Sexism in the Classroom: Analysis from a Teacher’s Point of View

Abstract

Despite the progress made in recent decades, sexism is a prevalent problem today and has permeated society at a systemic level, including education. This study seeks to analyse the perception of sexism by senior secondary school teachers and trainee teachers. The research was carried out using qualitative methodology, using a semi-structured interview as a data collection instrument. The analysis consisted of the collection of teachers’ experiences for subsequent evaluation and comparison. The results obtained describe similarities between the groups in the perception of sexism in the classroom, but distinguish the justification behind sexist behaviour, and make explicit the lack of specific training for teachers in both groups in the area of sexism in science. These results point to the perceived need for more comprehensive training on sexism among secondary school teachers, according to the experiences and interpretations reported by the participants.