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Stories for Working Forum on Men in Early Childhood Education

Added: 02/28/2008 4:00 pm

Name:	Bonnie Neugebauer
Organization:	World Forum Foundation
City:	Redmond
State or Province:	Washington
Country:	United States
Role:	Vice President and Program Director
Email:	bonnien@childcareexchange.com
Story:	I've seen it. The special way that men interact with children--the humor and playfulness of it, the freedom and delight of it, the special learning, the bonding. My husband is that kind of father; my father was that kind of grandfather. My professional responsibilities have enabled me to observe, learn from, and work with many great men in this field. So, I've supported the role of men in the lives of young children through my work with Exchange and the World Forum; but it's over time that I have come to see the ways in which women and sometimes myself included set up barriers to male involvement. As I began to realize that I had opportunities and therefore responsibilities to do something about this, I started asking questions. It was surprising to learn the depth about people's attitudes about male caregivers, but comments often rang true to attitudes about men as fathers or men in general. This isn't a male issue, it's a children's issue. Everyone needs to be concerned and involved.

Added: 03/03/2008 2:17 pm

Name:	Ron Blatz
Organization:	Discovery Children's Centre
City:	Winnipeg
State or Province:	Manitoba
Country:	Canada
Role:	Executive Director
Email:	rblatz@discoverycc.com
Story:	I grew up in a religious farm family in Central Canada. After being invited to work with young children by a college classmate who had started a "Day Care" in her church basement, I fell in love with, felt led by God to, and have committed myself to the work of caring for and teaching young children. For me, one of the lessons in this series of events is the fact that most men like me are specifically invited into this "woman's world" of care and education and don't choose it out of a list of career options. I've stayed in the field because everything about it seems to fit who I am so well. The work gives back so much in terms of relationships, the joy of watching humans grow and change, the sense of living to serve others, and it's great variety and unpredicability. It's only recently however that I've thought about the whole issue of Men in ECE from a broader perspective. Having recieved a pin (Expect Male Involement - Gender balance is good for young children) from Don Piburn at the World Forum in 2005 began a new journey in my life. I've been so pleased as a part of the leadership team for the Worling Forumum on MECE to make acquaintences with, and learn from people from around the world about ways to move this issue forward. Stimulated by ideas bounced around at the World Forum in Malaysia I have piloted a Canadian MECE “Club 2-10”. All members are Canadian Centre Directors who have committed themselves to doing everything in their power to employ at least 2 men, and to work towards a goal of 10% men by the year 2010. At a local level I organize a MECE Support Group for men in the field of ECE. We meet regularly to share stories, build friendships and support each other in the struggles that men as a minority group can face in their places of employment. On occasion they also invite our female counterparts to join them in order to have a more balanced and full discussion on the issues of men in ECE. I have attended countless conferences in my career but non have had as strong of an impact on him as the World Forum in Malaysia in May of 2007 along with two days of meetings the Leadership team had there. Should you plan to attend the Working Forum in Hawaii he believes your experience might be very similar. Come…join us. To contact Ron on any of the above initiatives e-mail at: rblatz@discoverycc.com

Added: 03/03/2008 3:03 pm

Name:	Dr Te Tuhi Robust
Organization:	University of Auckland
City:	Auckland
State or Province:
Country:	New Zealand
Role:	Executive Director, James Henare Mâori Research Centre
Email:	t.robust@auckland.ac.nz
Story:	All of the pressure to make sure that your own child has the ultimate educational experience from the 'cradle to the grave' especially if you are the principal of the local school. Which option should I take? The one with total immersion programmes and delivery of programme in local dialect - Mâori, or just the local playcentre or kindergarten down the road. A vision of meetings and fundraising events to take place drift before my eyes as such considerations are made. I have 'done' the research and theory bit so I should be able to make a decision of kind but it is still hard as we are such busy people. With nowhere to go I dived into all of the above and my son was taken into the family environment of learning within a total Maori language immersion focus. This led more into my being involved from a parental perspective in supporting the kaupapa/ philosophy of the Te Kohanga Reo movement in New Zealand. His circumstances changed not long after that but now some 35years on I am still involved in the movement. I intend to continue this conversation with the World Forum MECE group and look foward to where that will lead. Kia ira

