Conclusion: Men’s Presence in ECEC as a Pathway Towards Positive Gender Transformation

Warin, J. (2018) Conclusion: Men’s Presence in ECEC as a Pathway Towards Positive Gender Transformation. In: Men in Early Childhood Education and Care. Palgrave Studies in Gender and Education . Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, pp. 139-145. ISBN 9783319895383

Abstract

In this chapter I offer the reader a script that provides a clear rationale for promoting an increase of male practitioners in ECEC. I argue that the inclusion of more male teachers and carers in the early childhood education workforce can make a vital contribution to the ongoing development of a more gender-egalitarian society. However, I caution that this contribution can only be realised by gender-sensitive practitioners: women and men together, who are willing to practice and perform a gender-flexible pedagogy. At its most radical and transformative, the recruitment and promotion of more men in the ECE is a significant strategy that can help us envision a de-gendered society in which we move beyond the gender binary. © 2018, The Author(s).