Members of the Early Years Consultants’ team and Lead Teachers attended this conference which was organised by the Men in Early Years Network. The network seeks to
create a space for discussion around gender in the Early Years. It looks at how the imbalance in the workforce can be addressed and how harmful stereotypes can be tackled, as well as thinking about what can be done to raise the status of the profession. The keynote speaker was Lord Robert Winstone who presented some of his seminal research on how we learn. Other speakers included Graham Andre who is involved in hands-on gender neutral teaching practice and Lucy Crehan who has had direct experience of different approaches to Early Years teaching and how it is valued in different cultures. In addition to the speakers there were a range of thought provoking workshops which aimed to challenge the notion of gender and its effects on society with a view to how these ideas can be utilised in practice. A range of stalls around the conference hall added to the day, supporting the theme of the conference.
To find out more about the Men in Early Years network:
https://www.bmiey.co.uk
https://www.bristolearlyyears.org.uk/bristol-men-in-early-years-blog/