Added: 03/06/2008 10:40 pm

Name:	Donald E. Piburn
Organization:	MenTeach Hawaii and the HAEYC
City:	Honolulu
State or Province:	Hawaii
Country:	United States
Role:	WF MECE Leadership Team Co-coordinator
Email:	Don@MenTeach.org
Story:	Though I began my early care and education career in the classroom, I now work as a consultant to early childhood programs that include children with social, emotional, and behavior challenges throughout Hawaii. Because my goal is often to observe typical daily routines, I sometimes choose to be purposefully low-key and rather unresponsive to the children at first. In my experience, there is a distinct difference in how children react to me, an unknown male, in those early childhood programs that have male teachers and staff. One or several children will usually ask if I am somebody’s Daddy, but in those early childhood programs where children are use to having men around, to seeing images of nurturing males on classroom walls and in their picture books, to being cared for and nurtured by men, the children quickly become disinterested in this boring-by-design outsider and wander off in search of more engaging peers, adults, and activities. In contrast, in early childhood programs were only women are present, children’s responses toward an unfamiliar guy range from apprehension or suspicion, to curiosity, to an all too conspicuous craving for adult male attention. A characteristic expression of such yearnings is evidenced by what I have come to call “the Velcro® child.” I might be going about my work and suddenly discover that I have a child securely fixed about or “velcroed” to my leg. More often than not, these children are from homes with only minimum male involvement in their lives. They are literally starving for a nurturing adult male’s energy. When early childhood programs deny or minimize the important roles of men, children are deprived of the essential developmental and social experiences that gender balance affords. When children experience gender balanced care, they distinguish alternative gender roles and learn new respect for themselves and others. Having men in early childhood care and education alerts children to social forces that might otherwise condition them to accept gender stereotypes.

Added: 03/21/2008 09:56 am

Name:	E
Organization:	eem
City:	emoije
State or Province:	modefmerr
Country:	United States
Role:	regkmre
Email:	3epir@erigj.com
Story:	eprigjknlmijfo reih jrieowjfwgtjrigotiewrjfvdb

Added: 03/21/2008 11:49 am

Name:	Gerald I. Parks !!
Organization:	Georgia State University
City:	Atlanta
State or Province:	Georgia
Country:	United States
Role:	Sr. Training Specialist
Email:	cdcgip@langate.gsu.edu
Story:	I remember working for this major retailer right out of high school, and I hated it. One day I was out paying bills in downtown Atlanta, and the local payment center that I had used for years had been shut down. The building was now being used for an Urban Child Development Program. As I entered, I was greeted by voices of young children. A women greeted me, and asked if she could help me ( I later learned that she was the Director), I did not even ask her where to find the new payment center, the first words out of my mouth were, "Are you hiring?" She smiled and said "Yes we are, do you have any experience?" Well at the time I had never worked with children before. I'm glad this did not stop her from giving me an opportunity. This was 12 years, a couple of programs, many classrooms, and several credentials ago. I would not trade any orf my experiences. I'm glad she gave me the opportunity to find my place in life where I make a difference.

Added: 03/25/2008 07:09 am

Name:	Tymothy Smith
Organization:	Early Care and Education Training and Consulting
City:	Flower Mound
State or Province:	Texas
Country:	United States
Role:	Trainer
Email:	tym@tymthetrainer.com
Story:	My name is Tymothy Smith and I have been working in the Early Childhood business for over 21 years now. Back in 1987, I was your normal high school student. I was so overwhelmed with AP classes that I started looking for something “easy” to help balance out my class load. My home economics teacher encouraged me to enroll in a PELE program. I thought getting out of school for 2 periods and going to an elementary school to do student teaching sounded fun, so I enrolled. I spent the next 2 years in PELE and loved every minute of it. When school was out for the summer, I decided I wanted to continue to work with kids, so I started applying for a summer job at the local day care centers. I must have turned in applications at every licensed program in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. I was laughed at. Asked, “What kind of freak are you?” I was told that the programs were not hiring cooks or janitors. I had pretty much given up hope and started doing birthday parties at the McDonalds I worked at during the school year. Finally, I went with my sister to pick up my niece at her child care program in Irving, Texas. The owner pulled me aside and told me he heard I was looking for a job, and offered me a position. I worked in the after-school program for the summer and continued after school for the next 2 years. Unfortunately, the program closed their doors in May of 1989 and I thought, “Here I go again!” I was immediately offered not one, but three jobs at other local programs after the closure. I took another after-school position closer to my home. I ended up spending many wonderful years at this facility. I started in the after-school program until I graduated, then took a Pre-K room and eventually started teaching Private Kindergarten. In 1993 I was offered a Site Managers job with a national child care organization where I ran multiple after-school programs. This was fun, but I missed the younger children. I then spent the next 5 years working as an assistant director for the same organization. This is also when I met my wife and had my first child. After my second child was born, I was given the opportunity to open a child care program in a local church. After working for the first part of my career in for-profit programs, working in a non-profit setting was a nice change of pace, and allowed me to have lots of new challenges! In 2000, I took a Director’s position with one of the largest child care providers in Texas. For over 4 years I ran a program with over 300 children, took my program through NAEYC accreditation, and started speaking at conferences around the state. In 2004 I was promoted to a Regional Director and supervised multiple sites across Dallas/Ft. Worth. I took another 4 programs through national accreditation. The more I spoke at conferences, the more I realized that there were so many more programs and many more children that needed quality care and education. I joined a state board to help bring consistent compliance to the 8500 licensed programs in Texas. In 2007 I left my job and started my own training and consulting company. In the past year, I have trained over 7,000 caregivers and managers on multiple early childhood topics. I have written 10 training modules to assist programs with raising teacher’s awareness of early child development, health, and safety. I have now presented at over 30 local, state, and national conferences across the country. Caregivers need to understand that every moment we are with young children; we are making a lifelong impact on their lives. The slightest mistake can damage a child for many years, however, the positive influence we have on these children can mold them into our future leaders. It is my goal to reach out to as many programs as possible and deliver this message. Together, we can make a difference. I would not change the last 21 years for anything! Tymothy Smith Early Care and Education Training and Consulting www.tymthetrainer.com

