Feminist Pedagogy
GENDER GROUP I
KATHRYN MOORE
KANDAS QUEEN
JAY WILDT
Personal Beliefs

“Beliefs can be thought of as guiding principles
teachers hold to be true that serve as lenses
through which new experiences can be
understood. What teachers do in the classroom is
said to be governed by what they believe, and
these beliefs often serve to act as a filter through
which instructional judgments and decisions are
made” (Khader, 2012).
Know Your Filter
Definition of Feminist Pedagogy
 Carolyn Shrewsbury’s definition of
feminist pedagogy: "a theory about the
teaching/learning process that guides
our choice of classroom practices by
providing criteria to evaluate specific
educational strategies in terms of the
desired goals and outcomes" (1993, p.
8).
Purpose of Feminist Pedagogy
 Feminist theory
attempts to gain
understanding of the
women’s role in
society.
 Feminist pedagogy is
framed by feminist
theory.
 Feminist pedagogy
seeks to create an
inclusive, more
democratic learning
environment,
acknowledging
systemic concerns
with equity, social
justice and access for
marginalized groups.
Effects of Feminist Pedagogy
 Shrewsbury’s four main themes in feminist




pedagogy:
Empowerment of the Individual.
School becomes a Community.
Social action-call to action of Society (change)
Reflexivity- a style of Teaching/Learning along
with a curriculum that focuses on allowing
participants to actively participate in their own
learning by understanding cause and effect of
actions
Feminist Pedagogy and the Individual
 The individual becomes empowered through self
refection and awareness of their role in society.
 Feminist teaching objectives include developing
students' voice and values clarification.
 Students begin to view the world through their own
stories (schema) and find their place of
independence. Students begin to value self worth
and the right to personal fulfillment based upon their
own interests.
Feminist Pedagogy and the Individual
 "By focusing on empowerment, feminist pedagogy
embodies a concept of power as energy, capacity, and
potential rather than domination.... Under
conceptions of power as capacity, the goal is to
increase the power of all actors, not to limit the
power of some" (Shrewsbury, 1993, p. 10).
 We facilitate the empowerment of students and
teachers through the creation of a democratic
environment with shared responsibility for learning.
 Students become responsible for their own learning.
Feminist Pedagogy and the School
 The school becomes a community (of learning)
driven by the needs and interests of the individual
student.
 School community is built on relationships of the
participants (teachers and students).
 Participants are encouraged to engage freely in the
discovery of the topic and rely less on the authority
of the instructor.
 Creation of knowledge..contribute to the body of
knowledge.
Feminist Pedagogy and Society
 “Feminist pedagogy seeks to engage students in political
discussion of gender justice. Not only should students be
able to analyze information provided to them about the
roles of gender, race and class in determining the
positionality of individuals and groups, but to engage in
actions to help end oppression” (Zimmerman L.,
McQueen L., & Guy G. 2007).
 Feminist pedagogy addresses all oppressed individuals
and calls for change through social action.
 The roots of this pedagogy lie in the work of Paulo Freire
and the Critical Pedagogy Movement.
Feminist Pedagogy and Teaching/Learning
 Teaching and Learning promotes social change
 Reveals oppression of marginalized groups to all students
 Empowers students to think critically about the world
 Creates an environment of collaborative learning
 Raises awareness about the political structures
controlling the world.
 Teachers model feminist perspectives and democratic
relationships. The teacher becomes a role model of a
feminist leader
Feminist Pedagogy and Teaching/Learning
 Encourages students to find and define their voices
through their personal stories and histories
 Develops student independence and critical thinking
by diminishing teacher authority in the classroom
 Exposes the purpose of the curriculum and the
Patriarchal nature of the classroom
 Reformation of the relationship between professor
and student. Power becomes shared as students
assume more responsibility for teaching and teachers
for learning
Feminist Pedagogy Applied in the Classroom
 "A classroom based on feminist pedagogy is a
community of learners where power is shared and
where participatory democratic processes help
learners develop independence. It is an active,
collaborative classroom where risk-taking is
encouraged; where intellectual excitement abounds;
and where power is viewed as energy, capacity,
and potential, rather than domination" (Christie,
1997, p. 148).
