Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr. Jessica Branch
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
The theme of gender roles is something that shows up in every work of literature. In early children’s literature, the vast majority of these stories portray the most common gender stereotypes, such as girls wearing pink and playing with dolls, while boys are wearing blue and playing with cars and trucks. The families’ roles are also seen in these books. For example, the mother figure is usually seen staying at home with the children and working in the kitchen or outside in the garden, while the father is often portrayed coming home from a long day of work in a suit and tie. These gender roles are often portrayed in similar ways throughout preschool and kindergarten literature. This is a critical period to establish self-concept and gender roles. Therefore, it is important to examine how gender roles are described in the children’s books (ages 3 to 6 years). I will collect data (children’s books ages 3 to 6 years) from the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winners and honorees located in either Murray State University's Waterfield Library or the Murray State University Curriculum Materials Center and analyze the collected data using the constant comparative method. Qualitative data regarding the various themes found in the literature will be analyzed as well as the quantitative data regarding the number of times each theme is found in the books.
Fall Scholars Week 2022 Event
Honors College Senior Thesis Presentations
“You Can Be Anything You Want": An Analysis of Gender Roles in Early Childhood Literature
The theme of gender roles is something that shows up in every work of literature. In early children’s literature, the vast majority of these stories portray the most common gender stereotypes, such as girls wearing pink and playing with dolls, while boys are wearing blue and playing with cars and trucks. The families’ roles are also seen in these books. For example, the mother figure is usually seen staying at home with the children and working in the kitchen or outside in the garden, while the father is often portrayed coming home from a long day of work in a suit and tie. These gender roles are often portrayed in similar ways throughout preschool and kindergarten literature. This is a critical period to establish self-concept and gender roles. Therefore, it is important to examine how gender roles are described in the children’s books (ages 3 to 6 years). I will collect data (children’s books ages 3 to 6 years) from the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winners and honorees located in either Murray State University's Waterfield Library or the Murray State University Curriculum Materials Center and analyze the collected data using the constant comparative method. Qualitative data regarding the various themes found in the literature will be analyzed as well as the quantitative data regarding the number of times each theme is found in the books.