Added: 03/25/2008 3:47 pm

Name:	Craig d'Arcy
Organization:	Males in Early Childhood Network Group - Australia
City:	Newcastle
State or Province:
Country:	Australia
Role:	Casework Consultant (Children and Young People)
Email:
Story:	I was 18, innocent but with a purpose - but I was the only guy in my course and times were difficult. My mates were becoming plumbers, electricians, landscapers, they were earning money as apprentices and buying cars and becoming independant. I was struggling with the practical aspects of the course, such as doll bathing exams and viewing a live birth in a maternity hospital, but I enjoyed the theoretical aspects around child development. I could have dropped out many many times. I knew of only one other male working in early childhood, and I was finally placed at his service to spend two weeks putting things into practice. I saw him in action with the children, other staff and parents. He dispelled many of the myths that I had been told of in class - children may be scared, other staff may be resentful, parents won't want their children with you, and you will have to work differently to your female colleagues. This experience, although brief, has had a lasting impact and gave me the motivation to continue working in the field. It was so important to interact with another male and share experiences. For men in early childhood, there are so few role models, it is very isolating and lonely at times. For men to have opportunities to network with other men is essential. Craig

Added: 03/30/2008 03:48 am

Name:	Steven Cameron
Organization:	Department of Education and Childrens Services (DECS)
City:	Adelaide
State or Province:
Country:	Australia
Role:	Teacher
Email:	stevencameron@optusnet.com.au
Story:	My beginnings in early childhood were not born from any strong desire to work in early childhood. The honest truth is that I had no idea what I wanted to do for a career, and early childhood was my 'foot in the door' to the university system. It was amazing though how quickly my thoughts changed, when the realities of early childhood education were communicated to me through my first year of my university degree. I previously had no idea how vital the early years were, the speeches of my high school teachers were still fresh in my mind, particularly ones to the effect that 'These years of high school will dictate the rest of your life' and similar pep talks like that. It quickly became clear that much of my potential as a learner, as well as my beliefs, attitudes and values were already set into motion, and remaining relatively fixed, long before I even started high school, instead I had to cast my mind back to the age when I first started school. I found it so difficult to imagine that so much of my learning potential was already established by the age of 5. I can hardly remember my life as a 5 year old, let alone anything before that. How can so much have happened? I spoke to my parents shortly after these revelations to ask what I was like as a 4 and 5 year old. My parents told me what I was like at kindergarten, inquisitive, very active, a refusal to sit still, and had a confronatational demenour when it came to learning, I wanted to know the answers to every question. I am amazed at how similar my modern demenour is to that of my childhood. It was at this point that I decided to stick with early childhood education. The field had so much to offer for me, and I felt, and still do feel that I am doing something truely worthwhile. Everyday when I sit with my group of kindergarten children, I think that every experience, discussion, action and reaction is contributing towards their perceptions and attitudes towards learning now and in the years to come. There is no job that I can think of doing other than that of an early childhood educator; the most important role in the education of children. What we do everyday impacts on their growth in future years, and shapes their development during a period that is the most vital in our lifetimes. Quality learning experiences are the biggest focus for me as a professional, as I think that the idea of quality is something that has become distorted over the last few years in early childhood education. There are many agencies and services that advocate themselves as providing quality learning opportunities under the guise of early learning, but this is not always the case. My goal as an educator is to promote quality learning programs in any context I work in, my PhD studies aimed at exploring that very issue within early childhood settings in my home state. I hope that my work in some way will inspire another 19 year old university student in years to come, who is unsure about the value of pursuing a career in early childhood.