Feminist Pedagogy Applied in the Classroom
 Students use of first names in addressing teachers to
lessen the divide created by teachers having titles and
students not.
 Use of journaling and self-reflective writing assignments
as an avenue for students to challenge their own thinking
and explore new ideas.
 Use of democratic classroom practices (include the
student) in creating learning objectives, evaluations, and
classroom procedures/rules.
 Use of personal examples and disclosure to encourage
students to personalize the material. Material becomes
relevant.
Feminist Pedagogy Applied in the Classroom
 Allow classroom discovery to grow from student




interests rather than a following a set agenda.
Allow and encourage more than one, right
interpretation of a text.
Utilize small group work to support relationship
building among students.
Consider seating arrangements that put students’
focus on other students rather than a professor on a
stage.
Challenge gendered language and remain vigilant
about the power of words.
Feminist Pedagogy
References
 Christie, A.A. (1997). Using e-mail within a classroom based on
feminist pedagogy. Journal of Research on Computing in Education,
30, 146-176. http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=e8e3a878ebe4-4e3b-87d7e611298e504a%40sessionmgr15&vid=2&hid=9&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZW
hvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=f5h&AN=390337
 Khader, Fakhri R., Teachers’ pedagogical beliefs and actual classroom
practices in social studies instruction. 2012, American International
Journal of Contemporary Research Vol. 2 No. 1; January 2012
 Shrewsbury, C. M. (1993). What is feminist pedagogy? Women's
Studies Quarterly, 21 (3&4), 8-15.
 Zimmerman, Lynn W.; McQueen, Laura; and Guy, Gwendolyn. 2007.
Connections, Interconnections, and Disconnections: The Impact of
Race, Class and Gender in the University Classroom. Journal of Theory
Construction & Testing. 11 (1) 16‐21
Feminist Voice
Madeleine R. Grumet
Janet L. Miller
Jo Anne Pagano
Perspectives (Relationships)
Individual
Society
School
Teaching
Individual
 Similarities
 Connection
 Community
• Others
• Community
• Students
 Attachment
Relationships
 Differences
 Madeleine R. Grumet
o Pedagogy of lived
experiences
 Janet L. Miller
o Women’s conditioning
 Jo Anne Pagano
o Acknowledge power
o Communication
Society
 Similarities
 Political
 Feminist Voice
•Breaking the
silence
Reproduction
 Differences
 Madeleine R. Grumet
o Caring relationships
instead of rules
 Janet L. Miller
o Not sacrifice female
traditional roles
 Jo Anne Pagano
o Symbiotic attachment
School
 Similarities
 Gender issues
Policies and
practices
Research
methodologies
o Integration
Curriculum
 Differences
 Madeleine R. Grumet
o Collaboration with
students
 Janet L. Miller
o Shared Community
o Building networks
 Jo Anne Pagano
o Patriarchal culture
Teaching
 Similarities:
 Collaboration
 Autobiography
 Phenomenology
(Grumet & Miller)
 Language
 Differences:
 Madeleine R. Grumet:
o Making learning fun
o Teaching other
people’s children
 Janet L. Miller:
o Building
relationships
 Jo Anne Pagano:
o Original knowledge
and connection
Summary
 Gender Voice
– Female Perspective
 Networking
– Relationships
– Professional Communities
 Patriarchal Persona vs. Matriarchal Persona
– Leadership
– Feminine Presence
References
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Grumet, M. R. (2009, January). Curriculum inquiry, theory, and politics. Retrieved May 23, 2012, from Marshall University Library:
http://mulibiiidb.marshall.edu/webbridge~S12/showresource?returnurl=%2Fsearch~S12%3F%2Fagrumet%2Fagrumet%2F1%252C
2%252C4%252CB%2Fframeset%26FF%3Dagrumet%2Bmadeleine%2Br%261%252C2%252C&resurl=http%3A%2F%2Fezproxy.mars
hall.edu%3A2048%2Flogin%3Furl%3Dhttp%3A
Grumet, M. R. (1990, November). Retrospective: Autobiography and the analysis of educational experiences. Retrieved June 6,
