CHAPTER 3: Men in the Field of Early Care and Education: Perceptions of Male and Female Early Childhood Professionals

The lack of men in the educational lives of young children is an enduring challenge that few would dispute needs attention. The absence of men in the field of early care and education has wide reaching implications that range from the individual experiences of children in classrooms to the broader issue of gender equality in society. The complexity of this issue and its interconnectedness to broader social rules and norms makes it particularly challenging to address. Finding a way to gain a more balanced representation of men and women in early childhood education will likely require an interdisciplinary response. This chapter aims to examine the issue from the perspective of both men and women who are, or have been, professionals in the field of early care and education.