Male Early Childhood Education Teachers: Here's Why We Need to Support Them! by Bill James
The stark reality of the gender imbalance in my chosen field of Early Childhood teaching hit me hard on the first day of my teacher training course, where just three men in a group of 18 was celebrated as an apparent step forward. I was confronted on teaching facilities, too, where most of the staff toilets were strictly out of bounds to me, as you had to walk past the toilets that the children use to get to that toilet. Surely school buildings were not built with the assumption that the teacher would not be male?
Lastly, while most colleagues are incredibly supportive, there are always a few who subconsciously see Early Childhood as "their" territory, with male teachers being against the norm at best. All things considered, it's high time I put forward a tip or two:
- Collegiate groups like the Males in Primary group (for Western Australia public school teachers) are a lifeline. Get involved.
- When someone acts surprised at your field of choice, act surprised at their reaction!
- NEVER, ever give up. Most male teachers are good people, and our school communities need them just as much as they need good female teachers. Hold your head high.
This video is longer than 30 seconds, but we think it's worth it.
Photo: M.Gilligan
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