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I completly agree with this article and the issue was raised yesterday by a Grand parent at a playgroup.

The answer to 'Why No Men' is mainly due to the fact the wages for all staff in Early Childhood roles is terrible..no one can survive on the pittance handed out each pay.

Also there is no career pathway in Early Childhood to encourage professional development.

I have been working in the early childhood education profession for 14 years, 13 of them as a teacher, the last year as a director. In that time I have been subjected to lower and higher standards than my female peers, second and third looks from concerned parents, kudos for jobs that parents took for granted from my colleagues as well as other behaviors, both positive and negative, compared to the treatment of my female colleagues.
Many men do not get into this field because of the bad pay (it keeps many women out too), many stay out of the field because of the societal stigma of working (playing) with young children for a living (this also keeps out many women), some stay away due to the looks of fear and concern from administrators, families, colleagues, etc. (this keeps out some women, but far fewer than men). Men get into this field, and stay away from this field for a number of legitimate reasons. To attempt to boil it down to sexism, or lack of desire for female directors to hire male teachers is to dismiss the complexity of why anyone (male or female) gets into or stays away from this job.
One final thought, if/when you do hire a male teacher, be aware that we are often pigeonholed a bit more than our female colleagues. We know that female teachers come in all different styles, with many different interests. Would we look askance at the female teacher who was interested in cooking, or art, or music? Would we automatically assume that every female teacher knows how to cook (or would want to)? No. But we do assume that the men who get into this field are either more effeminate than the rest of male society (I've lost count of the number of times I've been assumed homosexual because of my career choice), or interested in athletic competition (I am, but one of my male teachers is very much not). I don't wish to speak for all male early childhood teachers, but I know that I've often felt separated from my colleagues, treated sometimes better and sometimes worse by them due to my "Y" chromosome, but always looked at as just another shade of different and more than a step apart.
I have loved my time as a teacher (as a Director I miss them more than I ever thought possible, and I spend more time with my kids than any Director I've ever had). If one asked me what I love most about it, my answer will be just as different from Wheeler's as Phyliss' will be from Judith's. I've struggled with the low pay (as has everybody on this forum) and the lack of respect (as has everybody on this forum) and the joy of changing diapers (as has everybody on this forum). At the end of the day, I'm not a white/jewish/male preschool teacher, I'm a preschool teacher.

My son worked in my daycare for some time and dealt with the same issues as Wheeler and I knew when he left there to go on to college, he would never return to childcare as people were not open to the male involvement with their child or children. He is now in a larger city and went back to working at a childcare center but even there they have the same misconception and he is very caring having grown up in childcare all his life. I have been in that business for twenty some years. It is definitely time for a change!!!!

in california, we are working hard to address the issue of men in child care. our state AEYC has a men in child care committee, and we have passed resolutions to encourage the state to actively work on the issue.

in addition, there are a number of interesting strategies going on in los angeles county. by collaborating with child care resource and referral agencies, we have brought two men to the public policy committee of our county AEYC meetings. in addition, one of the local resource and referral agencies (mine - connections for children) presents regular workshops on boy-friendly environments (a key strategy to engaging both male teachers and fathers).

you may wish to take a look at the Male Involvement Rating Scale (it started out as a tongue in cheek activity, but has been getting circulated around the ECE community recently and will even be presented at our state aeyc conference at the center for social change!). i have added it here for you to enjoy...

Male Involvement Rating Scale:
Apologies to Thelma Harms and Richard M Clifford

Space and Furnishings for Care and Learning (SF) 11 pts subscale
1. Furnishings for O tumbling mats are available to children
Rough-housing, Large O work/tool bench is available
Muscle and Active Play * ramps and pulleys are available (option to above)
O climbing structures are available (stepping
stools, ladders, hammock, tree-house, lofts)
O seating furnishings include bean-bags, peanut
chairs, benches and other furnishings that allow movement by the child.

2. Child-related display O generic pictures of men
O pictures of men in nurturing roles
O pictures of relative-men

3. Space to be Active O a designated area for noisy play
O an area for running, spinning or jumping is
available indoors and/or out.
O large outdoor spaces are available
O hills and areas of elevation change are available

Basic Care (BC) 9 pts subscale
1. Arriving/Leaving O the Daily Schedule includes activities that
engage men at common arrival and departure
times.

