Preschool, as an institution, has a big responsibility to counteract traditional gender role behavior. According to preschools curriculum, Lpfö 98/2010, girls and boys are suppose to always have the same opportunities and preschool is not allowed to have a stereotyped view of gender role when treating children. This study is interesting because it illustrates intentions and actions when children and preschool teachers interact in the hallway. The purpose of this study was to research about preschool teacher’s intentions and actions when in treatment with boys and girls in the hallway, through a gender perspective. The following questions were tied to this study: Which intentions do preschool teachers have regarding interplay with children? What kind of actions can be distinguished in the interplay between preschool teachers and boys or girls?
This is a qualitative study. We made video observations to get an understanding of how preschool teachers interact and treat boys and girls in the hallway. Then we interviewed preschool teachers, one at a time, to find out their intentions and expectations regarding the situation in the hallway and the interaction with boys and girls, among other things. The result of this study shows than differences regarding interactions and treatment with boys and girls is not apparent. The result rather shows that aspects like – To develop independence, individual ability, individual care, verbal and nonverbal communication and also bringing up the child as an individual is of importance when looking at how interaction and treatment is expressed in the hallway. How these aspects affect the situation in the hallway and what kind of conditions and possibilities the children gets is reflected by us in the discussion of the result.