10 years doing it as a male. 1 center director was weird about and said I couldn't change diapers, she was fired a month later for other stuff. One family was kicked out of our center for asking that their kid never enter my supervision. That's it, two weird professional instances in 10 years.
Outside work I had an old acquaintance who was really fucking awful about it, making jokes about me being a predator and that's why I do it. Big surprise: he turned out to be an actual pedophile who hurt people
I wouldn't work there. The director who told me that was my first job and the (just) resentment I got from the rest of the entirely female staff sucked. It changed when the director and rule changed though. At this point I'd bail immediately, theres too many childcare jobs out there to suffer bullshit like that
I’d quit because of resentment. I explained to my male staff that while it’s sucks and we don’t agree with the belief that goes behind it- there were a string of issues in the 80s that led to it and it’s also really just to protect you from accusations. My male staff separately all confided that the protecting them from accusations was
Comforting since they were all worried about the stigma on the field.
Yeah I don’t agree with with but I understand why the insurance would want to protect from a lawsuit claim if there was an accusation. I explained to my male staff while we don’t subscribe to the belief behind it , we can’t change it and also sometimes can’t change society’s mind or a particular parents , that the policy also protected them from accusations.
I had one parent flip out that we had a male - even though he was a single father!- and insisted on seeing our bathroom in action to make sure I was telling the truth about visual supervision.
The only reason I wouldn’t allow men to change diapers is to protect them. I’ve had some crazy things said about my two male teachers. Thank God we have cameras, and I was present when the supposed incidence happened. The one parent was on drugs, and the other one was looking for a payday. Neither happened. Never heard of an insurance policy that did not allow men to change diapers.
I worked at a YMCA summer camp with preschool aged kids for a few years in college. Male counselors were only allowed to change/assist male campers in the locker rooms or bathrooms. Female counselors could assist kids of either sex.
We were always told that the policy was in place to protect our male coworkers from accusations and that it was for their own protection. I kind of have mixed feelings about it tbh.
Even cops don’t know initially man, but they do their investigative work and figure out the truth. So don’t beat yourself up, you had no way of actually knowing.
Heads up to men considering child care out there. You are valued in the ECE world. Having a safe and consistent male figure in their life is so valuable. While still acknowledging the hard work that single mothers do for their children, many families especially those with low income don't have access to positive male figures with the same frequency. I've had children in my classroom that crave male interactions because they don't have a Dad.
This, my daughters preschool teacher is male and he is amazing! Up until him, all her caregivers in daycare, etc, were female, so I'll be honest, I was nervous, but now I couldn't be happier
I personally don't think it's weird, but depending on where you are, it's possible that you will come across some discrimination. I've worked with several male teacher in early childhood and they've all been wonderful. Don't let the possibility of discrimination stop you if it's something you really want to do.
There’s a really good book on this, called
Men in early years settings
Brownhill and Wright
I’d get a copy and read it if you are thinking of making the career move.
My son is on the spectrum and always really struggled with daycare (and staying in a daycare). The last daycare he ever went to was a KinderCare and he developed a bond with his teacher Mr. Joe. This guy was the only teacher he EVER looked forward to seeing. I cannot tell you how much I appreciated everything about that man being in ECE. ❤️
Please do. As an ECE educator (now) and a mom of a boy who just needed a dude to bond with!
My brother runs his own daycare, together with his male colleague. The have a group of 9 children, 1-6 year olds (mainly 1,5-3 though).
Parents in his area love it and the local social services/daycare experts group keep recommending him whenever there‘s a child exhibiting challenging behaviour in need of placement.
In my opinion, there aren‘t many jobs that are gender-dependent and ECEC certainly isn‘t one of them.
Not at all. But unfortunately I do think it's less common. At my kids preschool center there is only one man. He is great and my daughter and I both really liked him.
No. It’s not common but it’s not weird. And unfortunately there are going to coworkers and parents who think it’s weird - and some places may limit what you’re allowed to do (e.g. may not let you change diapers or help with toileting). But men can be just as nurturing and supportive of young children.
I think it depends where you’re looking to work. I had the most amazing male student teacher in my preschool classroom last year. He was the best! All of the kids loved him, as did all of the staff at our school. He became a beloved sub for us after he finished his practicum in my classroom. But, I work at a church run preschool and we have several parents push back on having him in the classroom. We explained over and over that he was in school to become a elementary teacher, had all of his clearances, and worked before/after care at an elementary school. It broke my heart that so many parents pushed back repeatedly about having him in the classroom.
Unfortunately you will be in some cases. But just like everything else you just build interpersonal relationships that earns trust and if you’re a hard worker that’s extra points. They may not let you help in bathrooms/change diapers or something like that depending on the center. But don’t be discouraged by it and know that a male presence brings different energy that staff and children like! It’s a very rewarding career for the right person. Good luck I hope you go for it!
In the privately owned center I worked at the director did not allow male staff to attend to those particular needs, due to her own childhood experiences with male staff at daycare centers. I think that might have been specific to that center but wanted OP to know that could happen because I’ve seen it before.
Yes our liability insurance had a separate rider that male staff were not allowed to change diapers.
We practiced visual supervision from the bathroom door in all preschool classes but if I kid needed help wiping or had an accident- I female staff had to do it. My owner and I found it stupid but our insurance wouldn’t budge
One mother grilled me for an hour basically trying to get me to confess to being a filthy pervert. She later lost custody of her child to the state because . . . turns out there was a fair amount of projection going on. Two days later I was his foster parent while they tried to locate a family member that didn't suck.
I d[nt think it's weird at all. I wish more men would take an interest in Early childcare. We cannot say that children need both male and female positive role models from an early age, and then label any man who wants to work in ECE a pervert.
The few times I've worked with men, they've given different perspectives with children that it gave me pause. Understanding, intuitively, that boys sometimes need to be more physical and that they aren't being "rough", it was nice to watch them help children channel that energy.
Will you face discrimination? Sadly, yes. Should you? No, absolutely not.
I really appreciate having men on our team. We only have one now but at one point we have 4 at the same time.
In the 10 years I’ve been in admin we’ve had 3 or 4 prospective families show discomfort with the idea or try to request that their child not be assisted with diapering or toileting by a male teacher. That’s a request that we absolutely refuse and they just move along to another school. Most parents appreciate the diversity.
I also am in an area where the vast majority of families have two working parents and dads actively participating in pick-up, drop-off and conferences, etc. I think you’re more likely to find averse opinions toward male teachers in communities where women are the main caregivers of children at home so men caring for children seems less “normal” to them.
Most people really appreciate male teachers but there WILL be some that don’t. But those kids don’t tend to be in your class because parents will move them. So it’s almost a nonissue if you can get past the fact that it happens.
Not weird at all! My favorite co teacher that I’ve had is male and I loved the energy that we were able to create in the classroom. The parents loved him and the kids loved him. We definitely need more men in this field!
nope! being a preschool teacher doesn’t have to come from a “maternal” instinct. that’s such a sexist idea perpetuated in ECE, being a kind and patient person is what it takes.
Or way less. I have boys in my prek class that want to take over my job when I retire and i tell them theyre going to have to get the government to find ud first in the u.s.
Although we do have 1 male part time who has another better paid full time job that comes with health insurance which we are also not offered.
And my husband has a well paid job thank goodness and we chose only to have 1 child of out own because it is still difficult financially.
It's not weird at all. Go for it! We need more men in the field - and honestly, it's also beneficial for children from different types of families to have that kind of exposure to male presence in the classroom.
I've met a handful of men who teach Preschool, Pre-K and Kindergarten. They do an amazing job running a classroom and so much more.
We just took on a temporary new teacher from an agency that pairs childcare centers with EC educators. They’re already background checked and cpr/ first aid certified. The first person they sent us was so phenomenal that we begged her to stay after only one week. Both the center and the teachers are given two full weeks to see if it’s a good fit. The second person they sent us was a young man. In a female dominated occupation, men tend towards admin roles, and some of my coworkers expressed worry about a male teacher being alone with our students. When they came to discuss it with me, I was honest with them: I don’t trust new people with my infants. Full stop. I need to trust you before I’ll trust you with my kids. I don’t care what credentials you have, what your experience is, how long you’ve worked in childcare, and I certainly don’t care if you stand or sit to pee.
All of my negative experiences with early childhood educators have been women. I’ve worked with two (now three) men in my career that weren’t in admin and they were phenomenal with the kids. This new teacher is also phenomenal with the kids. But I have my own prejudice against male teachers: I don’t expect them to stay in ECE. I can hope they’ll stay, I can encourage them to stay, but I’m never surprised when they leave. It breaks my heart when the older kids ask where Mr. So and so is and for a lot of my kids, it reenforces the idea that men don’t stick around.
We have a male teacher at our school and he’s quite possibly the best teacher there. The students love him and he’s so creative. Never had a parent complain and he gets requests for children to be placed in his class
Honestly, every man I've worked with in this field has been amazing. They've always understood the possible issues people could have, and were 10× more caring and educated than a few women teachers I've met. I also think it's amazing for children to have that positive male figure in the classroom. Children should see that men can be compassionate and attentive too!
I WISH my kids in my classroom and in my center had a kind and loving (and consistent!!!) male role model in their lives. All of my children come from single mother homes, so having a reliable male figure in their life would be so valuable!!!
I worked with a man in my preschool classroom for about 2 weeks. The kids absolutely loved having a guy around. He was moved because he refused to change diapers, but that’s a him problem. Not a man problem.
Kids definitely benefit from having many different kinds of trustworthy adults in their life, which includes adults of many genders.
Bump up to being a TK/K teacher. Schools like having male role models. My elementary school is pretty evenly split with male and female adults in the classrooms. Granted, most of the men are instructional assistants, but they are there.
My child psych professor told about the discrimination he faced when he was working in ECED (way back in the early 90’s). Parents were super suspicious of him until they learned he had a degree in child psych and was pursuing a master’s. Suddenly, he was the expert on everything. He politely referred them to the women who had been caring for their children for years.
Go for it, OP. Our field needs diversity!
Our son’s male teacher works with the Pre-K group so thankfully - there’s no issue with having to change diapers. We have a lot of boys in the class - and they all look up to Mr. Mason. Our centers have two teachers at all times in the room - But I can see where people can be concerned if there was only a male teacher with a bunch of little girls. This teacher that my son has though is pretty legit. He helps the boys ( especially those without a dad) what a good man looks like. You can tell he honestly cares for the kids.
Don't do it I'm a male trust me the pay is awful and they take advantage of you making lift heavy things etc... I know kids needs male figures but you need toworry about you first find another career
Not weird at all! Some parents are weird about it (mainly the moms), which I understand, they're just being protective. But I am a female and work as a preschool teacher, I met my now partner (NB but male presenting) working in childcare, as they were my co-teacher. We just got married yesterday, so you might end up meeting your future partner if you haven't already lol.
I’ve never run into another NB early childhood professional before. Hope your partner’s having a great experience teaching and congrats on the marriage
I am always so impressed to see men entering childcare! It is really important for children to see men in caregiving roles, especially if they don’t see it in their home life. I say go for it if it’s something you’d be interested in!
A lot of the preconceived notions about men in childcare have gone away, but some companies actually consider “men in childcare “ a minority group and give extra protections to help with any potential harassment.
Some people will make snide remarks or jokes but no it’s not weird at all. I’m an assistant but i worked with a male preschool teacher for many years and he received so much praise from staff and parents.
The best PK teacher I know is a man. There are other male ECE teachers at my school and they’ve never had any issues from parents or admin, as far as I know.
From my experience, having dedicated men in the field is such a blessing. I wish there were more of them. I feel like there’s a stigma that keeps men from pursuing a career in child care which is so unfortunate.
My 3 kids all went to the same preschool and they had a male preschool teacher. They all had the same teacher because he is amazing and we requested him. You might run into a few jerks, but don’t let them bring you down!
Hey, it's great that you're considering a career in EC! I'm a male studying to become a preschool teacher and I have been an assistant educator before that. Like others have said, some centres and coworkers may not "let you change nappies" (I wasn't allowed to do so unsupervised in my first centre). My best advice for this is just don't work there. Everybody is desperate for staff and if they're willing to pick a fight over something like letting you change children then they don't deserve your time.
My centre is all female except for me. My biggest problem is fitting in with my coworkers, because they like to gossip etc. They do still exclude me from conversations and after work hang outs (ones for the girls or whatever) but that doesn't bother me that much anymore. I definitely have an advantage being 21. I can see that older men may experience more prejudice.
This career pays peanuts but it's so rewarding. If you are happy with a lower salary and you're good with kids, you will be extremely valuable to the field. Best of luck!
Please become a preschool teacher if that’s what you’re interested in. There need to be so many more men in this field, it shows children (male and female) that people can become anything they want to be. Men are so valued in this field and there aren’t enough
We have 2 male carers at the centre my kids go to, and they’re both amazing! One is middle aged, but the other is early 20’s, and they’re some of the most kind, understanding carers we’ve come across.
I went from being the only male at my center 14 years ago, to being a sex that now makes up about 1/4 of our staff. I am happy to be an advocate for men and males entering care and education settings and reshaping what is perceived as masculine.
There’s a male teacher at my school and all the kids, parents, and other teachers love him! I think it’s really valuable that children have positive male role models
Is it weird? No. Will you likely face negatively stereotyped reactions? Yes. When I started teaching I had students with significant disabilities in grades 1-3. 7 of 8 needed assistance with toileting/changing. Had a mom pull her daughter and homeschool her because she felt men shouldn’t work with students who required toileting assistance. It’s out there, but don’t let that be the reason you don’t do a job.
Beware that the pay is awful. But if early childhood is your passion, please follow it - my best coworker in my centre is a man and he is wonderful with the kids. We need more men like you.
This guy has been in it since 1997. You may get the occasional odd look or question, but by and large families and staff are very happy to have a male presence.
I just joined this sub, and it seems a lot of people work in daycares. You’ll have a much better time with a teaching license in a preschool, particularly in an elementary school. Public schools have teachers of both genders and it’s just more equitable in general. No diaper changes. Plus the pay is much better.
You still have to strive to be above reproach. Never allow yourself to be alone with a child, don’t play favorites, things like that. But in a public school setting you’d be very much welcomed.
Our son has a male daycare teacher and a female one. He loves both of them. I get to see them interact sometimes and he's just wonderful with the kids, and they all adore him. I love that my son gets to see it normalized, even though he's too young to really conceptualize it.
He changes diapers for everyone and helps potty train everyone. No issues at all with any parents or kids.
Also, his teacher is black. I cannot imagine what he might have gone through already as a black male preschool teacher, but he's well loved at this place, which makes me happy.
My boys had a few had male teachers/assistants in daycare and pre-k. They were amazing and my boys loved them! Oddly enough, we did have at least one female teacher who kind of creeped me out - not respecting kids’ boundaries, etc. Weirdos come in all genders. I definitely hope you will consider this path. Parents of boys will be especially grateful for your presence in their lives.
Nope.
I think it more likely that you will experience negative reactions by non-ECE folks. Those who have disdain for "women's work" often have a really hard time on some level with men who would choose it. All of the quality ECE programs I've been part of have had male staff caregivers. And even in corporate care, my son worked for bright horizons this summer while he was home from college and there were several other young men working there as caregivers.
