Male and female preschool teachers' emotional reactions

Throughout the world, most preschool teachers are female. Although it is accepted that male preschool teachers should be present in preschool institutions as role models, the proportion of males remains very low. Many studies... [ view full abstract ]

Throughout the world, most preschool teachers are female. Although it is accepted that male preschool teachers should be present in preschool institutions as role models, the proportion of males remains very low. Many studies have compared male and female preschool teachers in terms of their job satisfaction, the activities they conduct, or their career choices; and the reasons that so few men choose this job has also been examined. There is a growing consensus that preschool teaching is a female-dominated job because females behave more emotionally than males, but this remains to be tested in a Turkish context. Therefore, this study examines the emotional reactions of 15 male and 15 female preschool teachers, using a semi-structured interview protocol developed by the researchers, with the interview data being analyzed via the word-list technique. The findings of this study will be discussed at the 69th OMEP World Assembly and International Conference.