抄録
This study has two purposes; to consider the educational environment about gender provided for our students, and to make inquiries into what effects we have had in preparing future professionals to be sensitive to gender-bias as they work in early childhood education and care. For these purposes, we examined the following: 1) our subjects and the educational environment, 2) an attitude survey of college students, 3) a follow-up survey of the graduates with their teaching materials and demonstrations. Finally we discussed solutions to specific problems that were revealed in order to construct a more effective curriculum through which students acquire abilities to deal with gender issues. Our survey reveals that gender was considered in many subjects in our curriculum, helping students develop their own perspectives on gender. Through their observations and teaching practice at child care facilities, they checked their personal experiences against what they had learned in college and found genderbias in the behavior of both young children and teachers. Based on these personal experiences, they refined their teaching materials and received many kinds of reactions and opinions by testing them before young children and teachers. They realized how important it is to cooperate with people who have differing viewpoints on teaching about gender in early childhood. There was a substantial correlation between the practice of the graduates and the degree of interest exhibited by those at the situations where they were working. In addition, our study showed striking examples in which our graduates tried to remain more sensitive to gender-bias and keep more gender-free attitudes than other professionals. We must improve the general education program of basic preparation regarding gender issues. Teachers' conferences should be instigated to exchange information about gender related problems in classroom activities. Although we began to educate male students as a coeducational university, we need more specific training of male professionals to help them become free from gender-bias as well as to inquire into facilities which will encourage them.
