Abstract

DIAZ CARRASCO, Katalina Cecilia; JARA MENDOZA, Valentina Paz  and  COLLARTE INZUNZA, María Luisa. BELIEFS OF FAMILIES REGARDING AN EARLY EDUCATOR. Areté [online]. 2025, vol.11, n.22, pp.122-130.  Epub Nov 17, 2025. ISSN 2443-4566.  https://doi.org/10.55560/arete.2025.22.11.8.

The research arises from the existing gap between the low number of male educators in relation to the female sex, thus presenting a gender bias in the Early Childhood Education career, founded and inherited by Chilean culture and society. The objective of this study is to demonstrate the beliefs or prejudices that families have regarding their sons or daughters attending a classroom taught by a male educator. This will allow us to investigate whether currently, where the inclusive approach predominates, would accept a male educator as the protagonist of the initial teaching. Empirical information was collected through discussion groups and semi-structured interviews with parents whose children are in preschool education. Subsequently, a qualitative analysis of content and meaning was carried out, yielding results that are marked by their sexist upbringings. The beliefs shared among the participants are a man is not as effective as a woman in the role of preschool educator, they also believe that a male educator is more prone to sexual abuse than a woman and, finally, they propose that there should be more preschool educators, but not for their sons or daughters.

Keywords : Beliefs; Early childhood educator; Family; Gender bias.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )