Speakers
Description
So far, the Polish education system was analyzed in relation to possible gender inequalities but never specifically in relation to PE lessons and the work of PE teachers. Given the fact that PE plays a significant role in perceiving gender by pupils and remains an insufficiently examined area, we believe that the research gap in this field should be bridged.
Therefore, the aim of the study was to analyze the prevailing gender-related discourses in the PE teaching practice.
Individual in-depth interviews with 17 PE teachers working in public primary school were conducted. Additional research materials consisted of the participant observation of PE lessons (60 teaching hours in total) conducted by two female teachers and two male teachers.
The research findings indicate that the interviewed PE teachers do not consider lessons as an important space for creating beliefs about gender. They do not recognize reproducing traditional assumptions about gender and physical activity during lessons. Moreover, gender equality has never been a part of curriculum for future PE teachers in Poland and for the majority of respondents gender equality is not a significant part of the education process. This situation may result from the declining status of the teacher profession in Poland and recent political developments in the country. Conservative politics of the governing party regarding gender equality issues in education and ignoring the protest of teachers is causing distancing the teachers from any issues seen as political.
