Gender Sensitive Pedagogy: The bridge to girls’ quality education in Uganda. Echidna scholars’ program, policy brief, November 2018, Centre for universal education at Brookings, Washington, DC.
[11] Chi, J. (2018). The importance of gender in early childhood teacher education, Brookings Institution, Washington DC, USA.
[12] UNESCO (2016). Concept note: Regional training on gender assessment in teacher education in Asia, 25-27th May 2016, Bangkok, Thailand.
[13] Murru, A. C., Nawa-Chimuka, D., Vandenbosch, T. & Doroba, H. (2017). Gender responsive pedagogy for early childhood education (GPPSECE), No. 3, FAWE conference on girls’ education in Africa, 23rd August, 2017, Lusaka, Zambia.
[14] Levtov, R. (2014). Gender equality and development, women’s voice and agency research series 2014, No. 9, Addressing gender inequalities in curriculum and education: Review of literature and promising practices to improve education reform initiatives in Thailand, World Bank Publication.
[15] Miske, S. (2017). How can teachers be more gender inclusive in the classroom. (Unpublished paper).
[16] UNESCO (2015). A Guide for gender quality in teacher education, policy and practices, Paris, France. UNESCO.
[17] Kreitz-Sandberg, S. (2016). Improving pedagogical practices through gender inclusion: Examples from university programmes for teachers in preschools and extended education. International Journal for Research on Extended Education. 4 (2). 71-91.
[18] Eurydice, (2009). Gender differences in educational outcomes: Study on the measures taken and the current situation in Europe, European Commission, EACEA 9, Brussels, Germany.
[19] Miske, S. (2013). Gendered dimensions of teaching and learning: UNGEI gender monitoring report background paper for EFA-Gender Monitoring Report 2013: UNGEI.
[20] Rutoro, E. Jenjekwa, V. Julius, R. & Chipato, R. (2013). Gender equity dilemma and teacher education in Zimbabwe: The quest for justice. International Journal of Education and Research, 1 (10). 1-14.
[21] Lahelma, E. & Tainio, L. (2019). The long mission towards gender equality in teacher education: Reflections from a national project in Finland, University of Helsinki, Faculty of Education and the Nordic Centre of Excellence, Nordic Studies in Education, 2019.
[22] Mägi, E. Biin, H. Trasberg, K. & Kruus, K. (no date). Gender awareness and attitudes towards gender equality among students participating in teacher training, Praxis Centre for Policy Studies, Tornimae, 5, 10145 Tallinn, Estonia.
[23] Ananga, E. D. (2021). Gender responsive pedagogy for teaching and learning; The practice in Ghana’s initial teacher education programme. Creative Education. 12: 848-864.
[24] Oslen, C., & St. George, D. M. (2004). Cross-sectional study design and data analysis. The Young Epidemiology Scholars Program (YESP), Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Administered by the College Board, Iowa and Chicago, USA.
[25] Cohen, L. Manion, L. & Morrison, K. (2000). Research methods in education, Routledge/Falmer, London and New York.
[26] Rubin, H. J. & Rubin, I. S. (2005). Qualitative interviewing, The art of hearing data (2nd Edition), Thousands of Oaks, CA. Sage, London.
[27] Abril, P., Cremers, M. Duncan, N. Golubevaite, L. Krabel, J. Lilaite, A. Nordfjell, O. B., Raudonyte, J., & Romero, A. (2008). Gender loops: Toolbox for gender conscious and equitable early childhood centres. Hinkelsteinsteindruck Sozialistische GmbH, Berlin, Germany.
[28] Muasya, J. N. & Kazungu, T. W. (2018). ‘The unfinished business’: Exploring teachers' views on gender and pedagogical practices in public preschools in Nairobi County, Kenya. African Educational Research Journal, 6 (1). 10-19.
[29] Republic of Kenya (2019). Sessional paper no. 1 of 2019, on policy framework for reforming education and training for sustainable development in Kenya, Government Printers, Nairobi, Kenya.
[30] African Union (2016). Continental education strategy for Africa (CESA) (2016-2025).
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Juliet Njeri Muasya. (2021). Gender Responsive Pedagogy and Early Childhood Teacher Education: A Study of Pre-primary School Teachers in Nairobi County, Kenya. Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies, 6(3), 101-108. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.tecs.20210603.15

