Page 74 - Šolsko polje, XXXI, 2020, 5-6: Teaching Feminism, ed. Valerija Vendramin
P. 74
šolsko polje, letnik xxxi, številka 5–6
example, building a community by promoting group work follows femi-
nist principles, yet at the same time is a very universal method for gain-
ing new knowledge. Even in science classes, feminist pedagogy can offer
new ways of comprehending knowledge and different starting points for
learning and teaching science. Using elements of feminist pedagogy thus
benefits student–teacher relations and classroom experiences, even where
issues regarding gender are not specifically addressed. Examples of such
feminist classrooms and practices are given in the following chapter.
Feminist Classrooms
Feminist classrooms are classrooms in which elements of feminist peda-
gogy exist in the teaching and learning process. This may be classrooms
that teach (about) feminism1 as well as classrooms where any other sub-
ject is being taught, as long as they are liberatory environments, following
the basic principles already outlined. In the following sections, the impor-
tance of feminist pedagogy is highlighted for different levels of education:
preschool education, primary level and secondary level.
A Word on Method
Some of the practices presented were acquired during the literature re-
view, but the majority of feminist classroom practices discussed on the
primary and secondary levels were procured during a semi-structured in-
terview with a teacher in training. Nina2 is a 26-year-old student finish-
ing an MA in ELT (English Language Teaching), with 2 years’ experience
working in different educational settings teaching students who attend
the third and fifth grades of primary school, as well as secondary school
students. She meets with primary school children weekly in a classroom
setting and teaches a few groups of students on the secondary level, but
chiefly works with secondary school students individually in a classroom
setting. She defines herself as both a feminist and a teacher. She is hesitant
to call herself a “feminist teacher” as she believes she does not have the suf-
ficient insight into feminist pedagogy. However, she is a feminist and her
“teaching stems from who /she is/ as a person”, meaning that it is influenced
by her beliefs, values and norms. Even though her goal is not to active-
ly create feminist classrooms, the end result is often a feminist teaching
and learning situation since her methods and approach are often rooted
1 These are mostly found on the tertiary level and include Gender Studies and Women’s
Studies, for example. However, teaching feminism (and especially teaching about femi-
nism) is not necessarily limited to universities, it can also be (and often is) incorporated
into courses in primary and secondary schools – for instance, Sociology, History, Philoso-
phy, Literature and Art.
2 The name is a pseudonym.
72
example, building a community by promoting group work follows femi-
nist principles, yet at the same time is a very universal method for gain-
ing new knowledge. Even in science classes, feminist pedagogy can offer
new ways of comprehending knowledge and different starting points for
learning and teaching science. Using elements of feminist pedagogy thus
benefits student–teacher relations and classroom experiences, even where
issues regarding gender are not specifically addressed. Examples of such
feminist classrooms and practices are given in the following chapter.
Feminist Classrooms
Feminist classrooms are classrooms in which elements of feminist peda-
gogy exist in the teaching and learning process. This may be classrooms
that teach (about) feminism1 as well as classrooms where any other sub-
ject is being taught, as long as they are liberatory environments, following
the basic principles already outlined. In the following sections, the impor-
tance of feminist pedagogy is highlighted for different levels of education:
preschool education, primary level and secondary level.
A Word on Method
Some of the practices presented were acquired during the literature re-
view, but the majority of feminist classroom practices discussed on the
primary and secondary levels were procured during a semi-structured in-
terview with a teacher in training. Nina2 is a 26-year-old student finish-
ing an MA in ELT (English Language Teaching), with 2 years’ experience
working in different educational settings teaching students who attend
the third and fifth grades of primary school, as well as secondary school
students. She meets with primary school children weekly in a classroom
setting and teaches a few groups of students on the secondary level, but
chiefly works with secondary school students individually in a classroom
setting. She defines herself as both a feminist and a teacher. She is hesitant
to call herself a “feminist teacher” as she believes she does not have the suf-
ficient insight into feminist pedagogy. However, she is a feminist and her
“teaching stems from who /she is/ as a person”, meaning that it is influenced
by her beliefs, values and norms. Even though her goal is not to active-
ly create feminist classrooms, the end result is often a feminist teaching
and learning situation since her methods and approach are often rooted
1 These are mostly found on the tertiary level and include Gender Studies and Women’s
Studies, for example. However, teaching feminism (and especially teaching about femi-
nism) is not necessarily limited to universities, it can also be (and often is) incorporated
into courses in primary and secondary schools – for instance, Sociology, History, Philoso-
phy, Literature and Art.
2 The name is a pseudonym.
72
