“Head of the Class: A Survey of Male Attitudes Toward Teaching in Early Childhood Education”

www.menteach.org “Head of the Class: A Survey of Male Attitudes Toward Teaching in Early Childhood Education” McKenna M. Keenan

Overview • Persuasive Purpose • Literature Review • Theory • Methods • Findings • Discussion

Persuasive Purpose • The purpose of this study is to identify the attitudes and perceptions of male early childhood educators, currently working in the field, about their chosen occupation. Little previous research has been conducted on this topic, thus the information gathered here will contribute to the sociological knowledge as to why men chose an occupation that is typically female; therefore, men are a minor in their profession.

Literature Review • Importance of men in Early Childhood Education • Barnard (2000) • Farquhar (1997) • Scarcity of men • Clyde (1997) • Santiago (1999) • Emergent issues for men • Cooney and Bittner (2001) • Rodriquez (1997) • Recruitment and retention of men • Cooney (2001) • Farquhar (1997) • Why men choose to teach? • Santiago (1999) • Rodriquez (1997)

Theory • Masculinity • Kimmel (1992, 1997, 2006) • social construction theory • Cohen (2001) • Williams (2001)

Methods • Procedure • www.surveymonkey.com • 27 question survey • Open and closed ended questions • Demographic, job satisfaction, career choice • October 5, 2006- November 2, 2006 • Participants • www.menteach.org • 28 participants • Ages 30-69; average age 48.39; 61% over age of 50 • Racial/ ethnic identity • Level of education and training

Findings Table 1: Age and Race of Early Childhood Educators • Table 1 • Teaching Experience

Findings Table 2: Age and Years Teaching Ages 0-8 for Early Childhood Educators

Findings • Male presence in schools • Location Graph 1: Location of School

Findings • factors affecting decisions to enter the field • Administration dissuade ECE • More opportunities in ECE • Signing bonuses • Hiring more males • Salary • Influences

Findings • Graph 2: Social Factors Influencing Male Educators Positive Positive Negative Negative

Findings • Mannerisms and accusations • Why became a teacher? • “I wanted to impact children's lives in a positive way. In many families, there are no males. With families becoming split, and the mother raising the children, many children need a male influence in their lives. Studies show that if a child has a male role model, then the child will benefit from it later in life.” • Why ECE? • “I am a kid magnet. When I decided to go back to school, the requirements for elementary school were restrictive both with money and time. I enjoy the freedom of ECE.”

Findings • any stereotypes and/ or biases • Negative: “Some female colleagues have assumed that I would not want to diaper children or would not want to work with babies, just because I was a male.” • Positive: “I've been lucky in that I haven't faced anything but positive biases in my work. If anything, I'm beginning to feel like it's just one more benefit I get simply for being male. People frequently say, ‘It's so good they have a male presence in the room.’” • benefit children differently than females • “We have a different level of communication along with a different approach to working with children. We may be filling a void where there is no positive male role model.” • New research • “Debate, discussion on these issues is what is necessary to professionalize us all and identify fears involved with difference and our own bias.” • “This is an issue of diversity and of improving the lives of children and families.”

Discussion • Provide a new, diverse, and positive role model • Age • Lack of male educators • Discrimination • State of ECE profession • “Our society is beginning to recognize both the inevitability and the value of racial and cultural diversity. But another dimension of diversity is valuing the interests and talents of both sexes, of recognizing the contributions that both women and men can make to children and to one another in their work with children (82).” Cooney (2001) • Children first

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“Head of the Class: A Survey of Male Attitudes Toward Teaching in Early Childhood Education”