Added: 03/31/2008 02:47 am

Name:	Lauk Woltring
Organization:	Working with Boys, Innovation, Advice, Training & Coaching
City:	Landsmeer
State or Province:	Noord Holland
Country:	Netherlands
Role:	Director/owner/one person business
Email:	lauk.woltring@planet.nl
Story:	My introduction into Early Child Education? I am now 60, but I still remember vividly how distant men were in my childhood. It was a big catholic family. My father was a GP, a kind of astral person with high integrity but also quite rigid, one could not have a decent fight with him, my mother doing radio talks about education. On the one hand I gazed at grownup men, wondering how for Heavens sake I would get 'there', on the other hand I did not want to become the way they were: so distant, so stiff, so isolated and wrapped up in their roles, work, money. I was a quite busy rascal, not per se naughty, but quite busy in trying out everything, and always being monitored and cautioned by often warm women, but also moralising, making me feel guilty (the old catholic trade) and blackmailed by withholding love and care. In the '60-'70'ies I was active in all kind of politics (anti-war, environment, democratization, third world, emancipation stuff and so on). Mid '70ies after my studies I became lecturer on a Social Academy (higher professional education for all kinds of social work professions) and there I found out that I was forbidden to speak/teach about sexuality, sexual violence etc in this predominantly female environment. This was women-only stuff and I was mistrusted by female colleagues (understandable but...). I did protest of course, did not want to make the poltical correct genoflection for Sancta Femina and developped my own courses, seeing it as very important that men were involved too. I found out that I was male, and nothing male was strange to me, good and less good - I would now rather say ignorant - but I was not that male chauvinist pig as I and my fellow men were depicted those days. From the early '80ies I developped courses and a theoretical framework about the importance of men in early childhood, for girls but particularly for boys (lacking skin close male identification). This framework and practice (strongly interwoven) have developed since then. More about my work and me on my (bilingual) website: www.laukwoltring.nl

Added: 03/31/2008 04:42 am

Name:	HENRY KEMOLI MANANI
Organization:	KENYA INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION
City:	NAIROBI
State or Province:	NAIROBI
Country:	Kenya
Role:	TAINER/CURRICULUM DEVELOPER
Email:	mananihenry@yahoo.com
Story:	In october 1985 l attended a national interview for a lecturers position as a curriculum specialist in ECE and come november the same year l was recruited as one of the founder members of the National Centre for Early Childhood Education(NACECE) at the Kenya Institute of Education (K.I.E). My change of job as a lecturer from a Teachers Training College to dealing with children 0-8 years old shocked many who thought that it was either a sacking or a demotion for me as a man to have come down to an area thought to be a womans domain and indeed even whwn l went to Namibia and South Africa to give support in ECE,people there were equally shocked. However,this was the begining of my career developement as a man on job promotions as well as being a leader both nationally and internationally in ECE developement.I have been an advocate for the needs of the child and formed space for them in the national education programme.I become the lighting example for men to be recruited as trainers in ECE and fought for their enhanced status.Indeed right now,there are more men as trainers than women.The challenge is now at school level where the men have shyed away.It is gratifying that as a man in the domain thought to be for women only,l have risen through the ranks from lecturer,to senior lecturer,principal lecturer,to senior principal lecturer,in ECE.Also headed school curriculum section,become Deputy Programmes Coordinator NACECE to full Programmes Coordinator NACECE for 9 years and now head Research Division of the K.I.E. At NACECE l initiated the developement of national training curriculum and support materials for both TOTs and teachers.I developed mother-tongue materials in over 26 ethnic languages i.e stories,plays and games,songs and dances,and poems.I initiated the developement of Hindu,Christian and Islamic religious curriculum for children.I initiated the developement of the Islamic Integrated Education Programme which was adopted by neighbouring countries namely Uganda,Tanzania,and Zanziba. The ECE programme has empowered me greatly in that l have seen my life through it for the last 23 years-developed my home and family,travelled extensively on ECE issues by sharing my experiences and learning from other people both on national and international platforms. I have impacted greately on men involment in ECE programmes not only st the national front but also at the community level. By working with children l have become emphathetic with humanity needs especially when there are both environmental and human actions that affect children.Being in ECE ,one tackles real life challenges and experiences.