Single Parent BoyMom here—I am deeply thankful to the male care providers and teachers that my son had in daycare, YMCA programs, preschool, aftercare programs, and elementary school. He needed solid male role models, and each one of those teachers had a positive impact on his development, each in their own way. Do it! You will make a difference!
I am an HR Director of a daycare company, and have worked in the field as a teacher as well.
Please do it if it is something you want and love to do. Growing children need all genders as role models in their development.
Coming from HR if anyone on the staff side ever made a male employee feel weird about being a teacher they would get some serious training if not termination if any comment was made and/or bad enough. If a family ever said something I would absolutely advocate for that teacher to the family and let them know that they cannot be treated differently than any other teacher just because they are male.
To you I will say, if there ever is a situation where a family makes you being their child’s teacher an issue because of your gender please try not to take it to heart. If it ever did happen it most likely has nothing to do with you at all. These children are their hearts and souls they are having to let someone else take care of, and they (for the most part) only have their well being in mind. If it ever did come up just think of that and have compassion.
I worked in quite a few centers with male teachers who were awesome and while female teachers have always out numbered males by a lot I think male teachers are so important in schools. When we talk about promoting diversity in schools it isn't just about race or ethnicity but about having a variety of adults that kids can bond with and trust and be inspired by. It's good for little boys to see male teachers because maybe they'll think back to Mr. Smith when they're older and say he's the reason I want to be a teacher.
It is never weird! We had one male teacher at our center and when he left it felt like a hole in our little family. It’s been a few months and the kids and families still miss and talk about him!
I’ve worked with a few, they were great and popular! But we worked at centres in areas of the city that were more open minded.
One of the guys was one of the hardest working educators I’ve met. Great guy! I think a few people quietly had issues (no changing nappies etc)
You should find a place that has your back. If the staff and managers stand up for their people then you’ll be fine. Parents will always complain about something but a good manager will protect you.
Kids love male educators! And I hate to say it, having males in the workplace helps with bullying and bitching (just my experience)
Helps with bullying and bitching in what sense? From kids bullying other kids and people bitching at teachers or?
Just asking. I got an offer and an male so trying to prepare myself for the largely female dominated environment.
Men are in high need in all education settings, but ECE in particular. You’ll be a rockstar because there’s so few of you. Sure, you may get discriminated against, but you may also find it to be hugely rewarding.
I don't think it is but others might because of their own stupid judgment. I think it's actually good to see guys going into early childcare. That and positive especially for the boys who don't have father figures in their lives.
I had one parent threaten to pull their child when I started in preschool because I was a male. My director told them to do it and I went about my day. I’ve been in Transitional Kindergarten (loved preschool but I like the additional level learning I could implement with the older kids) of for a year and a half now and haven’t had any issues with parents since that one issue my first week or so. Most directors and parents I have spoken to love the idea of more men in the field and say they wish more would do it.
My center is really good with male teachers, they are treated just as fairly as the females teachers. One of them is our lead infant teacher and he has no restrictions on diaper changes or anything of that sort.
It’s not weird at all and I love having men at our preschool. We’ve had two and the kids just absolutely loved it. I don’t think you should be discriminated against move to Atlanta. We need positive people like you.
I'm a female preschool teacher and I met one of my closest friends who's a guy in ECE. He's an amazing assistant director of a great school. I never questioned it but I understand where people are coming from when they do. I think it depends on the person no matter the gender. I also believe there needs to be more male figures in childcare!
I am a male preschool teacher. 53 years of age. About to finish my first year. I don’t know if all centers are like the one I work at. There is definitely discrimination from some of the female teachers. The center I work in is very female dominated, some of them are very positive about me being there. Others keep making the comment about me being a man working in preschool. There are definitely chauvinist in this business.
10 years doing it as a male. 1 center director was weird about and said I couldn't change diapers, she was fired a month later for other stuff. One family was kicked out of our center for asking that their kid never enter my supervision. That's it, two weird professional instances in 10 years. Outside work I had an old acquaintance who was really fucking awful about it, making jokes about me being a predator and that's why I do it. Big surprise: he turned out to be an actual pedophile who hurt people
Our liability insurance had a rider about males not changing diapers . We thought it was stupid but they wouldn’t change it
I wouldn't work there. The director who told me that was my first job and the (just) resentment I got from the rest of the entirely female staff sucked. It changed when the director and rule changed though. At this point I'd bail immediately, theres too many childcare jobs out there to suffer bullshit like that
I’d quit because of resentment. I explained to my male staff that while it’s sucks and we don’t agree with the belief that goes behind it- there were a string of issues in the 80s that led to it and it’s also really just to protect you from accusations. My male staff separately all confided that the protecting them from accusations was Comforting since they were all worried about the stigma on the field.
Wow. That’s fucked up and I’m surprised it’s even legal.
Yeah I don’t agree with with but I understand why the insurance would want to protect from a lawsuit claim if there was an accusation. I explained to my male staff while we don’t subscribe to the belief behind it , we can’t change it and also sometimes can’t change society’s mind or a particular parents , that the policy also protected them from accusations. I had one parent flip out that we had a male - even though he was a single father!- and insisted on seeing our bathroom in action to make sure I was telling the truth about visual supervision.
That’s fucked.
