"A Male Like Me": The Construction of the Male Role Model in Early Childhood Education

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session 10
  In Roundtable Session: Experiences of Teachers: Early Childhood and Teacher Educators

Abstract

Men who enter the field of early childhood education (ECE) often find themselves described by families and colleagues as carrying the weighty mantle of “male role model.” This paper explores the complex meanings of this characterization. Individual and focus group interviews with male EC educators working in sites throughout NYC, and with the administrators who supervise them, are analyzed to explore how the educators’ concepts of maleness and masculinity are constructed and understood in the field. This study focuses on how male educators’ reflect upon the impact of their male identity on their teaching practice and on their lives as teachers. Findings have implications for practices and policies that can support recruitment and retention of men working in the field.

Authors

• Kirsten Cole, Borough of Manhattan Community College - CUNY

• Mindi Reich-Shapiro, Borough of Manhattan Community College