Added: 03/31/2008 08:17 am

Name:	David Alexander Jones
Organization:	Visiting Nurse Service of New York
City:	New York
State or Province:	New York
Country:	United States
Role:	Director of Family Support Services
Email:	DJones@VNSNY.ORG
Story:	I started and successfully implemented the agency's first and only Early Head Start Program in April of 1977. The Early Steps Family Center is located at 86-01 Rockaway Beach, Blvd in Queens NY. My story is one of a child who grew up with a single loving mother who died much too early when I was10 years of age. I never had my father involved in my life so my mission when I became an adult was to work with adolescents. Working within the Early Head Start program provided me with an opportunity to work with infants/toddlers and adolescent parents as they were the target population. Given that I had personal experience growing up without a father, I realized early on the benefits of having a positively involved father and made it my mission to help any father who wanted to be positively involved in his childs life develop the skills necessary to do so. How this relates to my presentation is I had to begin by working with my staff to get them to see the benefits of parterning with and working with parents. Embracing the shared vision of a group of committed professionals, I worked tirelessly to ensure education services would be provided to some of New York's most needy families. My determination was grounded in the belief that all children deserved an early head start. My efforts contributed to the development of concrete comprehensive educational and mental health services, for infants, toddlers, adolescents and adults. Under my leadership teh program was awarded permanent funding from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) ensuring as long as there is an identifiable need, VNS will have an EHS program. We established ourselves as a permiere program on a national scale for our high quality services and capacity to build trusting relationships with families. Our GED program is one of the most successful programs in teh city. Fostering a collaboration with New York Hospital Queens enabled us to help families become educated consumers and interact with pediatric residents. We developed a model that successfully supported children and families accomplish developmental and familial goals. Finally, the success of the Fathers First Initiative resulted in VNS recieiving national recongition, for providing quality services for enrolled and community fathers. As a result we were called upon to present at local and national conferences, and help regional programs implement their own fatherhood initiatives. Through our efforts we helped over 300 fathers re-evaluate their fathering role by building quality relationships with their children, improve communications with their children's mothers, and partner with professionals caring for their children. I recieve my strength from several strong women in my family. First and foremost from God as an evolving christian, my mother who taught me the true meaning of love and my grandmother who provided me with the will to fight. My wife, my life partner and my four sons provide me with my daily courage. I am honored to do the work that I do. Peace David

Added: 04/01/2008 10:30 am

Name:	Craig Simpson
Organization:	Concerned Educators Allied for a Safe Environment(CEASE)
City:	Somerville
State or Province:	MA
Country:	United States
Role:	Infant/Toddler Team Leader
Email:	cs4202144@yahoo.com
Story:	I have been working with Young Children for over 33 years in Albuquerque, San Francisco, and Boston, USA. I was a draft resister during the Vietnam War arrested in many civil disobedience actions. Worked in a factory , day labor, taxi driver, adobe maker, fundraiser for a peace group and more.One day I was asked by a friend if I would like to try being an Assistant teacher at her Montessori school. My Mother had been a teacher in a preschool for 30 years. I waid well why not I tried evrything else! Pretty soon I ws hooked. I have been teaching a long time and been President of the Boston and the Albuquerque Association for the Education of Young Children, served on an NAEYC Panel on Violence in the lives of Children. I have word with children from 32 months to 6 years and hold my master Degree in Teaching Young Children from Wheelock College, in Boston, USA. I've led several panels on men in Early Education and helped organize the New England Mens network.

Added: 04/02/2008 1:17 pm

Name:	John Owens
Organization:	Roosevelt University
City:	Chicago
State or Province:	IL
Country:	United States
Role:	Graduate Assistant
Email:	new_edition2004@hotmail.com
Story:	I have always dreamed of a career in education. This dream has lead me to pursue graduate studies in the field of education. Because my early education experience was awesome, it lead me, wanting to pursue a teaching career, in early education. I remember wanting to attend school everyday, even when school was closed. It was those special moments with my teacher's, whom cared about my giftedness, talent, and academic promise. I knew, that school, would pull me out of the dangerous neighborhood, in which I lived. It would give me another dream, a dream that no one would be able to take from me. This was a dream, others thought impossible for an African American young man to dream. I am a living witness, for other young men, that teaching is a great career, filled with unlimited possibilities and a great way to nuture the minds of our positive future leaders.