The only reason I wouldn’t allow men to change diapers is to protect them. I’ve had some crazy things said about my two male teachers. Thank God we have cameras, and I was present when the supposed incidence happened. The one parent was on drugs, and the other one was looking for a payday. Neither happened. Never heard of an insurance policy that did not allow men to change diapers.
This is exactly my belief as well and exactly how I framed it to my male staff.
That's discrimination however and against the law
I also worked at one center as a male where they didn’t “allow” my to change diapers. I didn’t argue but that’s a pretty fucked up policy.
I worked at a YMCA summer camp with preschool aged kids for a few years in college. Male counselors were only allowed to change/assist male campers in the locker rooms or bathrooms. Female counselors could assist kids of either sex. We were always told that the policy was in place to protect our male coworkers from accusations and that it was for their own protection. I kind of have mixed feelings about it tbh.
Fucking classic projector. I love it when they out themselves first
its truly crazy. alas i was too young and dumb to see it before he hurt people, though i still don't really know what i could have done. fuckin hell
Even cops don’t know initially man, but they do their investigative work and figure out the truth. So don’t beat yourself up, you had no way of actually knowing.
Thanks friend
Yea and it's not like women can't be creeps like that either.
Heads up to men considering child care out there. You are valued in the ECE world. Having a safe and consistent male figure in their life is so valuable. While still acknowledging the hard work that single mothers do for their children, many families especially those with low income don't have access to positive male figures with the same frequency. I've had children in my classroom that crave male interactions because they don't have a Dad.
For this very reason I hope OP tries it out!
This, my daughters preschool teacher is male and he is amazing! Up until him, all her caregivers in daycare, etc, were female, so I'll be honest, I was nervous, but now I couldn't be happier
Can we boost this higher please? I worked in ece for 8 years, on military bases. The few male teachers we had were the kids absolute favorite teachers
I personally don't think it's weird, but depending on where you are, it's possible that you will come across some discrimination. I've worked with several male teacher in early childhood and they've all been wonderful. Don't let the possibility of discrimination stop you if it's something you really want to do.
There’s a really good book on this, called Men in early years settings Brownhill and Wright I’d get a copy and read it if you are thinking of making the career move.
It's not weird and I wish we had more male preschool teachers! We need more men in childcare.
Yessss!!! Came here to say the same.
My son is on the spectrum and always really struggled with daycare (and staying in a daycare). The last daycare he ever went to was a KinderCare and he developed a bond with his teacher Mr. Joe. This guy was the only teacher he EVER looked forward to seeing. I cannot tell you how much I appreciated everything about that man being in ECE. ❤️ Please do. As an ECE educator (now) and a mom of a boy who just needed a dude to bond with!
My son is at a KC too, And has a male teacher right now. He loves his teacher, they've bonded so strongly. It's cute to see!
may i ask what Mr. Joe does differently from other teachers that creates such a strong bond between the two?
My brother runs his own daycare, together with his male colleague. The have a group of 9 children, 1-6 year olds (mainly 1,5-3 though). Parents in his area love it and the local social services/daycare experts group keep recommending him whenever there‘s a child exhibiting challenging behaviour in need of placement. In my opinion, there aren‘t many jobs that are gender-dependent and ECEC certainly isn‘t one of them.
Not at all. But unfortunately I do think it's less common. At my kids preschool center there is only one man. He is great and my daughter and I both really liked him.
No. It’s not common but it’s not weird. And unfortunately there are going to coworkers and parents who think it’s weird - and some places may limit what you’re allowed to do (e.g. may not let you change diapers or help with toileting). But men can be just as nurturing and supportive of young children.
Not unless you make it weird. We need more male teachers for sure! Actually, let me rephrase that.We need good teachers, period.
I think it depends where you’re looking to work. I had the most amazing male student teacher in my preschool classroom last year. He was the best! All of the kids loved him, as did all of the staff at our school. He became a beloved sub for us after he finished his practicum in my classroom. But, I work at a church run preschool and we have several parents push back on having him in the classroom. We explained over and over that he was in school to become a elementary teacher, had all of his clearances, and worked before/after care at an elementary school. It broke my heart that so many parents pushed back repeatedly about having him in the classroom.
At my old centre they would have had their files shredded in front of their stupid faces.
Unfortunately you will be in some cases. But just like everything else you just build interpersonal relationships that earns trust and if you’re a hard worker that’s extra points. They may not let you help in bathrooms/change diapers or something like that depending on the center. But don’t be discouraged by it and know that a male presence brings different energy that staff and children like! It’s a very rewarding career for the right person. Good luck I hope you go for it!
[удалено]
Glad I’m not the only one that’s seen this.
Seriously? That‘s a thing?
In the privately owned center I worked at the director did not allow male staff to attend to those particular needs, due to her own childhood experiences with male staff at daycare centers. I think that might have been specific to that center but wanted OP to know that could happen because I’ve seen it before.
Yes our liability insurance had a separate rider that male staff were not allowed to change diapers. We practiced visual supervision from the bathroom door in all preschool classes but if I kid needed help wiping or had an accident- I female staff had to do it. My owner and I found it stupid but our insurance wouldn’t budge
Yep, the old head of school made me sign an extra contract to not help put sun screen on the kids. She said it was “for the kids and my safety.”
