More Men in ECE?

04/02/2021

Remember this maxim: When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
Wayne Dyer

“I currently employ six men in different capacities,” writes Cecilia Scott-Croff in an article that forms the basis of an Exchange Reflections, “Supporting Men in ECE.”

“The first is a master’s-level early childhood educator and an artist, and he has been able to bring his eclectic teaching style and fine arts background into the classroom...The second is our bookkeeper...The third is a teacher’s assistant who originally joined us as part of the federal work study program....The fourth is a student working alongside senior management while he pursues a degree in social work and finance.

The center also hires teaching artists, two who have been with our program for many years. Additionally we bring in two to three male students as federal work study employees. Through this endeavor we actively seek to balance the diverse needs of children.”

“The low participation of men in early education is a topic that fascinates me,”
Scott-Croff explains, “and I decided to write this article as a challenge to myself.”

An article on the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) website states:

“According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (2019), fewer than 3 percent of preschool and kindergarten teachers are men—and this figure has not changed substantially in recent decades (US Bureau of Labor Statistics 1995).”

The Exchange Reflections is designed to support discussion on the role of men in ECE, explore multiple challenges (including biases and stereotypes) that might be keeping men out of the field, and offer creative solutions and insights into ways to encourage more participation.

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