2012, from Glenville State College Library: http://web/ebscohost.com/ehost/delivery?sid=ffd4810b-1b6b-4d70-b2fbf31dbc92fe53%40sessionmgr13&vid=2&hid=10
Grumet, M. R. (1992). The language in the middle. Retrieved June 6, 2012, from Glenville State College Library:
http?//web.ebscost.com/ehost/delivery?sid=bide7c48-f7a3-4c2a-afcb-0b8b18f4b7ae%40sessionmgr12&vid=2&hid=10
Grumet, M. R. (1993, Autum). The play of meanings in the art of teaching. Retrieved May 23, 2012, from Marshall University Library:
http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=d72086c8-3ce4-42dc-8e4b-1a8fb8a51f16%40sessionmgr13&vid=1&hid=10
Grumet, M. R. (1990). Voice: The search for a feminist rehetoric for educational studies. Retrieved June 6, 2012, from Glenville State College
Library: http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/delivery?sid=2152f0fb-e54a-410c-ac43-b324efflf915%40sessionmgr14&4vid=14&hid=10
Grumet, M. R., & Stone, L. (2000, March). Feminism and curriculum: getting our act together. Retrieved May 2012, 2012, from Marshall
University Library: http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=62aa006f-b433-4a24-a4bb04d8184df03e%40sessionmgr13&vid=1&hid=10
Grumet, M. R., & Yates, L. (2011). Curriculum in Today's World : Configuring Knowledge, Identities, Work and Politics. Retrieved June 12, 2012,
from Marshall University Library:
http://mulibiiidb.marshall.edu/search~S12?/Xgrumet&searchscope=12&SORT=D/Xgrumet&searchscope=12&SORT=D&SUBKEY=grumet/1,7,7,
B/l856~b1512170&FF=Xgrumet&searchscope=12&SORT=D&1,1,,1,0
Miller, J. L. (1996) Teachers, researchers, and situated school reform: Circulations of power. Theory Into Practice. Retrieved May 23,
20012, from Marshall University Library:
http://ezproxy.marshall.edu:2472/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=9608042782&site=ehoust-live
Miller, J. L. (1992) Exploring power and authority issues in a collaborative research project. Theory Into Practice. Retrieved May 23,
20012, from Marshall University Library: http://ezproxy.marshall.edu:2472/longin.aspx?direct=ture&db&AN=5200267&site=ehostlive
Pagano, J. (1991) Relating to one’s students” Identity, morality, stories and questions. Journal of Moral Education. Retrieved from
Marshall University Library July 7 2012:
http://ezproxy.marshall.edu:2472/loginaspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=9604291581&site=ehost-live
Pinar, W., Reynolds, W., Slattery, P., & Taubaman, P. (2008). Understanding curriculum. New York: Peter Lang Publishing, Inc.
Curriculum, Sexuality, and The
Male Identity
“The real question is not whether an
individual is male or female, but what
perspective teachers have toward gender,
identity, and sexual/social roles.”
Objectives
• Historical influences of gender/sexuality on
curriculum
• Overview of theorists focusing on male
identity and sexuality related to curriculum
theory
• Implications of theorists’ perspectives related
to the individual, society, schools, and
teaching and learning
• Conclusion and questions
Historical Influences
• Early male domination of educational development
• Post-structuralism – throwing the baby out with the
bath water
• The sixties and seventies – rights for women and
minorities; war protests; sexual revolution
• The eighties: out of the closet with a terrible cost
Three Theorists of Note
Dr. James Sears
• “Critical theory enables
us to understand how
the changing
intersections of
sexuality, race, class,
and gender-manisfested
personal biographies
are rooted in a society’s
history and culture.”
Dr. Jesse Goodman
• “Teachers and school
reformers work within
and respond to the
constraints generated
by the conservative
agenda that is
dominating our
conventional schools
today.”
Dr. Thomas F Kelly
• “No one thinks we need
higher academic
standards more than me.
At the same time I must
say that the higher
standards we need most
are not academic.
