2021 EC MENz Summit

by Kidsfirst Kindergartens Templeton

KidsFirst

Men make up just 1.6 percent of New Zealand’s early childhood workforce, one of the worst male participation rates in the western world – but the South Island’s largest kindergarten provider is taking a strong stance in addressing this statistic, and enriching the early childhood education environment with a greater gender balance.

Discussion Paper

Proposal for National Party Policy to deal with the Gender Imbalance in Early Childhood Care and Teaching

Presented By: Russell Ballantyne (President of the Men in ECE Network, (www.ecmenz.org) on 13th May 2010 to Anne Tolley (Minister of Education)

Paper Prepared By:  Dr Sarah Farquhar (policy adviser for EC-MENz) and EC-MENz

By MICHELLE ROBINSON – North Shore Times

Last updated 05:00 04/03/2010
Photo: BEN WATSON
 
NURTURING MAN: Adam Buckingham, with six-month-old daughter Ellie, cherishes his role as an early childhood teacher.

New Zealand children are disadvantaged by a lack of male early childhood teachers, a North Shore teacher says. 
Adam Buckingham wants men to become early childhood teachers after learning that fewer than 2 percent of preschool teachers in New Zealand are men – the lowest rate in the world, he says. 
Government statistics show there were 285 male and 18,112 female early childhood educators in licensed premises last July. 

Te Whanau

EC-MENz  incorporated

Tena  koutou,  tena koutou,  tena tatou katoa

Nga Mihi nui. Nga Mihi mahana

Tena  koutou,  tena koutou,  tena tatou katoa

A special welcome to Bryan Nelson from Men teach.org.  Bryan has travelled across the Pacific to share with us his vast knowledge and expertise and we look forward to his presentation which Ron Blatz  has promised will be a lot of fun  as well as informative.  Welcome to this summit Bryan – we very much appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to share your wealth of experience with us.

Presentation for: 4th Men in Early Childhood Education Summit (February 2010, Auckland).

 Alex Williams: Unitec Institute of Technology NZ

The profound under representation of men in the early childhood education (ECE) context is highlighted by the statistical reality that currently less than one percent of early childhood educators in New Zealand are men.  This situation is of significant concern and has potentially negative implications not only for the children in ECE, but also for the sector as a whole.

This presentation explores some of the historical & current factors contributing to the highly gendered nature of the ECE sector & considers these factors within a wider social context – with particular focus on how society may view men who choose to challenge prevailing stereotypes by pursuing careers in ECE. This theme is then further explored by drawing on recent research that investigates how male ECE teachers maybe unintentionally portrayed as conforming to the very same stereotypes that these men are actually challenging via their ‘unconventional’ career choices.