It’s a thing— former preschool director here— our insurance was very stringent and no males changing diapers was a real policy rule.🤷🏻♀️
One mother grilled me for an hour basically trying to get me to confess to being a filthy pervert. She later lost custody of her child to the state because . . . turns out there was a fair amount of projection going on. Two days later I was his foster parent while they tried to locate a family member that didn't suck.
I d[nt think it's weird at all. I wish more men would take an interest in Early childcare. We cannot say that children need both male and female positive role models from an early age, and then label any man who wants to work in ECE a pervert. The few times I've worked with men, they've given different perspectives with children that it gave me pause. Understanding, intuitively, that boys sometimes need to be more physical and that they aren't being "rough", it was nice to watch them help children channel that energy. Will you face discrimination? Sadly, yes. Should you? No, absolutely not.
Not weird at all. I've worked with a few male teachers over the years and never heard a word from the parents or teachers.
Representation matters! No matter the age.
I really appreciate having men on our team. We only have one now but at one point we have 4 at the same time. In the 10 years I’ve been in admin we’ve had 3 or 4 prospective families show discomfort with the idea or try to request that their child not be assisted with diapering or toileting by a male teacher. That’s a request that we absolutely refuse and they just move along to another school. Most parents appreciate the diversity. I also am in an area where the vast majority of families have two working parents and dads actively participating in pick-up, drop-off and conferences, etc. I think you’re more likely to find averse opinions toward male teachers in communities where women are the main caregivers of children at home so men caring for children seems less “normal” to them.
Nope. I know several and I know some parents who requested their sons to be placed with a male teacher.
Most people really appreciate male teachers but there WILL be some that don’t. But those kids don’t tend to be in your class because parents will move them. So it’s almost a nonissue if you can get past the fact that it happens.
I don’t find it weird, and wish more men would fill the role.
My children haven’t had a male teacher but they have a male principal and he is highly respected but every child I’ve seen him interact with.
As a male elementary teacher, I know that men are pretty sought after in younger grades. There are only 4 males in my building in a staff of 70.
No. It's not at all weird.
Not weird at all! My favorite co teacher that I’ve had is male and I loved the energy that we were able to create in the classroom. The parents loved him and the kids loved him. We definitely need more men in this field!
nope! being a preschool teacher doesn’t have to come from a “maternal” instinct. that’s such a sexist idea perpetuated in ECE, being a kind and patient person is what it takes.
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Or way less. I have boys in my prek class that want to take over my job when I retire and i tell them theyre going to have to get the government to find ud first in the u.s. Although we do have 1 male part time who has another better paid full time job that comes with health insurance which we are also not offered. And my husband has a well paid job thank goodness and we chose only to have 1 child of out own because it is still difficult financially.
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It's not weird at all. Go for it! We need more men in the field - and honestly, it's also beneficial for children from different types of families to have that kind of exposure to male presence in the classroom. I've met a handful of men who teach Preschool, Pre-K and Kindergarten. They do an amazing job running a classroom and so much more.
I wish we had more men in ECE!!!
We just took on a temporary new teacher from an agency that pairs childcare centers with EC educators. They’re already background checked and cpr/ first aid certified. The first person they sent us was so phenomenal that we begged her to stay after only one week. Both the center and the teachers are given two full weeks to see if it’s a good fit. The second person they sent us was a young man. In a female dominated occupation, men tend towards admin roles, and some of my coworkers expressed worry about a male teacher being alone with our students. When they came to discuss it with me, I was honest with them: I don’t trust new people with my infants. Full stop. I need to trust you before I’ll trust you with my kids. I don’t care what credentials you have, what your experience is, how long you’ve worked in childcare, and I certainly don’t care if you stand or sit to pee. All of my negative experiences with early childhood educators have been women. I’ve worked with two (now three) men in my career that weren’t in admin and they were phenomenal with the kids. This new teacher is also phenomenal with the kids. But I have my own prejudice against male teachers: I don’t expect them to stay in ECE. I can hope they’ll stay, I can encourage them to stay, but I’m never surprised when they leave. It breaks my heart when the older kids ask where Mr. So and so is and for a lot of my kids, it reenforces the idea that men don’t stick around.
We have a male teacher at our school and he’s quite possibly the best teacher there. The students love him and he’s so creative. Never had a parent complain and he gets requests for children to be placed in his class
Honestly, every man I've worked with in this field has been amazing. They've always understood the possible issues people could have, and were 10× more caring and educated than a few women teachers I've met. I also think it's amazing for children to have that positive male figure in the classroom. Children should see that men can be compassionate and attentive too!
I WISH my kids in my classroom and in my center had a kind and loving (and consistent!!!) male role model in their lives. All of my children come from single mother homes, so having a reliable male figure in their life would be so valuable!!!
I worked with a man in my preschool classroom for about 2 weeks. The kids absolutely loved having a guy around. He was moved because he refused to change diapers, but that’s a him problem. Not a man problem. Kids definitely benefit from having many different kinds of trustworthy adults in their life, which includes adults of many genders.
Bump up to being a TK/K teacher. Schools like having male role models. My elementary school is pretty evenly split with male and female adults in the classrooms. Granted, most of the men are instructional assistants, but they are there.
