An exploratory study of gender and male teachers in early childhood education and care centres in China

Abstract

An exploratory study of gender and male teachers in early childhood education and care centres in China This paper explores the impact of gender on the employment of men in early childhood education and care (ECEC) centres through the voices of male and female Early Childhood Teachers (ECTs) working in China. Gender imbalance in the ECEC workforce is a global phenomenon, and little has been researched about it in countries such as China. This study was based on online interviews with 16 ECTs from three major cities in China. Findings indicated that ECTs' perceptions conformed largely with traditional gender stereotypes in Chinese culture. Western expectations that men's participation in ECEC could challenge traditional gender stereotypes and promote gender diversity were not reflected in either Chinese academic literature reviewed or the participants' views captured in this research. The appreciation of masculinity in Chinese culture and implied disadvantages are considered within a global context of empowering women and girls.

Parents and children during the COVID-19 quarantine process: Experiences from Turkey and China

“…Interviews were transcribed and translated into English by the researchers. The researchers' familiarity with the topic and the social-cultural contexts of China and Turkey minimised the loss of cultural sensitivity both translation and data analysis processes (Xu and Waniganayake, 2018). A combination of inductive and deductive coding and theme development was used in our qualitative data analysis.…”

“…Interviews lasted 20-30 minutes each as we were aware of the limited time parents may have had due to caring responsibilities. Nevertheless, participants provided in-depth responses to the proposed topics and beyond, through relaxed online interactions with the interviewers (Xu and Waniganayake, 2018). All names appearing in this paper are pseudonyms and all identifiable information has been removed.…”

Beliefs and attributions: Insider accounts of men’s place in early childhood education and care

“…Two key themes emerge. The first theme relates to essentialist beliefs: questioning of the suitability of men to undertake 'women's work' (Drudy, 2008;Petersen, 2014), including beliefs that men do not have the natural ability to care for young children appropriately (Xu & Waniganayake, 2017). The second theme relates to vertical segregation in which men taking low status work in ECEC raises questions about sexuality and masculinity.…”

Gender-diverse practitioners in early years education and care (EYEC): a cross-cultural study of Scotland, Hong Kong, and Mainland China

“…There are assumptions that EYEC being a 'feminized' community is detrimental to boys' gender development and wellbeing, in a sense that there is a paucity of male role models for boys (especially for those who lack a father figure at home) to learn about being a 'man' (Tennhoff, Nentwich and Vogot 2015). For example, in China, male practitioners are expected to rescue the 'crisis' of boys, who are criticized for a lack of masculinity and for being increasingly feminised (Xu and Waniganayake 2018;Yang and McNair 2019). Such expectations, however, fall into the problem of hegemonic gender essentialisation and gender binary in expecting all men to be the same and to be different from their opposite gender (women) (Blaise 2005;Warin 2019).…”

“…The ineffectiveness of referring to traditional gender discourses in attracting more men to EYEC is suggested by the little progress of male participation in EYEC in many European countries, despite governmental endeavours to take initiatives to increase male numbers (Rohrmann and Emilsen 2015;Peeters, Rohrmann, and Emilsen 2015). Indeed, the gender stigma that devalues care in EYEC and the binary, essentialist views of gender as illustrated above are detrimental to both men and women working in EYEC (Warin 2014;Tennhoff et al 2015), and men's participation is likely to reproduce gender stereotypes and inequalities and to perpetuate cultures of hegemonic masculinity in the workforce and beyond (Burn and Pratt-Adams 2015;Tennhoff et al 2015;Xu and Waniganayake 2018;Warin 2019;).…”