Week 2 Assignment - Kimberly Selby
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Jan 9, 2024
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Source Critique Essay
Kimberly Selby
The University of Arizona Global Campus
ENG122: English Composition II
Susan Luck
26 June 2023
2
There has been some disputes regarding male early childhood education (ECE) teachers. Some individuals consider them as lacking the skills needed to care for young children and view them with uncertainty. However, some believe the presence of a male teacher in the classroom contributes to a child's education. It is not unusual for male teachers to stray away from ECE for various reasons, including money and social attitudes. There are many hindrances to their work, including prejudice and unfairness from society, associates, and some children's families. Due to these hindrances, men are less likely to stay in ECE. 70% of public school teachers were female, and 23% were male in 2020-21. The percentage of male teachers at the elementary instructional level (11%) was lower than the percentage at the secondary instructional level (36%) (National Center for Education Statistics, 2023). My personal experience expresses that young children should be exposed to both genders and that male teachers are just as valuable for their educational development as their female counterparts.
As a result of social attitudes, male educators in ECE are depreciated. It is socially perceived that males are not as suitable for young children as females. Because of this, it has been something they have started to believe, so they behave accordingly. Male teachers are also perceived as being less caring and amiable than female teachers. The century-old stereotypes that
all men must be very masculine and strong does somewhat contradict the more patient, kind, and understanding nature of ECE teachers (NDFAuthors, 2016). Some administrators hesitate to hire male teachers in the ECE field because of misjudgments about their reasons for working with young children. Social constructs suggest that male teachers are unreliable in caring for young children. Although most administrators are men, they usually prefer to hire female teachers due to feelings of insufficiency. Suspicion is also an attribute of their treatment. To protect their intentions from being misconceived, men must constantly watch their actions or words when
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teaching young children. They must also reform the way they interact with children physically. They use alternative interactions such as high-fives or fist bumps instead of hugging.
There is also a financial reason for the depreciation of male teachers in ECE. Male teachers tend to leave the ECE field because promotion opportunities are limited, making them more likely to find higher-paying jobs elsewhere. There is a breadwinner mentality that encourages men to look for jobs that will empower them to better provide for their families. “The
Child Care Employee Project’s National Child Care Staffing Study reported that workers in the field with some college background earned an average salary of $9,293 in 1988. Elementary-
school teachers fared much better, earning an average yearly salary of $25,578, according to federal statistics (Cohen, 1990). Teacher salaries are estimated to be 14% lower than those of other careers in similar fields. Pay discrepancies in the field are also a problem, as is a lack of money. It may not be the best possible course of action for them to become teachers if they are the main source of income for their family. Teachers normally prefer schools that are well-
funded and have sufficient supplies and resources. It is possible for states to offer incentives to teachers at deprived schools, however. While most are financial, such as school loan reductions, and tuition reimbursements, some also help upcoming teachers receive their qualifications with ease as opposed to traditional qualification programs if they choose to work in schools that are in
need. (David, 2008). To accomplish my career goals, I am willing to make less money to teach something I enjoy, but I am only able to do that because my boyfriend has a job that pays well enough so we do not need a second income to make ends meet. Nonetheless, I would continue to work in real estate part time if we did. There are many reasons why teachers leave the ECE field. The majority of teachers leave their jobs for retirement. Another big problem is teachers' feel that administrators do not support
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them. The teachers' opinions strongly affect how plans of action are carried out at a school. It is also crucial for them to feel backed by their supervisors in the decisions they make in their classrooms and that they are given opportunities to heighten their professional skills. Regarding teacher retention, the first couple years of a teacher's career are particularly challenging. Due to a
lack of guidance, new teachers do not have much support, which causes them to leave while they
are still fresh in the field. No matter what level of expertise a teacher is at, mentoring is favorable
to them at all times. While strengthening their teaching skills, experienced teachers can also learn
new skills from a younger generation of teachers (Mihans, 2008). The school environment also plays a role in why teachers leave. Since teachers do not have much time to prepare before class, they tend to feel detached from their coworkers, and there is very little time to prepare together and discuss student behavior due to scheduling limitations.
Teachers were in significant demand as the number of children increased. Due to social attitudes and financial uncertainty, females are likelier to become teachers in ECE and elementary school, while males tend to become teachers in middle and high schools. It is strenuous for male teachers in ECE to achieve seniority due to the many obstructions they face. As a result of retirement, environmental factors, and money concerns, male teachers have been tenaciously leaving the education field. Men have also faced bigotry in the classroom, as they are
viewed with suspicion and lack the skills preferred to care for young children. It is these presumptions and views that lead some to be promoted quickly into administrative roles and higher grades. Despite all the hardships they face, some male teachers continue to work in ECE.
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References
National Center for Education Statistics. (2023). Characteristics of Public School Teachers. Condition of Education.
U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/clr
.
CodeIT, & NDFAuthors. (2023, February 14). Lack of men in early childhood education.
Novak Djokovic Foundation. Retrieved from https://novakdjokovicfoundation.org/lack-men-
early-childhood-education/
Cohen, D. L. (2019, February 25). Early-childhood educators bemoan the scarcity of males in teaching. Education Week. Retrieved from https://www.edweek.org/education/early-
childhood-educators-bemoan-the-scarcity-of-males-in-teaching/1990/09
David, Jane (2008, April 1). What research says about... / teacher recruitment incentives
. ASCD.
Retrieved from https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/teacher-recruitment-incentives
Mihans, R. (2008, June). Can teachers lead teachers?
Phi Delta Kappan, 762- 765.
Retrieved from http://www.pdkmembers.org/members_online/publications/Archive/pdf/
k0806mih.pdf
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