Using metaphors to cross the divide between feminist theory and pedagogical design

Little has been written about how to bring feminist theory to pedagogical design, such that school students can engage with concepts such as power relations, governmentality, performativity, intersectionality, or affective assemblage. However, these concepts provide powerful thinking frames for activating insight into the shaping nature of gender norms. The challenge for the classroom teacher is fashion learning activities which will foster critical and compassionate thinking about the social conditions which normalize gender inequity. To progress the interests of those seeking to develop robust gender education programmes, I discuss my use of feminist theory to inform learning activities for primary and secondary school students. I foreground the ways in which I have used metaphors to carry complex concepts, and methods used to invite embodied, playful, critical and collaborative engagement with these concepts.