How Do Young Turkish Children Perceive the Gender of Their Teachers? A Case Study

Abstract

This chapter presents findings from a case study in a public kindergarten consisting of five headteachers (one man and four women) and a female school director in a Muslim lower-class poorly educated district in a city in the eastern part of Türkiye. The findings show that adults are more aware of gender and think more about this issue than children. However, the children's expressions when describing their teachers did not highlight gender; rather, they preferred to describe activities in which the teachers tended to engage. They have a more egalitarian and partially unbiased perspective as related to their teachers. Especially considering that this study was conducted in a district with a low socioeconomic level and a relatively more traditional perspective in Türkiye, it was found that children placed more importance on their interactions and sharing with their teachers rather than their gender. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.