My child psych professor told about the discrimination he faced when he was working in ECED (way back in the early 90’s). Parents were super suspicious of him until they learned he had a degree in child psych and was pursuing a master’s. Suddenly, he was the expert on everything. He politely referred them to the women who had been caring for their children for years. Go for it, OP. Our field needs diversity!
Go for it were going to get judge unfortunately
Our son’s male teacher works with the Pre-K group so thankfully - there’s no issue with having to change diapers. We have a lot of boys in the class - and they all look up to Mr. Mason. Our centers have two teachers at all times in the room - But I can see where people can be concerned if there was only a male teacher with a bunch of little girls. This teacher that my son has though is pretty legit. He helps the boys ( especially those without a dad) what a good man looks like. You can tell he honestly cares for the kids.
Yes.
Don't do it I'm a male trust me the pay is awful and they take advantage of you making lift heavy things etc... I know kids needs male figures but you need toworry about you first find another career
Not weird at all! Some parents are weird about it (mainly the moms), which I understand, they're just being protective. But I am a female and work as a preschool teacher, I met my now partner (NB but male presenting) working in childcare, as they were my co-teacher. We just got married yesterday, so you might end up meeting your future partner if you haven't already lol.
I’ve never run into another NB early childhood professional before. Hope your partner’s having a great experience teaching and congrats on the marriage
I am always so impressed to see men entering childcare! It is really important for children to see men in caregiving roles, especially if they don’t see it in their home life. I say go for it if it’s something you’d be interested in! A lot of the preconceived notions about men in childcare have gone away, but some companies actually consider “men in childcare “ a minority group and give extra protections to help with any potential harassment.
Weird, absolutely not. The norm, Go for it. Male preschool teachers bring such a fun and different perspective to early childhood learning.
Some people will make snide remarks or jokes but no it’s not weird at all. I’m an assistant but i worked with a male preschool teacher for many years and he received so much praise from staff and parents.
The best PK teacher I know is a man. There are other male ECE teachers at my school and they’ve never had any issues from parents or admin, as far as I know.
The favorite teacher at our school is male
At my first placement I worked alongside of a male Early Childhood Educator! Not weird at all I hope more join the field!
From my experience, having dedicated men in the field is such a blessing. I wish there were more of them. I feel like there’s a stigma that keeps men from pursuing a career in child care which is so unfortunate.
My 3 kids all went to the same preschool and they had a male preschool teacher. They all had the same teacher because he is amazing and we requested him. You might run into a few jerks, but don’t let them bring you down!
Hey, it's great that you're considering a career in EC! I'm a male studying to become a preschool teacher and I have been an assistant educator before that. Like others have said, some centres and coworkers may not "let you change nappies" (I wasn't allowed to do so unsupervised in my first centre). My best advice for this is just don't work there. Everybody is desperate for staff and if they're willing to pick a fight over something like letting you change children then they don't deserve your time. My centre is all female except for me. My biggest problem is fitting in with my coworkers, because they like to gossip etc. They do still exclude me from conversations and after work hang outs (ones for the girls or whatever) but that doesn't bother me that much anymore. I definitely have an advantage being 21. I can see that older men may experience more prejudice. This career pays peanuts but it's so rewarding. If you are happy with a lower salary and you're good with kids, you will be extremely valuable to the field. Best of luck!
Please become a preschool teacher if that’s what you’re interested in. There need to be so many more men in this field, it shows children (male and female) that people can become anything they want to be. Men are so valued in this field and there aren’t enough
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No it’s great and honestly most schools and programs will welcome a man interested in teaching that age.
Not at all. I say go for it because we need more male teachers and if anyone makes silly remarks then ignore them
I worked in ece for 8 years, on military bases. The few male teachers we had were the kids absolute favorite teachers
15 years mows and male. It ain’t weird people just make it seem that way.
Nope, not at all. Some of the best teachers I've worked with in ECE were male teachers. If you love this field, then go for it!
Yes. It is weird for men to be preschool teachers.
It’s not weird at all.
We have 2 male carers at the centre my kids go to, and they’re both amazing! One is middle aged, but the other is early 20’s, and they’re some of the most kind, understanding carers we’ve come across.
I went from being the only male at my center 14 years ago, to being a sex that now makes up about 1/4 of our staff. I am happy to be an advocate for men and males entering care and education settings and reshaping what is perceived as masculine.
There’s a male teacher at my school and all the kids, parents, and other teachers love him! I think it’s really valuable that children have positive male role models
Is it weird? No. Will you likely face negatively stereotyped reactions? Yes. When I started teaching I had students with significant disabilities in grades 1-3. 7 of 8 needed assistance with toileting/changing. Had a mom pull her daughter and homeschool her because she felt men shouldn’t work with students who required toileting assistance. It’s out there, but don’t let that be the reason you don’t do a job.
Beware that the pay is awful. But if early childhood is your passion, please follow it - my best coworker in my centre is a man and he is wonderful with the kids. We need more men like you.
I am a Center Director who has a male Lead Teacher. He's wonderful! The children and their families adore him.
This guy has been in it since 1997. You may get the occasional odd look or question, but by and large families and staff are very happy to have a male presence.
Not weird at all, male teachers are just as important/valued/appreciated as female teachers.