Added: 04/10/2008 12:03 am

Name:	Jerry Parr
Organization:	Danya International
City:	Londonderry
State or Province:	New Hampshire
Country:	United States
Role:	Senior Director
Email:	jparr@danya.com
Story:	My first year as a teacher I used to always wear tee shirts and blue jeans... on the day of my first parent conference I wore dress clothes... one of the kids,Laura Goodwin, saw me and asked me if I had to go to work after school was over... apparently she had just assumed I was one of the kids!

Added: 04/10/2008 1:30 pm

Name:	Soukeyna Boye Spivey
Organization:	Abyssinian Dev. Corp. Head Start
City:	New York
State or Province:	New York
Country:	United States
Role:	Director
Email:	sspivey@adcorp.org
Story:	The Abyssinian Head Start has had a male involvement intitiative for the past four years. Parent involvement is an important component of the Head Start program. However, in low income communities mothers typically have always been interested in participating in their child's education. We gave it some thought and finally decided that we had to make the environment male-friendly to reduce the level of anxiety that fathers or significant others were feeling when they did show up to bring their children to school or to pick them up. We worked on putting up posters which promote fatherhood, we hired male family services staff and with a male social worker we had a lot of discussion regarding the best way to attract them into the program. We soon found out that meetings, workshops and classroom activities raised little interest; males were not comfortable interacting with children in general. So we created structured opportunities to promote this interaction. We now hold annual father/cooking activities, skating outings, kyte flying, gardening and "dad and me" picture taking; these events are well-attended and successful. We have now instituted a male recruitment drive by a male family assistant as part of the intake process; right from the beginning we start a conversation takes place about the benefits for children to be parented by a male. Our events for males count an average of 18 to 20 males per event. We are planning for next year a mentorship program to give young fathers additional support in their parenting role and in making some real connections with their families.

Added: 04/10/2008 2:13 pm

Name:	Joe Robertson
Organization:	Free To Be Under Three
City:	New York
State or Province:	NY
Country:	United States
Role:	Founder/Director
Email:	robertson@nyc.rr.com
Story:	I had a lot of plans of what I was going to be in life when I was in my twenties: an actor; a writer; a filmmaker. I had lots of great visions. Then in my mid-thirties I hit my 'dark night of the soul' and my life shut down as I knew it. With two college degrees I could not get a single job I applied for, not even waiting tables. Then out of the blue a friend, who I met twenty years earlier while getting my bachelors degree, called me and said that she remembered how I had worked for a while at an early childhood center to help pay for my tuition. She recalled how much I had loved it. She told me of a position that didn't pay much and that it was not a lot of hours but it was working with children and wondered if I would be interested. Interested? After applying for more than one hundred jobs in a matter of months and getting nothing, I had stopped job searching the week before her call. I surrendered and was waiting for a lead. And here it was in this phone call. I took the job on the spot. My friend was correct, the job did not pay much and it offered very few hours. Somehow none of that mattered. Flash forward through two years of soul searching and ego falling away and I knew what I had come into this life to do. I designed my own program supporting parents, infants and toddlers in New York city. I found what I love and I held on until my life transformed itself. I am so grateful to get up each day and love what I do. Working with children from birth to three for almost fifteen years has been my life's great blessing. I have found that no spiritual practice in the world allows me the opportunity and skills to stay in the present moment quite like working with the very young. Daily, I stand in awe of the miraculous, mysterious journey of the first three years of human development and the deep tenderness and vulnerability in a parent's experiences.

Added: 04/10/2008 2:17 pm

Name:	jacob o'donnell
Organization:	rowanerry preschool
City:	portland
State or Province:	oregon
Country:	United States
Role:	teacher
Email:	cooljakebake@yahoo.com
Story:	it all started with an egg...kind of. i had been living on a farm with my partner and his parents. i raised chickens and sold organic eggs around portland. one of my egg co-op families had a boy enrolled at the 'garden's noise preschool'. the egg he took in his lunch had a beautiful blue-green shell, and the program director inquired about the eggs origin. we met and i volunteered to bring some chickens to the school for the children to meet. after watching me with the children the director was impressed at my ease with the children she asked if i would be interested in substitute teaching. i had driven a school bus for several months earlier that year, and have always enjoyed interacting with children. so i said yes, and became the regular substitute at the school. fortunately for me, the 5-day teacher had to take an emergency leave of absence, and i was thrust into an incredible new career. this has been the best job i have ever had, and feels so important to me that i could not imagine doing anything else. i have seen the incredible difference that a man in this field can make in these children's lives, and that the balance of male and female in the roles of teachers of young children is so important to the formation of their own ideas about who they are, and who they can become.