2. Meals/Snacks O finger food a regular part of snack and meal time
(hot dogs, pizza, sandwiches, carrot sticks)
O men participate in preparing and serving meals

3. Nap/Rest O unusual nap rest furnishings are permitted
(huge cardboard boxes, etc)
O men are encouraged to rub backs

4. Diapering/Toileting O men are encouraged to participate in diapering
and toileting activities.
O diaper-changing table is available in Men’s
Room (when applicable)

5. Safety O some element of risk is permitted among well-
supervised children during play.
O children are given instruction in the safe use of
tools.

Language and Reasoning (LR) 8 pts subscale
1. Non-verbal communication O non-verbal communication including body
language is an acceptable form of communication *between children and between adults and children.
2. Self-comforting O children are allowed to comfort themselves
without adult intervention
3. Helping Children O non-fiction/informational books are present
Understand Language O caregivers read aloud non-fiction/informational
books to children in groups or individually
4. Helping Children O children are permitted to speak out of turn if
to Use Language done with reasonable respect for others.
O children are permitted to use loud voices indoors
when they are engaged in play if done with reasonable respect for others.
5. Helping Children O the logical consequence that sometimes active
Reason play results in “owies”, “boo-boos” etc
supports the continued active play of
the children.
O children are permitted to continue in activities
involving some risk if they problem solve. (“we can build the block building higher if we wear safety helmets”, “we can dig a giant hole in the sandbox if we put a warning sign so no one falls in”.)

Learning Activities (LA) 9 pts subscale
1. Learning activities O blocks and manipulatives are available daily
are inviting O balls AND wheel toys are available daily
O live animals are present and cared for by children
O the dramatic play area includes boy-friendly
props such as hard hats, tools, ties…
O messy sensory activities are available daily
tools are available daily (weapons may be
considered to be tools by caregivers when they are used appropriately and respectfully)

2. Daily Schedule O the daily schedule includes at least 45 minutes of
outdoor time half day programs and at least 90 minutes for full day programs *weather permitting

3. Supervision O men are allowed to touch and hold children
O caregivers supervise higher-risk activities closely
O men and women caregivers share supervision
responsibilities of traditionally gendered
activities equally.

Social Development (SD) 5 pts subscale
1. Tone O regular physical contact includes rough-housing
O caregivers use encouragement instead of praise
O failed attempts are valued by caregivers for the
child’s effort

2. Discipline O logical consequences are considered to be
valuable tools for learning (rather than intervening immediately, caregivers permit children to explore the limits of their abilities and then problem solve the consequences together)
3. Cultural Awareness O caregivers are aware of differing cultural
expectations for boys and men and endeavor to respectfully address and support when appropriate these differences.

Adult Needs (AN) 8 pts subscale
1. Relationships with O fathers and mothers are equally encouraged to
Parents participate in the program
O fathers are just as likely to be contacted as
mothers when a child is sick or hurt.
O parent contracts explicitly support and encourage
Male Involvement and support men staff in
their role as primary caregivers.

2. Opportunities for O men and women caregivers are encouraged to
Professional Growth pursue professional development and to
participate in professional activities equally.

3. Male Team and O the sometimes different team and
Communication Styles communication styles of men are respected.
(meetings are organized and communication
between men and women staff are facilitated
in such a way that these differences are supported without causing divisiveness, misunderstanding or judging.)
O results are valued as well as processes (e.g.
product vs process)

4. Guy-Stuff O WD40, Duct Tape, Rope are on site
O Sports or Car Magazines in the Lobby/Reception
Area and/or Staff Lounge




Scoring:

Space and Furnishings (SF) Subscale Score out of possible 11 _____

Basic Care (BC) Subscale Score out of possible 9 _____

Language and Reasoning (LR) Subscale Score out of possible 8 _____

Learning Activities (LA) Subscale Score out of possible 9 _____

Social Development (SD) Subscale Score out of possible 5 _____

Adult Needs (AN) Subscale Score out of possible 8 _____

Total of all Subscales Possible 50 _____



Programs scoring less than 40 are encouraged to contact the California Association For The Education of Young Children (CAEYC) Men In Child Care Committee:
[email protected]

To Wheeler Cowperthwaite - I love to hear the exception to the rule. In our program you would have been expected to perform the same duties as any other teacher, because all tasks are teacher duties. There is no discrimination. I have purposefully looked for male teachers (maybe that's discrimination!) because we serve a population of abused preschoolers. These children have behavioral and social emotional issues. They NEED a positive male role model because they don't have it at home or any where else. BUT I have been told on more than one occasion, from male applicants, that they can't work for such little pay AND, more importantly, that they WON'T change diapers (and it didn't have to do with fears of abuse allegations. I actually had one male teacher state "I don't do diapers.") So, we're not discriminating against males in Louisville, Kentucky.