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Juliet Njeri Muasya. Gender Responsive Pedagogy and Early Childhood Teacher Education: A Study of Pre-primary School Teachers in Nairobi County, Kenya. Teach. Educ. Curric. Stud. 2021, 6(3), 101-108. doi: 10.11648/j.tecs.20210603.15

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Juliet Njeri Muasya. Gender Responsive Pedagogy and Early Childhood Teacher Education: A Study of Pre-primary School Teachers in Nairobi County, Kenya. Teach Educ Curric Stud. 2021;6(3):101-108. doi: 10.11648/j.tecs.20210603.15

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.tecs.20210603.15,
      author = {Juliet Njeri Muasya},
      title = {Gender Responsive Pedagogy and Early Childhood Teacher Education: A Study of Pre-primary School Teachers in Nairobi County, Kenya},
      journal = {Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies},
      volume = {6},
      number = {3},
      pages = {101-108},
      doi = {10.11648/j.tecs.20210603.15},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.tecs.20210603.15},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.tecs.20210603.15},
      abstract = {Gender responsive pedagogy, sometimes referred to as gender sensitive or gender flexible pedagogy is a key area recognised in 2015 Sustainable Development Agenda. In this 21st Century, teachers continue to play a key role in the teaching and learning process, while being expected to transmit gendered values, knowledge and skills to learners in the most responsible and appropriate way/s. In addition, pre-primary teachers are charged with the responsibility of caring and rearing children in schools. This means that teacher’s ideas and beliefs whether gendered or not are more likely to impact on the pre-primary school children's lives differently. Since children in their formative years nurture values, attitudes, life skills and virtues given to them by teachers, it means that teachers with gendered knowledge are likely to shape children’s mindset in a positive way. The idea of integrating gender responsive pedagogy in teacher training curriculum is well stipulated in both national and international frameworks. In this paper the author will present and discuss findings of a study done among teachers in public pre-primary schools in Nairobi County. The aim of the current study was to examine the extent to which teachers are grounded on gender pedagogical discourses during their pre-service teacher training programmes. Findings reveal that although majority of pre-primary teachers are aware of gender issues, they seem to have limited knowledge on how to use gender responsive pedagogy. In this era of globalisation and with the introduction of Competency Based Curriculum in Kenya, there is a need to critically re-evaluate teacher’s in-service and pre-service training programmes in order to ascertain proper inclusion of gender related topics, courses or units, a way of facilitating achievement of gender equity and equality.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Gender Responsive Pedagogy and Early Childhood Teacher Education: A Study of Pre-primary School Teachers in Nairobi County, Kenya
    AU  - Juliet Njeri Muasya
    Y1  - 2021/09/06
    PY  - 2021
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.tecs.20210603.15
    DO  - 10.11648/j.tecs.20210603.15
    T2  - Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies
    JF  - Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies
    JO  - Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies
    SP  - 101
    EP  - 108
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-4971
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.tecs.20210603.15
    AB  - Gender responsive pedagogy, sometimes referred to as gender sensitive or gender flexible pedagogy is a key area recognised in 2015 Sustainable Development Agenda. In this 21st Century, teachers continue to play a key role in the teaching and learning process, while being expected to transmit gendered values, knowledge and skills to learners in the most responsible and appropriate way/s. In addition, pre-primary teachers are charged with the responsibility of caring and rearing children in schools. This means that teacher’s ideas and beliefs whether gendered or not are more likely to impact on the pre-primary school children's lives differently. Since children in their formative years nurture values, attitudes, life skills and virtues given to them by teachers, it means that teachers with gendered knowledge are likely to shape children’s mindset in a positive way. The idea of integrating gender responsive pedagogy in teacher training curriculum is well stipulated in both national and international frameworks. In this paper the author will present and discuss findings of a study done among teachers in public pre-primary schools in Nairobi County. The aim of the current study was to examine the extent to which teachers are grounded on gender pedagogical discourses during their pre-service teacher training programmes. Findings reveal that although majority of pre-primary teachers are aware of gender issues, they seem to have limited knowledge on how to use gender responsive pedagogy. In this era of globalisation and with the introduction of Competency Based Curriculum in Kenya, there is a need to critically re-evaluate teacher’s in-service and pre-service training programmes in order to ascertain proper inclusion of gender related topics, courses or units, a way of facilitating achievement of gender equity and equality.
    VL  - 6
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

Author Information
  • Department of Educational, Communication, Technology and Pedagogical Studies, Faculty of Education, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya

  • Sections