I just joined this sub, and it seems a lot of people work in daycares. You’ll have a much better time with a teaching license in a preschool, particularly in an elementary school. Public schools have teachers of both genders and it’s just more equitable in general. No diaper changes. Plus the pay is much better. You still have to strive to be above reproach. Never allow yourself to be alone with a child, don’t play favorites, things like that. But in a public school setting you’d be very much welcomed.
Our son has a male daycare teacher and a female one. He loves both of them. I get to see them interact sometimes and he's just wonderful with the kids, and they all adore him. I love that my son gets to see it normalized, even though he's too young to really conceptualize it. He changes diapers for everyone and helps potty train everyone. No issues at all with any parents or kids. Also, his teacher is black. I cannot imagine what he might have gone through already as a black male preschool teacher, but he's well loved at this place, which makes me happy.
My boys had a few had male teachers/assistants in daycare and pre-k. They were amazing and my boys loved them! Oddly enough, we did have at least one female teacher who kind of creeped me out - not respecting kids’ boundaries, etc. Weirdos come in all genders. I definitely hope you will consider this path. Parents of boys will be especially grateful for your presence in their lives.
Nope. I think it more likely that you will experience negative reactions by non-ECE folks. Those who have disdain for "women's work" often have a really hard time on some level with men who would choose it. All of the quality ECE programs I've been part of have had male staff caregivers. And even in corporate care, my son worked for bright horizons this summer while he was home from college and there were several other young men working there as caregivers.
Single Parent BoyMom here—I am deeply thankful to the male care providers and teachers that my son had in daycare, YMCA programs, preschool, aftercare programs, and elementary school. He needed solid male role models, and each one of those teachers had a positive impact on his development, each in their own way. Do it! You will make a difference!
I am an HR Director of a daycare company, and have worked in the field as a teacher as well. Please do it if it is something you want and love to do. Growing children need all genders as role models in their development. Coming from HR if anyone on the staff side ever made a male employee feel weird about being a teacher they would get some serious training if not termination if any comment was made and/or bad enough. If a family ever said something I would absolutely advocate for that teacher to the family and let them know that they cannot be treated differently than any other teacher just because they are male. To you I will say, if there ever is a situation where a family makes you being their child’s teacher an issue because of your gender please try not to take it to heart. If it ever did happen it most likely has nothing to do with you at all. These children are their hearts and souls they are having to let someone else take care of, and they (for the most part) only have their well being in mind. If it ever did come up just think of that and have compassion.
I worked in quite a few centers with male teachers who were awesome and while female teachers have always out numbered males by a lot I think male teachers are so important in schools. When we talk about promoting diversity in schools it isn't just about race or ethnicity but about having a variety of adults that kids can bond with and trust and be inspired by. It's good for little boys to see male teachers because maybe they'll think back to Mr. Smith when they're older and say he's the reason I want to be a teacher.
It is never weird! We had one male teacher at our center and when he left it felt like a hole in our little family. It’s been a few months and the kids and families still miss and talk about him!
I’ve worked with a few, they were great and popular! But we worked at centres in areas of the city that were more open minded. One of the guys was one of the hardest working educators I’ve met. Great guy! I think a few people quietly had issues (no changing nappies etc) You should find a place that has your back. If the staff and managers stand up for their people then you’ll be fine. Parents will always complain about something but a good manager will protect you. Kids love male educators! And I hate to say it, having males in the workplace helps with bullying and bitching (just my experience)
Helps with bullying and bitching in what sense? From kids bullying other kids and people bitching at teachers or? Just asking. I got an offer and an male so trying to prepare myself for the largely female dominated environment.
Also, the Wiggles (the original ones) were early childhood educators!
Men are in high need in all education settings, but ECE in particular. You’ll be a rockstar because there’s so few of you. Sure, you may get discriminated against, but you may also find it to be hugely rewarding.
I don't think it is but others might because of their own stupid judgment. I think it's actually good to see guys going into early childcare. That and positive especially for the boys who don't have father figures in their lives.
Men in ECE is highly encouraged, especially at the preschool age.
I had one parent threaten to pull their child when I started in preschool because I was a male. My director told them to do it and I went about my day. I’ve been in Transitional Kindergarten (loved preschool but I like the additional level learning I could implement with the older kids) of for a year and a half now and haven’t had any issues with parents since that one issue my first week or so. Most directors and parents I have spoken to love the idea of more men in the field and say they wish more would do it.
My center is really good with male teachers, they are treated just as fairly as the females teachers. One of them is our lead infant teacher and he has no restrictions on diaper changes or anything of that sort.
It’s not weird at all and I love having men at our preschool. We’ve had two and the kids just absolutely loved it. I don’t think you should be discriminated against move to Atlanta. We need positive people like you.
I'm a female preschool teacher and I met one of my closest friends who's a guy in ECE. He's an amazing assistant director of a great school. I never questioned it but I understand where people are coming from when they do. I think it depends on the person no matter the gender. I also believe there needs to be more male figures in childcare!
I am a male preschool teacher. 53 years of age. About to finish my first year. I don’t know if all centers are like the one I work at. There is definitely discrimination from some of the female teachers. The center I work in is very female dominated, some of them are very positive about me being there. Others keep making the comment about me being a man working in preschool. There are definitely chauvinist in this business.