Research indicates that the lack of male educators in early childhood education is largely due to the association of early education with mothering and being “natural” for women, while men interested in the field are often perceived as “unnatural” or deviant. This lack of representation and education in the field is a significant issue, with only 2.2% of ECE and kindergarten teachers being men nationwide. Additionally, 44% of these teachers leave the field.
The Working Group on Men in ECE provides a global platform for professionals to reflect on the value of gender balance in early childhood education and the benefits and barriers to men’s full participation. The “What ECE Looks Like” series celebrates diverse stories and highlights how educators and leaders in the industry have worked to change things.
Male educators play an important role in breaking gender stereotypes in early childhood education and care, and it is essential to recognize and support their contributions. Working with male child care educators can create positive male role models for children and redefine the idea of masculinity. Working in early years can be a rewarding and valuable experience for young men, and more efforts should be made to introduce early years as a gender-balanced profession.
A gender-balanced ECE teaching staff brings significant benefits for children, families, educators, and the wider community. Both men and women are needed in the teaching profession across all age groups and should be valued as equal contributors to the intellectual minds of the children.
📹 Men in Early Childhood Education | Alex Straus | TEDxWWU
Alex Straus is a senior at Western Washington University. He is studying early childhood education and at the end of March will be …
What are the gender roles of male?
The traditional gender roles assigned to men include dominance, assertiveness, strength, and the roles of breadwinner, leader, and protector. These roles reflect the traditional characteristics of strength and assertiveness associated with men.
What is my role as an educator in early childhood?
An early childhood educator is tasked with the implementation of an approved learning framework and the assurance of children’s wellbeing, learning, and development. This is achieved either under direct supervision or through independent work within a team.
What is the role of male involvement?
Male involvement in household work is beneficial for men as it fosters confidence, care, and respect. It also helps in providing care to women during pregnancy, childbirth, and after birth. Men should be involved in accessing family planning services and ensuring women have time to rest and recover after delivery. They can also support the mother while she breastfeeds by caring for the household and other children. Men who participate in household work are confident, caring, and respected.
They also serve as good examples to their children. Working together encourages proper planning for the family’s basic needs, such as food, healthcare, and education. Additionally, men can use available land to grow food, including fruits and vegetables for home consumption. In conclusion, male involvement in household work leads to a happier and healthier family.
How does gender play a role in child development?
Gender awareness in children begins around 2 to 3 years of age, with children playing games that fit their gender and choosing toys, colors, and clothes traditionally associated with their assigned sex. They may also prefer to play with other children of the same sex. However, they don’t start to think of their gender as fixed until 5 or 6 years old, when they have fully’socialized’ and understand the meaning of gender. Gender roles are behaviors and attitudes that society feels are appropriate for a specific sex or gender identity, which can vary depending on cultural norms and traditions.
What is the role of men in childcare?
Male early years educators can provide children with a positive male role model, allowing them to build emotionally supportive relationships with emotionally available male practitioners. This can help boys acknowledge and articulate their emotions, fostering positive relationships in a safe, caring environment. Additionally, having men supporting and encouraging learning can develop boys’ positive attitudes towards learning.
Despite the predominantly female adult population in nursery schools and early years settings, fathers may feel uncomfortable and reluctant to participate in their child’s education. A male figure within the setting can support fathers in their involvement and understanding, impacting their perception of their role as care givers.
Why does gender matter in early childhood education?
Gender can significantly impact a child’s experience of the world and sense of self during early childhood. Young kids who are fluid or not conforming face the choice of either going against consistent social messages about gender or suppressing their identity. Creating gender-supportive learning environments can alleviate this stress and support kids of all gender identities in being just who they are. Gender-inclusive learning environments support kids of all gender identities in being just who they are.
The true education in gender-supportive education comes from the experiences of mothers who have raised three children, two cisgender and one non-binary. There is no training or work experience that compares to the education received from the children they love so dearly.
How do gender roles affect childhood?
Gender stereotypes can have a significant impact on young people’s mental health, leading to higher male suicide rates, low self-esteem in girls, and issues with body image. They also contribute to a culture of toxic masculinity and violence against women. For those who don’t conform to traditional gender roles, stereotyping and discrimination can exacerbate their struggle to feel accepted. An increasing number of young people identify differently to their birth gender, often suffering from poor mental health due to suppressing their real self or facing discrimination. It’s concerning that children still trust false ideas of identity, but eradicating these deeply ingrained societal norms is a challenging task.
How to answer childcare interview questions?
The sample response effectively showcases the applicant’s pertinent experience and competencies, underscoring their enthusiasm for working with children and dedication to their welfare. It asserts that they would be a valuable addition to the childcare center.
How do you introduce yourself as an early childhood educator?
In possession of a Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Teaching and a Primary Certificate in Education, I am a friendly, engaging, and passionate individual with a strong focus on children’s best interests and well-being.
What are 5 skills you need as an early childhood educator?
