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Men Stand Out as Daycare Workers (Irish, 2013)
In this article published by the Toronto Star, Paul Irish speaks to a young man who is currently working as a Early Childhood Educator at St. Alban's Boys and Girls Club located in downtown Toronto. He discusses how he first started in child care and some challenges he has faced.
Interview with Ryan Campbell (Professor in Early Childhood Program at Humber College)
Ryan Campbell is a well respected teacher in the field of ECE who is currently a professor in the Early Childhood Program at Humber College. We had a chance to speak to Ryan about the issue of men in the field and what he thought could make the field more appealing to men.
Q: When did you decide you wanted to be an ECE?
A: I initially wanted to be a teacher. For me, ECE was a “stepping stone”. The plan was to complete my diploma (full time) at George Brown, followed by my degree (full time) at Ryerson. Once I graduated from George Brown, however, I was offered a full time ECE position with the University of Toronto Early Learning Centre. As I thought it important to gain classroom experience, I took the position and completed my degree at Ryerson part time. In 2007 I applied to and was accepted by Faculties of Education at OISE and York. I accepted the offer from OISE. The summer leading up to what would have been my first semester in Teacher’s College, I decided to remain in my full time ECE position at U of T and complete my Master’s degree instead. The main motivator behind this decision was the growing lack of jobs for teachers in the public school system. In addition, I was offered a Supervisor position with U of T that I simply couldn’t refuse.
Q: How did your friends and family react to your choice?
A: My friends/family accepted my decision…though my mom was initially concerned that I was selling myself short. She thought I had more academic potential than I was giving myself credit for. As my sister and I both completed our ECEs at the same time, she quickly realized just how rigorous/demanding our programs actually were. She also took great pride in the fact that I ultimately became the first in my immediate family to obtain a degree and the first in my entire family to go to graduate school. I didn’t know this at the time I began my ECE studies, but the possibilities for continued education in this field are endless!
Q: How did you feel entering in a female dominated field? Workforce? First day of class?
A: I was initially a nursing student (from 1996 – 1999), so this was nothing new for me. Also, because most of my friends have always been female, I felt right at home. Fortunately, the faculty at GBC were tremendously supportive! I’m not sure this would have been the case if I studied ECE in Chatham, Ontario (where I’m from, and where my sister studies). Additionally, in some ways, I think that being a male has opened a lot of doors for me. My placement experiences were largely positive as well. In fact, I supplied for every site in which I was placed following the completion of those placements. There was 1 occasion, however, where a parent inquired to the Supervisor as to why I had her 3-year-old son sitting in my lap when she came to pick him up. In her culture, it was not customary for males to show this kind of affection. I’m sure she questioned my intentions in light of the stereotypes associated with men who care for children. I also worked with someone when I first graduated who was a devout Christian. She had issues with my sexual orientation and it was reported to our Supervisor that she’d been talking to parents about it…which ultimately lead to formal discipline (as this idle gossip violated many centre policies…in particular, their philosophy of inclusion and access).
Q: Was there any point in time where you thought about changing your career choice?
A: NO! My heart belongs to this field. I LOVE what I do now too! I was definitely born to teach.
Q: How do you think male ECE's can impact early education?
A: I think more men in the field might serve to break down gender barriers that relegate responsibilities for caring to women. I also think that showcasing notable males can instigate the challenging of pervasive stereotypes that link a male’s interest in working with young children to pedophilia. Of all ideologies, this is arguably the BIGGEST barrier.
Q: How do you think we can advocate for more men to enter the field?
A: I think this starts with training institutions, which need to make a concerted effort to recruit males into their programs. I also think that individual centres/programs have a responsibility to hire men, especially if they are committed to ensuring that their staff reflects the diversity in their programs. Sadly, there are still programs that refuse to employ men, or that have policies in place that restrict the level of care that male staff can give to children. I’d also like to see professional organizations like the AECEO or the OCBCC take a more active role in bringing attention to this issue! For my part, I’m interested in completing my doctoral research in this area and hope to present my work at conferences around the world to raise awareness about the value men bring to child care.
Q: How do you feel about the stereotypes towards men who do decide to enter the ECE field? (ex. pedophiles, gay, weak, etc.)
