Feminism and Early Childhood Education in Indonesia: Teachers’ Reflections

Abstract

This chapter describes how early childhood educators and center directors in Yogyakarta, Indonesia responded to a workshop on gender equity. In particular it analyzes how gender-related cultural and legal contradictions are reflected in participants’ personal and professional lives. In the past, Indonesian educators have been resistant to gender equity work because the term “feminism” is seen as a western concept and alien to the Indonesian culture. Some also have found the didactic tone and sweeping assumptions of many trainers to be alienating and contradictory to their experiences. Furthermore, some educators believe that gender does not affect the social dynamics of their classrooms. To address these issues, the first author and her colleagues developed an alternative strategy for the workshops described in this chapter. First, the term “gender equity” was initially used to avoid the negative connotations of “feminism.” Second, in contrast to a “political approach,” the workshops were based on a “psychological approach”. In this model, teachers are encouraged to reflect on their lives and the circumstances that have influenced their gender identity, including experiences that have strengthened their capacities and have enabled them to overcome gender conformity and inequities. As participants in the workshops began to understand their own gender-related history and identity, they became aware of others’ unique experiences and views. They also began to recognize gender biased behavior and teaching practices in their classrooms and started to develop teaching strategies to create more gender equitable learning environments.