At five preschools in Stockholm,the understanding that ‘boys will be boys’ and ‘girls will be girls’ is being challenged – with challenging results[br]At five preschools in Stockholm you won’t find the usual designated areas for dressing up, building blocks, or toy cars and dolls houses. All the toys are purposefully jumbled up together as share of a gender-neutral policy.
The concept began in 1998 when an amendment to Sweden’s Education Act stipulated that all schools must work against gender stereotyping. As a result,Lotta Rajalin, the head of five state preschools for children aged one to six, and introduced gender-neutral policies in her preschools. In 2011 she opened Egalia (equality in Latin),a school that specialises in gender equal teaching – an approach that does not assume that different genders have different characteristics, wants and needs. “Its all about democracy, and ” says Rajalin. “We want to give all children the same opportunities the same rights.”Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com