Added: 04/10/2008 3:32 pm

Name:	Juliette Pettu-Williams
Organization:	Anne Beers Elementary School
City:	Washingto,
State or Province:	District of Columbia
Country:	United States
Role:	First Grade Teacher
Email:	JPettu@verizon.net
Story:	Several years ago, one of my enthusiatic mathematics kindergarten student was eager to share his addition Number Sense Skill with an observer who visited our classroom. Excitingly, he stood up , got the lady's attention and said, "I know what is 1+1! The lady asked what is the answer? He replied, when I answer the phone, "I say 1 + 1 eagle 2. This was an assertive student who remembered the word eagle and substituted it for equal to express his math formula. He was quite right! In rephrasing ( 1+1 is 2.) He had a burning desire to share his learning, it was not an issue that the lady was a stranger in our classroom. The youngstar was thrilled to have learned a skill and he was just passing it on to an available listen. Learning is an on going process that we must be quick to pass on to educate people.

Added: 04/13/2008 04:12 am

Name:	Terry Bussey
Organization:	Discovery Children's Centre
City:	Winnipeg
State or Province:	Manitoba
Country:	Canada
Role:	School-Age Supervisor
Email:	mrbussey@yahoo.ca
Story:	What’s going on? It seems like every time I open a newspaper or turn on the television there’s another story about a 10 year old boy starting fires or a 14 year old boy stealing cars or a 16 year old boy beating the hell out of someone for $10.00. Crime seems rampant in my town, and a great deal of it is perpetrated by boys - not men - boys. Some have started calling them “The Lost Boys“. Some say there is no hope for them and they should be locked up. We blame poor parenting, peer pressure, gangs, violent videogames and movies. I don’t know. I’m not a psychologist. I am, however, a man who works with boys every day. As an Early Childhood Educator my job is to interact with boys. I see the way they are growing up. I see parents who are completely lost trying to raise their kids. I see the negative impact of a daily diet of violent television and videogames. I see the bullying in the school-yard. But I also get opportunities every day to influence those boys and maybe show them that life is all about choices, and the way your life turns out depends upon the choices you make. In 25 years of working with boys I have learned that having the chance to touch a kid’s life is an awesome and maybe even frightening responsibility. I don’t take it for granted. I believe with all my heart that regardless of what society says, and as much as relationships between kids and male caregivers is misunderstood, boys need to be touched, hugged, picked up, wrestled with, tickled, given piggy-back rides as often and as much as possible. I work in a world where many boys are fatherless and they are desperate for affection. And so help me God, if I can do nothing else, I can show the boys I know that they are loved and accepted. I am not a politician or a scientist. I won’t ever star in a blockbuster movie or be a rock star and sell a million records. But that’s okay. I get to make a difference in a boy’s life. I get to maybe fill in some of what is missing. I get to help boys understand that they are unique and special and strong and you don’t have to grow up starting fires or stealing cars or hurting people for no good reason. It might not work all the time, but if I can look back on my life and see that a boy made a good choice because of something he learned from me, that’s enough. "A boy is the only thing God can use to make a man." Author: Unknown

Added: 04/14/2008 09:59 am

Name:	Richard Harty
Organization:	University of East London
City:	Stratford
State or Province:	London
Country:	United Kingdom
Role:	Lecturer
Email:	r.j.harty@uel.ac.uk
Story:	I find it a little difficult telling my ‘story’ simply because I have not really thought that there was ever anything unique or special about what I choose to do as a career. While many articles talk about the difficulties men have had in being accepted within the early childhood professions and by their peers, I have never felt like this. I played rugby with a group of men who totally accepted my choice (and even found that they could incorporate some of the jargon into their calls), my peers accepted my choice, and my family accepted my choice. All that is, except my father who wrote me the only letter he ever wrote, when he found out “there are no career prospects… …and it’s woman’s work” mind you he was a very traditional person, and I could see where he was coming from. He was entitled to express his opinion, just like I was entitled to choose my own career! I guess on reflection that my story is one on feeling accepted and included, both within the early childhood field and with my peers and family (yes even my father in the end!!) This does not mean that it has been easy; quite the opposite in fact, but I am sure that has been easier for me because of this level of acceptance.

