Antonis Lenakakis, ‘Do women know how to drive?’ A research on how theatre pedagogy contributes to dealing with gender stereotypes, Προσχολική & Σχολική Εκπαίδευση, 7|2019, 53-80

This research aims at investigating the effects of a drama/theater-in-education program on dealing with gender stereotypes; it also aims at creating or improving a culture of cooperation and communication among 6th grade pupils of a Greek primary school. On the premise that drama/theater promotes play, free and creative expression, we attempted to bring out the pupils’ perceptions, subconscious thoughts, prejudices, emotions and fears regarding gender, through both qualitative and quantitative tools. The sociometric test analysis, the subject analysis of the data gathered by the student group interviews, the critical friend’s comments and the researchers’ reflective journals indicate a shift in the pupils’ stereotypical perceptions on gender as well as a broadening of the social networks between boys and girls. The educational drama/theater practices of our program provided the students with a safe, free and creative environment that enabled them to talk about, negotiate and express with all senses their personal representations, values, views and gender stereotypes.