PRINCIPLES OF
FEMINIST PEDAGOGY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION Heather Anne De Lair and Eric Erwin were some of the first to advocate for an explicitly feminist approach within the academic field of early childhood education studies with their 2000 article "Working Perspectives within Feminism and Early Childhood Education". Although their article acknowledges there are overlaps between existing discussions of more general critical theory within the field and the approach they are advocating for, they explicitly state specifically feminist practices guide their research. Using examples from their existing experience as early childhood professionals (De Lair educates elementary school children and Erwin teaches undergraduates who wish to become teachers themselves), they outline five potential principles of a feminist centered approach to education.
Principle 1: Early childhood educators should practice justice centered lives, not just advocate for them. This task is not an easy undertaking, as it requires being consistently willing to correct injustice when seen from students, colleagues, and themselves in a manner that is specific to the needs of the circumstances. The authors designate this the most challenging principle to execute, but its placement at the beginning of the list highlights its importance.
Principle 2: Early childhood educators allows for subjectivity from both the educator and the students. Within the undergraduate program, a focus is examining how individual teacher’s positionality impacts their pedagogy in positive and negative ways. Additionally, student’s different perspectives are seen as assets rather than challenges and are used to shape lessons for greatest impact.
