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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 8, No. 12
Publication Date: December 25, 2021
DOI:10.14738/assrj.812.11338. Alharahsheh, H., Pius, A., & Guenane, I. (2021 Male Teachers in Preschool Teaching Levels – A Feminist Viewpoint. Advances in
Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(12). 212-216.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Male Teachers in Preschool Teaching Levels – A Feminist
Viewpoint
Husam Alharahsheh
Lecturer in business Management at
University of Wales Trinity Saint David –
London and Senior visiting lecturer across several UK and
International Higher Education Institutions
Abraham Pius
Senior Lecturer in
Business Management and other related fields,
Consultancy, Manchester Metropolitan University and
Arden University (United Kingdom - London)
Imad Guenane
Director of Learning and Teaching
University of Westminster, London United Kingdom,
ABSTRACT
The aim of this brief paper is to explore and demonstrate the importance of
teacher’s gender at the preschool levels of education and would be focussing on men
as professional teachers at the preschool level of education or nursery level of
education, and how the participation of male teachers has contributed to the
feminist view within teaching. The paper is primarily supported by secondary
research through inclusion and consideration of different peer reviewed academic
papers relating to the subject. The paper highlights key considerations and reasons
derived from different countries in relation to the underrepresentation of males
within this level of education including low salaries, dominance of female’s
numbers in the profession, the negative stigma associated with men working within
this level of education, and social fears. However, male presence in this level of
education is supported due to various reasons including diversification of students’
experience within preschool levels of education and consideration of equality
matters.
Keywords: Male teachers, feminist, preschool, education
INTRODUCTION
The aim of this brief paper is to explore and demonstrate the importance of gender at the
preschool levels of education and would be focussing on men as professional teachers at the
preschool level of education or nursery level of education, and how the participation of male
teachers has contributed to the feminist view within teaching at the preschool or nursery level
of education considering key challenges and arguments.
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Alharahsheh, H., Pius, A., & Guenane, I. (2021 Male Teachers in Preschool Teaching Levels – A Feminist Viewpoint. Advances in Social Sciences
Research Journal, 8(12). 212-216.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.812.11338
Feminist theory
Feminist theory is viewed as an extension of feminism viewpoint into several discourses
including theoretical, fictional as well as philosophical. The main aim of it is explore the
inequality of gender. It focuses on key roles relating to men and women in several contexts such
as social and political, as well as other key variances including interests and experiences
relating to particular contexts within different fields or specialisations such as education and
economics (Gilligan, 1977; Lerman, 1990; Chodorow, 1989).
The basis of this brief paper is to focus on the perceived problem of male teachers’ participation
in preschool and nursery level of education and linking it to the feminist view within the same
context. The topic was selected due to the observation that male teachers at this level of
education are sought after with an increasing intensity. Although there is a perception that this
is a mainly female dominated world (Milgram & Sciarra, 1974; Eisenhauer & Pratt, 2010; Tufan,
2018; Fu & Li, 2010; Heikkiläand & Hellman, 2017; Johnson, 2010). The paper would be
supported by several arguments and studies to further explore and investigate the problem and
providing some key considerations through the conclusion followed by personal reflection by
the author.
Men in preschool teaching and feminism
It is discussed that there is only around 2.2 percent of the total number of teachers in preschool
and kindergarten are males in the United States. However, it is argued that other countries have
higher percentage than this due to differences in income levels as well as social perception.
Reasons for this low participation were summarised as the following: Firstly, low salaries
within the profession generally, the dominance of the female as a gender in early childhood
education, and the stigma associated negatively with men working within this level (Eisenhauer
& Pratt, 2010).
It is discussed that early childhood teachers should have good common traits regardless of their
gender such as the ability to nurture others, excitement in regards to the level of curiosity that
children have to explore the world around them, and respect for enhancing lifelong learning,
recognition of the role that they play regarding children and their families, being a role model,
as well as creation of inclusivity in terms of the surrounding environments (Eisenhauer & Pratt,
2010; Milgram & Sciarra, 1974).
However, a study was conducted by (Riley et al., 1985) argued that only male students at the
preschool level had higher level of self-concept and motivation in regards to having a male
teacher in school with consideration of their father presence at home, and the same significance
was not achieved with all students considering gender of students and their varying attitudes
to school as well as self. Furthermore, in a study that included female teachers at the preschool
level point of view regarding the perceptions and beliefs of men as teachers at the preschool
level resulted that there is some remaining critique and doubts about the role of male teachers
in preschool level due to some fears in some aspects such as fear of child sexual abuse, morality,
and use of power in relations. However, the study suggested that this fear is being reduced as
more men are entering the occupation. Hence, this view supports that the role of a teacher at
the preschool level is more oriented to females to avoid the outlined fears above expressed by
the other gender and supported by public (Tufan, 2018).
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 8, Issue 12, December-2021
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Key factors enhanced males’ interest to become teachers at the preschool education level were
such as strong motivation through understanding of the wider impact and contribution of the
role, the impact the job has on lives of others including children and their families. However, a
main challenge was identified that those father teachers had to act as dual roles of being fathers
at home and students’ teachers which had greater impact on them to distinguish between both
(White, 2010).
It is indicated that across many countries such as Taiwan male teachers has a very small
percentage within the preschool level due to various reasons perceived by male themselves
such as lack of interest in the topic, and the perceived value that they get about themselves as
well as from others in different communities (Fu & Li, 2010). However, it is also argued that
male teachers at the preschool level can become more positive and overcome the perception
that it is mainly female denominated occupation by providing enough training to enable them
to perceive their roles differently as role models, develop second specialities, provide them with
more support to further understand the challenges associated with the role, and enhance
recruitment initiatives (Fu & Li, 2010; Johnson, 2010). This would arguably enable them to have
more self confidence and can feel more appreciated about their role at this early stage of
education for children given the consideration the stereotyping view coming from the wider
society and the opposite gender that it is mainly female oriented role (Fu & Li, 2010; Tufan,
2018; Heikkiläand & Hellman, 2017). Furthermore, it has been discussed in a study conducted
on kindergarten staff in relation to gender and distribution of values in education that male
teachers at the early levels of education can bring strong education capability and resources to
schools and enhance the learning experience and journey of students across levels. This would
also enhance gender equalities across the profession as there is clear underrepresentation of
males due to the perceptions expressed by different societies, males themselves as well as
females as indicated in the research. Furthermore, this promotion of equalities can set a good
example of male engagement in other sectors where there is less representation, and equally
the same can be considered for females’ engagement where some sectors have males as the
majority (Olsen & Smeplass, 2018).
The case is even more extreme in other countries such as Jordan where it is less than 1% of the
total active teachers at the preschool level of education even though many female participants
of a study conducted in Jordan by (Ahmed et al., 2018) resulted that the perception of the
participants was that having both male and female teachers within preschool level would
enhance the diversity in experiences. However, this perception was mainly common from the
younger aged female participants that were between 19 to 29 of the study than the older age
groups. This indicated there is a shift in the mindset. However, considering the feminist view
within the wider society including females and males it is still viewed as mainly dominated
profession by females. This shift in mindset can be supported as It is argued that there is no
direct relationship between improvement of pay as well as conditions of work within the
preschool level workplace and increase of male worker’s employment. However, if the first was
extended to enhance professionalism, the scope of the improvement as well as quality this
would have more relationship leading to having more male recruitment and acceptance in
workplace at preschool teaching level (Cameron, 2006).
A study has been conducted by (Heikkiläand & Hellman, 2017) suggested that men in preschool
teaching as well as similar roles have negotiated masculinities as it is perceived as