What Role does Early Education Play in the 'Gendering ' of Children Essay

What Role does Early Education Play in the 'Gendering ' of Children - Essay Example As the report declares the gender bias can also impact access to educational equality, stifle their psychological and physical wellbeing. It is very critical for the early childhood educators to be conscious of the effects of stereotypes. The gender identity concept awareness is important for the educators because it is always placed on the children at a very early age, for example, nursery colors selection. Children start to understand and form gender concept at about two years of age. Most children begin to know they are a boy or a girl at the age of three years. At around three to five years, the children grow their gender identity and start to clearly understand male or a female traits. Immediately these young children understand their gender identity, they begin to develop gender stereotypes. From the research it is clear that gender is different between cultures and they are not necessarily the biological traits which differentiate between a male and a female. Earlier research has indicated that gender identification can be formed in two different perspectives; sex role theories and gender relational theories. The children are motivated to join the opposite sex areas out of their own choice, adopt nontraditional behaviours and attitudes. Gender relational theories, on the other hand, children are viewed to actively engage in their own gender identities. Gender in children is thought to grow continuously, based and shaped by ethnicity, the social class, culture, age and religion.