Not to mention that the child care field doesn't pay enough to attract men.

I, a male who has worked with children as both a volunteer and preschool teacher, have felt the sting of discrimination and fear as Paula Muamw describes. I completely disagree with Judith Steilberg's comments.
When I worked at a preschool, I was not allowed to work with the infants to two-year-olds because they required diaper changing. The preschool refused to let men change diapers or change children, at all. "Its for your protection and ours" they told me.
This is the kind of fear and discrimination that drives men out of early childhood education.
I was eventually fired because a parent didn't like how my voice sounded, especially as the only male voice in the preschool. It sounds like a ridiculous reason, but its sadly true. Now the kids have been deprived of the only male teacher, and the infants-through-toddlers always were.
It's not the pay that drives male teachers away. I worked at the preschool for close to minimum wage and worked on the weekends to support myself. I worked at the preschool because I loved the kids, not because it paid my bills.
I would like to "STRONGLY" say the reason for men not working in early childcare education is the fear parents have about men, not the pay. I also must assert: it is not one gender's fault, but the fault of a society which perpetuates a female-only child rearing system.

"Why No Men?" the lack of adequate monitary compensation generally turns away any prospective male applicants. Child care embraces a diviserity of genders whenever it occurs.

While I agree with Mr. Torelli's thoughts on this subject, I think that, at least in this excerpt, he does not follow his thinking far enough. Since child care has been traditionally viewed as "women's work", it has received the corresponding low compensation and societal status. Since traditionally men are to work to "provide for their families" and "get ahead", how can a man choose this profession? It is very difficult, if not impossible, to adequately provide for a family on the compensation offered. And, even as a female, I have been on the receiving end of hundreds of polite smiles and inane comments at social gatherings when I answer the question, "And what do you do?" It takes a very strong person, male or female, to continue to be passionate about work that others find slightly uncomfortable and forgettable. We have several men on staff in our program. It is a fascinating truth that all of them hold degrees or are active in art or music. Does it take this kind of creative thinking to help a man be able to step over the obstacles society has constructed around early childhood care and education?

I think it is difficult for men to get into the Earlychildhood field because of a bad reputation that men have gotten with children. There are so many men that are convicted child molesters and abusers that possible some centers ministries are reluctant to hire a male. We had a bad experience with a male at our center many years ago and are a little reluctant to hire a male. This person was fine, every back ground check came out OK. But then something at the center happened with one of the older children and he was eventually convicted of child molesting. If a man goes through the early childhood eduation classes and is very serious about the job I would be willing to hire someone like that but not if they were just someone off the street. It sounds little prejudice but it's also caution too.
I do think it would be good to have men in the field. Children need a good male role model in their life. I just don't see men going into early childhood unless they are going for administration. The rest are going into the public schools and most of them are in the upper grades. I suppose it mostly has to do with the pay. They can't or won't work for the lower pay that a starting would get.

While the issues Louis Torelli mentions are valid - yes, our culture still does relegate the early years to women - I believe the economics of the early childhood profession have a greater impact on keeping men from entering the field than the long standing traditional gender roles. Great strides have been made in the last 25 years in opening once closed fields of study/work to both genders: nursing, engineering, construction, etc. We won't see a systemic change in the early childhood profession until the salary and compensation issues are addressed. One can not support a family (regardless of gender) with the current compensation offered.

You ask why men aren't involved in childcare? That's like asking why the streets are wet when its raining. DUH! In our paternalistic society, women and children have been seen as second class citizens, child caring was seen as "women's work" and the work was frivilous and unimportant. Men were too important to even care for their OWN children, much less someone else's. And then because it was women's work and frivilous, the pay and respect was limited. What MAN wants to take on a job like that? Although the opinion of women in our society is changing, we're not there yet. And although the opinion of the importance of children and child caring is changing, we're not there yet. I want to STRONGLY emphasize that the reason men are not involved in childcare is NOT the female's fault. We would LOVE to hire male teachers (not directors, lets get some male TEACHERS in the classrooms), but there are few interested. And I would hate to see the men get involved starting at the "top" (i.e. directors and administrators). Lets see them do the important work in the classrooms.

I think one of the main determinants regarding men as childcare providers is the pay.

I believe part of the issue also is the lack of compensation and benefits in the child care field. Men expect to make more money than is typically paid in child care.