To succeed in the early childhood education field, one must possess essential skills such as patience, communication, creativity, organization, and enthusiasm. Childcare workers play a crucial role in developing educational activities for young children while ensuring their safety. G3 assistance covers tuition for select early childhood education programs, preparing educators to lead classrooms and contribute to Virginia’s future educational development. These skills and qualities are essential for a fulfilling and rewarding career in early childhood education.
📹 Drive for male staff as only 1 in 50 childcare workers are men | 5 News
▻ As in many industries, there is a gender imbalance in childcare. Except, in this case, it is women who dominate the workforce.
I am a male preschool teacher, and I face a lot of discrimination and prejudice from both parents and coworkers. By being a man at my job I’m immediately less valuable because more than half of the things I can’t do because it involves things that parents are uncomfortable with men doing. One of the hardest things about it is feeling alone and trying to push through it. But there is one thing that keeps me going, knowing my very presence is teaching kids that men can work with young kids, can be compassionate, all of it, and that keeps me going through all the hardest moments!
Shout out to to all the male early education teachers!!! You guys are the real deal! In Finland 🇫🇮 being a teacher is highly sort after from early childhood to High school. It’s highly sort after, deemed a very prestigious and Nobel profession. Educators get paid as much as Doctors, lawyers, and engineers etc… rightfully as professionals! I’m Australian and honestly I hope one day it’s seen like this globally!
Alex, your story resonated with me personally. I have been an early childhood educator since the 1980s, first as a preschool teacher and later as a director and professor at a university. I have seen very little movement toward gender balance in the 35 years I have been an Early Childhood Educator. This is an amazing profession and we need to get the message out. I will be sharing your TEDx talk with my students and with others. Charles Bleiker
I am a MALE teacher, with facial hair and more hair on top than I have control of, instructing Pre-K Students. Loved this article! Unfortunately, male teachers in early childhood are “frowned” upon, as I have personally experienced. But what I have ALSO experienced, is the gratitude and thankfulness of single mothers, who have their sons in my class. I have also realized that having facial hair can be very controversial. I have no idea why, but it is. When I spoke with parents of different ethnicities as myself as well as different co-workers, I understood that having facial hair meant different things. Being an Educator is such a rewarding position. However, as an educator, one must put aside their own personalities/characteristics and become absolved into a melting pot of different identities in order to be an objective confidant to those Students in your class.
I am a male and I’m a Junior in high school and I just enrolled in an early childhood education class at a career center/Trade school. This class expects us to fully operate a preschool and work as preschool teachers and at the end of my Senior year I get my CDA Credential. I have always naturally been great at working with kids and they have always enjoyed my company. So I looked at my options for a career/trade and Early Childhood was what my gut was telling me. I was one of only 2 guys in the class but the other guy just left last week. As soon as I enrolled I thought if people are going to judge me or not. I wondered why its not common for a male to work in an Early Childhood setting. Then I was worried that I would be judged for something that I am very passionate about. As you would imagine this class has childhood development as part of it and I find it fascinating to study children’s development and get excited to learn more and more. This article is very inspirational thank you
My short term goal is to return back to one of the CT community colleges this Fall 2021 semester to obtain my Early Childhood Education. My long term goal is to become an Early Childhood Teacher. First to work in early childhood. Then, to go back to college to work in the high school teacher. All in all, their is a shortage of male teachers. To conclude, I believe male teachers no matter who grade level they teach, can really be excellent role models. So, in conclusion, what classes should I take to go back to community college this fall in CT to pursue my dream job to becoming a teacher.
Okay so what are the odds of this? I’m also a WWU student and I just happened to find this article as a source for a paper, without knowing it was hosted was hosted at WWU. I’m an Anthropology major, BUT I’ve been a preschool TA for almost 6 years now, ranging from preschool and after school programs to summer programs and tutoring. Everything you said here was so on point, I even get made fun of by small children for my beard also! In about 6 years of working with young children I’ve NEVER met another male teacher or teacher’s assistant. It really shows that we need to change the narrative.
Um…our family owned a Child Development Center for infants, toddlers, and pre-K. My mom founded it. I worked for the Center of course…in records. I wrote parent and staff handbooks, reported attendance, took calls, managed parent, staff, and child documents, ran the facebook page, etc. My brother worked…in finance. He did budgeting, accounts, and payroll. My mom and sister, and an army of women, did everything related to actually interacting with children. I stayed in the office. Now when hiring came up, and the applications from men were invariably ignored, I asked about that. My mom told me in her daycare and others, parents, especially mothers, objected to men in the centers. Work as an assistant teacher might include something like changing a child’s diaper, and they weren’t keen on trusting a man to do that. Men make the parents nervous I was told. Parents wouldn’t trust them. I pointed out that that was gender discrimination and I was told that centers have lost business trying to be gender neutral. This begs the question of whether people will hire men at all
If you watch this and think it’s a good idea to enter early childhood education, don’t. The pay is abysmal and the joy/light isn’t worth questioning your masculinity/your ability to provide for your own family. You better believe that joy and light only occurs when you are the right educational setting as well. I grew up without a strong male precense to tell me this, so heed the warning.