Voices of male teachers in Shanghai public kindergarten: A phenomenological study
Western and Chinese literature have suggested that early childhood education (ECE) is a feminized profession and many men remain invisible and silent gendered subjects in this field and fail to understand or accept the gendered realties. Employing a combination of theory of gendered organizations and concepts of masculinities as the theoretical framework, this study draws on in-depth interviews with three male teachers in Shanghai public kindergarten for a greater understanding of their lived experiences in a feminized profession. Kindergarten websites also provide opportunities to identify the ways in which the male teachers are represented in the kindergarten setting. Data analysis suggests five main themes, including realistic entry into ECE, challenges, rewards, perception of male teachers' roles, as well as professional development. Through male teachers' stories readers gain a deep understanding of how they manage every weekday and how they make sense of their lived experiences in Shanghai public kindergarten. This study concludes with a discussion of the implications of the findings and areas for further study.
School administration, Early childhood education, Gender studies, Social sciences, Education, Gender and education, Masculinity, Public kindergarten, Shanghai, Educational Administration and Supervision, Educational Leadership
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