James’ Story: A Decade in the Life of a Male Early Childhood Professional

Abstract

This article uses narrative inquiry techniques to construct an Australian male's account of formative experiences during his decade as an early childhood educator and the difficulties he encountered as a minority group member of a traditionally “female” profession. His overwhelming fear of unwarranted accusations of child sexual abuse and the debilitating impact of such accusations highlight the potential vulnerability of men in this profession. Implications concerning appropriate support for men who wish to make a long term commitment to early childhood education are considered.

Key words:

• Male early childhood teachers