Being a Male Preschool Teacher in Türkiye: From the Perspective of Teachers, Mothers, and Children

Yıl 2023, , 459 - 488, 30.11.2023

Nevra Atış Akyol , Arzu Okur , Selda Ata Doğan , Cansu Yıldız Taşdemir

https://doi.org/10.33708/ktc.1315375

Cited By: 2

Öz

This study aims at investigating the views of teachers, mothers, and children about male preschool teachers. The phenomenology, one of the qualitative research designs, is used in this study. Study group consists of six preschool teachers (three females and three males) and 12 children and their mothers selected from the classes of these teachers by using the purposeful sampling method. Data are collected through interviews with these groups and analyzed with content analysis. Children are also requested to make a drawing that reflects their thoughts about their teachers. It is determined that male teachers prefer this profession with the idea of finding a job easily. Being a male preschool teacher is evaluated by both gender of teachers as an advantage in providing discipline to children. According to the male preschool teachers, the disadvantages working in this position are that parents don’t consider preschools as educational institutions, difficulty in communicating with mothers, and the risk of abuse. In the study, it is determined that some mothers are prejudiced against male teachers at the beginning of the term, this prejudice decreases during the term, and all of the children have positive thoughts and feelings about their teachers. As a result of the research, it is concluded that all of the teachers and most of the mothers believe that preschool teaching is generalized as a female profession, but they believe that it should not be generalized in this way.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Male Preschool Teacher, Female Preschool Teacher, Mothers, Preschool Children, Preschool Education

Okul Öncesi Eğitimde Erkek Öğretmenlere Bakış: Öğretmen, Anne ve Çocuk Gözünden

Öz

Araştırmanın amacı, okul öncesi eğitimde erkek öğretmenlere ilişkin öğretmenlerin, annelerin ve çocukların görüşlerinin incelenmesidir. Araştırma nitel araştırma desenlerinden olgubilim deseninde gerçekleştirilmiştir. Çalışma grubunu üç kadın, üç erkek toplam altı okul öncesi öğretmeni ve bu öğretmenlerin sınıflarından amaçlı örneklem yoluyla seçilmiş toplam 12 çocuk ve çocukların anneleri oluşturmaktadır. Veriler, öğretmenler, anneler ve çocuklarla gerçekleştirilen görüşmelerle toplanmış ve içerik analizine tabi tutulmuştur. Ayrıca çocuklardan, görüşlerini daha iyi ortaya çıkarmak adına öğretmenleriyle olan ilişkilerini anlatan bir resim çizmeleri istenmiştir. Araştırmada, erkek öğretmenlerin tamamının kolay iş bulma düşüncesiyle bu mesleği tercih ettikleri tespit edilmiştir. Hem erkek hem kadın öğretmenler tarafından erkek okul öncesi öğretmeni olmak, çocuklar üzerinde disiplin sağlama konusunda bir avantaj olarak değerlendirilmiştir. Erkek öğretmenlere göre ebeveynlerin anaokulunu bir eğitim kurumu olarak görmemesi, annelerle iletişime geçme zorluğu ve istismar riski gibi durumlar bu meslekte erkek olmanın dezavantajları olarak belirlenmiştir. Araştırmada bazı annelerin dönem başında erkek öğretmenlere karşı ön yargılı olduğu, dönem içerisinde bu ön yargının azaldığı, çocukların ise tamamının öğretmenleriyle ilgili olumlu düşünce ve duygulara sahip oldukları tespit edilmiştir. Araştırma sonucunda, öğretmenlerin tamamının ve annelerin çoğunun okul öncesi öğretmenliğinin bir kadın mesleği olarak genellendiğini düşündükleri, ancak genellenmemesi gerektiğine inandıkları sonucuna ulaşılmıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Erkek Okul Öncesi Öğretmeni, Kadın Okul Öncesi Öğretmeni, Anneler, Okul Öncesi Dönemdeki Çocuklar, Okul Öncesi Eğitim