A: They sadden and sicken me. Society has come so far on so many other issues that it’s disheartening to see the continued prejudice that characterizes the thinking of so many as it relates to men working in child care. There are many men in the field who do great things. That the media reports (and sensationalizes) only those cases that perpetuate the stereotypes to which you refer is most disappointing…especially in 2013!
Q: When did you decide you wanted to be an ECE?
A: I initially wanted to be a teacher. For me, ECE was a “stepping stone”. The plan was to complete my diploma (full time) at George Brown, followed by my degree (full time) at Ryerson. Once I graduated from George Brown, however, I was offered a full time ECE position with the University of Toronto Early Learning Centre. As I thought it important to gain classroom experience, I took the position and completed my degree at Ryerson part time. In 2007 I applied to and was accepted by Faculties of Education at OISE and York. I accepted the offer from OISE. The summer leading up to what would have been my first semester in Teacher’s College, I decided to remain in my full time ECE position at U of T and complete my Master’s degree instead. The main motivator behind this decision was the growing lack of jobs for teachers in the public school system. In addition, I was offered a Supervisor position with U of T that I simply couldn’t refuse.
Q: How did your friends and family react to your choice?
A: My friends/family accepted my decision…though my mom was initially concerned that I was selling myself short. She thought I had more academic potential than I was giving myself credit for. As my sister and I both completed our ECEs at the same time, she quickly realized just how rigorous/demanding our programs actually were. She also took great pride in the fact that I ultimately became the first in my immediate family to obtain a degree and the first in my entire family to go to graduate school. I didn’t know this at the time I began my ECE studies, but the possibilities for continued education in this field are endless!
Q: How did you feel entering in a female dominated field? Workforce? First day of class?
A: I was initially a nursing student (from 1996 – 1999), so this was nothing new for me. Also, because most of my friends have always been female, I felt right at home. Fortunately, the faculty at GBC were tremendously supportive! I’m not sure this would have been the case if I studied ECE in Chatham, Ontario (where I’m from, and where my sister studies). Additionally, in some ways, I think that being a male has opened a lot of doors for me. My placement experiences were largely positive as well. In fact, I supplied for every site in which I was placed following the completion of those placements. There was 1 occasion, however, where a parent inquired to the Supervisor as to why I had her 3-year-old son sitting in my lap when she came to pick him up. In her culture, it was not customary for males to show this kind of affection. I’m sure she questioned my intentions in light of the stereotypes associated with men who care for children. I also worked with someone when I first graduated who was a devout Christian. She had issues with my sexual orientation and it was reported to our Supervisor that she’d been talking to parents about it…which ultimately lead to formal discipline (as this idle gossip violated many centre policies…in particular, their philosophy of inclusion and access).
Q: Was there any point in time where you thought about changing your career choice?
A: NO! My heart belongs to this field. I LOVE what I do now too! I was definitely born to teach.
Q: How do you think male ECE's can impact early education?
A: I think more men in the field might serve to break down gender barriers that relegate responsibilities for caring to women. I also think that showcasing notable males can instigate the challenging of pervasive stereotypes that link a male’s interest in working with young children to pedophilia. Of all ideologies, this is arguably the BIGGEST barrier.
Q: How do you think we can advocate for more men to enter the field?
A: I think this starts with training institutions, which need to make a concerted effort to recruit males into their programs. I also think that individual centres/programs have a responsibility to hire men, especially if they are committed to ensuring that their staff reflects the diversity in their programs. Sadly, there are still programs that refuse to employ men, or that have policies in place that restrict the level of care that male staff can give to children. I’d also like to see professional organizations like the AECEO or the OCBCC take a more active role in bringing attention to this issue! For my part, I’m interested in completing my doctoral research in this area and hope to present my work at conferences around the world to raise awareness about the value men bring to child care.
Q: How do you feel about the stereotypes towards men who do decide to enter the ECE field? (ex. pedophiles, gay, weak, etc.)
A: They sadden and sicken me. Society has come so far on so many other issues that it’s disheartening to see the continued prejudice that characterizes the thinking of so many as it relates to men working in child care. There are many men in the field who do great things. That the media reports (and sensationalizes) only those cases that perpetuate the stereotypes to which you refer is most disappointing…especially in 2013!