The higher standards we
need most are moral,
and until we get that
straight the schools and
the general culture are
going nowhere but down”
Dr. James Sears
• Denounces homophobia as detrimental to
educational practice
• Established non-profit supporting research
on and by lesbian and gay students
• Came under fire for offering course at USC
on Christian fundamentalism
• Journal of LGBT Youth
• Growing up Gay in the South: Race, Gender,
and Journeys of the Spirit
Growing Up Gay in the South
• A mixed method portrayal of the childhood and
adolescent experiences of 36 homosexuals
growing up in the south.
• Mixed races, backgrounds, SES
• Explores negative impact of repressed discussion
of homosexuality in the family, church, and
school
• Described homosexual identity as being different
than gender, race, or other characteristics
Dr. Jesse Goodman
• Studied male pre-service elementary
schoolteachers (case histories)
– The three categories
• Traditionalists
• Neo-traditionalists
• New direction
• Also critical of current sex education scripting
as limiting information which creates an
“oppressive atmosphere of isolation and
mistrust” (pg. 401)
Dr. Thomas Kelly (with J. Goodman)
• Pro-feminist Teachers
• Rejected neo-traditionalists (cheering women
on)
• Study focused on three subdivisions:
– Discussion of patriarchy and feminization of
teaching
– Discussion of feminist pedagogy
– Described implications for pro-feminist instructors
Kelly and Goodman Summarized
• A Pro-feminist teacher:
– Collaborative co-learner
– Upholds student empowerment through respect of
student’s personal ideals
– Supports cooperative learning; diminishes
competition
– Attends to feminist perspectives of history, race, class
in curriculum
– Focuses on both intellectual and emotional
development
– Recognizes the importance of practical application of
personal beliefs (praxis)
Implications
“In influencing children's views of
society, a teacher’s perspectives are
more significant than his or her sex”
-Jesse Goodman
Implications for the Individual
• Teachers and curricularlists (particularly men) must
reflect on the gender-related perspectives and
strategies used in the classroom and in curricular
design
• Accept, recognize, and celebrate differences,
including sexual diversity.
• Reject patriarchal attitudes
• Recognize that being different in of itself does not
equate to privilege, but does provide unique
perspective.
Implications for Society
• Work for universal acceptance of pro-feminist
ideals (a level curricular field)
• Move to educate other cultures dealing with
deeply embedded homophobia, sexism, and
other prejudices en route to removal of
oppressive attitudes
• Confront antiquated ideas of sex and sexuality
• Celebrate diversity and the strength of accepting
the ideas of those different from ourselves and
incorporate them into curricula
Implications for the School
• Create an atmosphere intolerant of hate,
homophobia, and bigotry through profeminist curriculum
• Celebrate diversity!
• Work to shift social perceptions of gender
• Be willing to step away from the patriarchal
comfort zone
• Train counselors to work with gay and lesbian
students
Implications for Teaching and Learning
• Assure faculty are trained to recognize
patriarchal and other biased behavior within
themselves
• Advance toward gender-neutral pedagogy
• Establish cooperative learning strategies
• Minimize derogatory attitudes and behaviors
in classroom
• Review sex education scripting
In Summary…
• “ Feminist thought to date operates in relative
isolation from other eddies of curriculum
theory and practice, but its ripples will have
profound…influence”
Pinar and Miller, 1982, p. 222
References
Pinar, W. F., Reynolds, W. M., Slattery, P., & Taubman, P. M. (2008). Understanding
Curriculum. New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishing.
Pirola, J. (n.d.). Thomas F. Kelly, Ph.D. Retrieved from drtomkelly: http://www.drtomkelly.com/
Sears, J. T. (1991). Growing up gay in the south: Race, Gender, and journeys of the spirit (Vol.
4). Binghamton, NY: The Haworth Press.
Sears, J. T. (1992). Researching the other/searching for self: Qualitative research on
[homo]sexuality in education. Theory into practice, 31(2), pp. 147-156. Retrieved from
http://www.jstor.org/stable/1476401
Taubman, P. M. (1982). Gender and Curriculum: Discourse and the politics of sexuality. Journal
of Curriculum Theorizing, 4(1), pp. 12-87.