Kaynakça

• Amosun, M., Ogunniyi, L., & Ogunbiyi, F. (2021). Attitude of male inservice and preservice early childhood teachers towards working in preschool centers in Ibadan, Nigeria. International Journal of Emerging Issues in Early Childhood Education, 3(2), 48-56. https://doi.org/10.31098/ijeiece.v3i2.536
• Anlıak, Ş. (2004). The importance of father and male teacher in child’s life in the period of preschool. Ege Journal of Education, 5(1), 25-33.
• Aubry, S., Ruble, D. N., & Silverman, L. B. (2003). The role of gender knowledge in children’s gender-typed preferences. In L. Balter & C. S. Tamis-LeMonda (Eds.), Child Psychology: A Handbook of Contemporary Issues (pp. 363-390). Psychology Press.
• Bee, H., & Boyd, D. (2010). The developing child. Pearson Education.
• Buldur, A., Keskin, M. E., & Börekçi, E. (2021). Career choice reasons of pre-school teacher candidates: Intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Journal of Research in Education and Society, 8(1), 167-178. https://doi.org/10.51725/etad.906161
• Bullough Jr, R. V. (2015). Differences? Similarities? Male teacher, female teacher: An instrumental case study of teaching in a Head Start classroom. Teaching and Teacher Education, 47(1), 13-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2014.12.001
• Büyüköztürk, Ş., Kılıç-Çakmak, E., Akgün, Ö., Karadeniz, Ş., & Demirel, F. (2018). Bilimsel araştırma yöntemleri. Pegem Akademi Publishing.
• Cameron, C. (2001). Promise or problem? A review of the literature on men working in early childhood services. Gender, Work & Organization, 8(4), 430-453. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-0432.00140
• Cruz, A., Hugo, A., & Ruiz-Ruiz, M. F. (2021). Parents’ perceptions on male teachers in Peruvian preschool education. Revista Electrónica Educare, 25(3), 605-623. https://dx.doi.org/10.15359/ree.25-3.33
• Demirkasımoğlu, N., & Taşkın, P. (2019). The career journey of the first male preschool teacher in Turkey: An optimistic perspective to a female dominated occupation. Journal of Qualitative Research in Education, 7(1), 420-437. https://doi.org/10.14689/issn.2148-2624.1.7c1s.19m
• Demirtaş, H., Demir, H. C., & Demir, M. (2014). Perceptions about male preschool teachers in Turkey. International Journal of Early Childhood Education Research, 3(7), 60-95.
• Drudy, S. (2008). Gender balance/gender bias: The teaching profession and the impact of feminisation. Gender and Education, 20(4), 309-323. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540250802190156
• Eagly, A. H., & Crowley, M. (1986). Gender and helping behavior: A meta-analytic review of the social psychological literature. Psychological Bulletin, 100(3), 283-308. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.100.3.283
• Er, A., & Ergen, H. (2020). Professional problems encountered by male preschool teachers. IBAD Journal of Social Sciences, Special Issue, 359-383. https://doi.org/10.21733/ibad.797966
• Feder, J., Levant, R. F., & Dean, J. (2010). Boys and violence: A gender-informed analysis. Psychology of Violence, 1(S), 3-12. https://doi.org/10.1037/2152-0828.1.S.3
• Fine, C. (2011). Toplumsal cinsiyet yanılsaması. Sel Publications.
• Gamble, R. J., & Wilkins, J. (1997). Beyond tradition: Where are the men in elementary education? Contemporary Education, 68(3), 187.
• Gullo, D. F., & Hughes, K. (2011). Reclaiming kindergarten: Part II: Questions about policy. Early Childhood Education Journal, 38(6), 393-397. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-010-0430-0
• Gülçiçek, T. (2017). Investigation of parents' perceptions of male early childhood teachers [Master’s thesis]. Middle East Technical University, Ankara.
• Haskan Avcı, Ö., Karababa, A., & Zencir, T. (2019). Male pre-school teacher candidates in the context of gender: Perceived challenges and future concerns. Hacettepe University Journal of Education, 34(4), 1092-1106. https://doi.org/10.16986/HUJE.2018046235
• Kantar, A., & Yalçın, İ. (2023). Masculinity and seeking psychological help: A review based on social identity theory. Current Approaches in Psychiatry, 15(4), 677-686. https://doi.org/10.18863/pgy.1227948
• Karademir, A., & Yılmaz, H. B. (2020). Reasons and opinions of the students who have received preschool teacher education as a second university. Journal of Bayburt Education Faculty, 15(30), 363-384. https://doi.org/10.35675/befdergi.734962
• Kılıç, S. (2019). Gendered choice of profession in the context of hegemonic masculinity: The views of male preschool teachers [Master’s thesis]. Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun.
• MEB (2007). Milli Eğitim İstatistikleri Örgün Eğitim 2006-2007. https://sgb.meb.gov.tr/meb_iys_dosyalar/2012_12/06020711_meb_istatistikleri_orgun_egitim_2006_2007.pdf
• MEB (2022). Milli Eğitim İstatistikleri Örgün Eğitim 2021-2022. https://sgb.meb.gov.tr/meb_iys_dosyalar/2022_09/15142558_meb_istatistikleri_orgun_egitim_2021_2022.pdf
• Öngören, S. (2019). Teacher candidates' views on preschool teaching according to social gender perceptions. OPUS International Journal of Society Researches, 11(18), 1773-1796. https://doi.org/10.26466/opus.516102
• Peeters, J., Rohrmann, T., & Emilsen, K. (2015). Gender balance in ECEC: Why is there so little progress? European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 23(3), 302-314. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2015.1043805
• Sak, R. (2005). Erkek okul öncesi öğretmenlerinin göreve başladıklarında karşılaştıkları durumlar ve bu öğretmenlerin velilerinin erkek okul öncesi öğretmenleri hakkındaki görüşleri [Master’s thesis]. Gazi University, Ankara.
• Sak R., Kızılkaya, G., Yılmaz, Y., & Dereli, M. (2015). Children’s perspective: Male and female preschool teachers. Sakarya University Journal of Education Faculty, 29, 142-162.
• Sak, R., Sahin, I. T., & Sahin, B. K. (2012). Views of female preschool pre-service teachers about male teaching colleagues. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 47, 586-593. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.06.700
• Sancar, S. (2016). Erkeklik: İmkânsız iktidar. Metis Yayınları.
• Su, D. C. C. (2017). Myths or facts about preschool and kindergarten male teachers: Perceptions from Chinese and Taiwanese parents [Doctoral dissertation]. Azusa Pacific University.
• Sumsion, J. (2005). Male teachers in early childhood education: Issues and case study. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 20(1), 109-123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2005.01.001
• Tsigra, M. (2010). Male teachers and children’s gender construction in preschool education. 26th OMEP International Conference, Gothenburg, Sweden.
• Yağbasan, M., & Aksoy, G. P. (2016). The parent’s perspective towards the male kindergarten teachers (A case Study in Elazığ). Turkish Journal of Educational Studies, 3(3), 85-113.
• Yalçın, M., Yalçın, F. A., & Macun, B. (2017). Preschool teachers’ views about gender of teacher in pre-school education. Journal of Bayburt Education Faculty 12(24), 693-710.
• Yang, Y., & McNair, D. E. (2017). Male teachers in Shanghai public kindergartens: A phenomenological study. Gender and Education, 31(2), 274-291. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540253.2017.1332339
• Yıldırım, A., & Şimşek, H. (2013). Sosyal bilimlerde nitel araştırma yöntemleri. Seçkin Publishing.