Senior leaders have an important role to help male staff combat stereotypical views or negative attitudes and build their confidence as valued educators.
– Pete Moorhouse

Last month the Men in ECE (World Forum Foundation Working Group) hosted a lively conversation in the online WoFo Global Café. Close to 60 men (and women) from around the world joined to discuss ways to attract, support and retain men in early care and education settings. Here are snippets from that conversation:

From David Wright (the Café moderator for the session): Even though ECE salaries tend to be low, many men find great satisfaction that transcends the pay. They discover a sense of purpose and joy in their work.

From Ron Blatz (who directed an ECE program that attracted a larger than average number of men):

• Recruitment advertisements need to specifically reference welcoming men so men feel they are very much wanted as part of ECE programs.
• Program policies must be clearly written to explain that men are valued members of the teaching staff and fully engaged in all care and education activities. The program director must stand firmly behind men’s involvement, making sure all families support the program’s policies before they register.

From Roger Neugebauer (co-founder of the World Forum Foundation): Administrators can play a pivotal role in easing parents’ and teachers’ nervousness of having male teachers by making it clear that men teachers are welcome and valued.

Bonnie Neugebauer (co-founder of the World Forum Foundation) acknowledged the Working Group on Men in ECE for their work as change makers within the World Forum community and beyond.

One of the call’s participants, Danielle McLellan-Bujnak, shared this link to a survey for men in ECE worldwide, put together by California Association for the Education of Young Children.