Journal of Education and Human Development

Men as Early Childhood Educators: Experiences and Perspectives of Two Male Prospective Teachers
Stephen Joseph, Ph.D; Zita Wright, M.Phil

Abstract
This study explored the experiences and perspectives of two male prospective teachers pursuing studies in early childhood care and education at the national university of Trinidad and Tobago. A descriptive case study design was employed, utilizing a qualitative semi-structured interviewing technique as a data collection method for this study. Data analysis consisted of examining, categorizing, and tabulating the evidence to address the main research question of the study. Five themes emerged from the study namely, factors influencing choice of career path; fears, challenges, and stereotypes; early childhood care as a low status job; strategies for attracting men into the early childhood profession; and benefits of male involvement in caring for young children. This study attempted to address a specific issue in a given context; therefore its findings cannot be generalized to the larger population. However, the study is important because it serves to introduce the conversation into a Trinidad and Tobago framework where in a population of approximately 1.2 million people, only few men are pursuing tertiary-level studies in a field dominated by women.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jehd.v5n1a22