Representations on the teaching of Physical Education in Early Childhood Education: reflections on the discourse of teachers working in a female reserve area

Abstract

objective of this article was to analyze the social representations of Physical Education teachers, focusing on how teaching in public units of Early Childhood Education in Rio de Janeiro/RJ is crossed by gender, and its possible impacts on the teaching-learning processes. For this, we adopted a descriptive-interpretive research, with a qualitative approach, using a structured questionnaire, answered by 11 teachers. The critical examination of the data was carried out through Content Analysis in dialogue with the literature on Gender Studies related to teaching in general and about Physical Education in Early Childhood Education. The results indicate that the social representations of gender that crosses the male teaching of Physical Education in Early Childhood Education is complex, with different understandings, such as: the way to communicate with children; the supposed natural aptitude for some teaching contents of a rhythmic-expressive nature; the utilitarian view of other professionals on the relationship of the male figure in compensating for the absence of the father figure; the reinforcement of social gender roles that associate childcare with women; as well as the mistrust about male teachers being able to participate in this care for children's bodies and their education.