Added: 04/15/2008 12:15 am

Name:	Edna Ranck
Organization:	OMEP-USNC
City:	Washington
State or Province:	District of Columbia
Country:	United States
Role:	President
Email:	edna.ranck@veizon.net
Story:	Awareness of gender issues in early care and education (ECE) began in earnest when I recognized that men are identified as the founders and leaders in the field, but that women were the ones who had accomplished much of the work in the field. I concluded that men had written and published their work, but woman had not or if they had written, had not been very public with their writings. This is no longer true - many women now teach in higher education, conduct research, write books and articles, and have them published. Now it is time to allow men in the field who are actually teaching and care for children to become known - they must speak, write, and get published. This is the only way for early childhood become a level playing field.

Added: 04/16/2008 9:27 pm

Name:	Mark Young
Organization:	Creche and Kindergarten Association of Queensland
City:	Brisbane
State or Province:	Queensland
Country:	Australia
Role:	Early Childhood Education and Care Consultant
Email:	m.young@candk.asn.au
Story:	My early childhood story began 20 years ago when I began a teaching degree at the Queensland University of Technology. After 4 years I had completed 2 early childhood teaching qualifications. During my time at University I volunteered at Youth group activities and worked in outside school hours care. On completion of my studies I began working in Child Care Centres, Family Day Care, taught Primary School and worked For the Queensland Governments Department of Communities licensing child care services. In my current position as an Early Childhood Education and Care Consultant for C&K I assist kindergartens, child care centres and family day care services with their operation and program delivery. I am also working on a community project for first time parents to assist them in gaining some practical skills prior to the birth of their own child. If that doesn't make me busy enough I have 2 young children aged 5 and 15 months that keep me on my toes.

Added: 04/17/2008 10:57 am

Name:	Ethan Downey
Organization:	Google Childrens Center
City:	Santa Cruz
State or Province:	CA
Country:	United States
Role:	Preschool Teacher
Email:	emdsc7@yahoo.com
Story:	I have worked with children age infant to five for the past 4 years. I am currently working at Google Children's Center at The Woods. I truly value and love working with young children in any setting. I am excited to learn more about men in ECE and to gain strategies to interest them in staying in this important field

Added: 04/17/2008 10:59 am

Name:	Ethan Downey
Organization:	Google Childrens Center
City:	Santa Cruz
State or Province:	CA
Country:	United States
Role:	Preschool Teacher
Email:	emdsc7@yahoo.com
Story:	I have worked with children age infant to five for the past 4 years. I am currently working at Google Children's Center at The Woods. I truly value and love working with young children in any setting. I am excited to learn more about men in ECE and to gain strategies to interest them in staying in this important field

Added: 04/18/2008 08:43 am

Name:	Jatinder k Sharma
Organization:	Punjabi University Patiala
City:	Gurdaspur
State or Province:	Punjab
Country:	India
Role:	Lecture
Email:	edugndu97@gmail.com
Story:	Aarji Pathshala is an innovation to provide education to children from brick kilns in Sangrur district of Punjab. In Punjabi, word Aarji means Temporary and Pathshala means School. So Aarji Pathshala is a school run in temporary arrangement. ASHA (Hpoe) is a local NGO working in the field of education. ASHA started 5 Aarji Pathshalas in 1991 in two blocks of the district. Today, with the support of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan(SSA), Punjab, there are as many 275 such centres in 8 blocks of the district. These are catring to the educational needs of more than 3000 children from brick kilns. Aarji Pathshala ensure that education continues, and is not hampered due to migration. for the entire brick kiln season ( March. to November) primary level(Standard I-V) education is provided at the brick kiln site by these centres. The syllabus covered is the same as the mainstream schools but taught in nonformal, open atmosphere, using songs, dance and play-way activities. So the teachers make Aarji Pathshala a success. Mithu Ram is a handi capped local boy of 16. Being from the scheduled caste, he faught with several odds and continued his education despite poverty and passed class 10. But he became uncertain about his future after passing 10th. Fortunately his determination was recognized by ASHA and after two month rigrous training he was ready to teach in an Aarji Pathshala . Things were not easy for him though. In his second year as teacher he was deputed to Aarji Pathshala Dehla. Ast was his desire, he started with construction of the centre. He collected bamboos from the brick kiln owners and with the help of some villagers he completed the centre. But during one night some unscrupulous elements destroyed the school. He could not believe his eyes when he saw his school in the morning. To construct the school again was a hereculean task but he accepted the challange and started afreash. He collected the wood and mud and other material and constructed the school again only to find it destroyed again next morning. Eventually, he had to construct the school for the fourth time before his enemies gave up.

Added: 04/19/2008 08:53 am

Name:	jatinder
Organization:	punjabi univ patiala
City:	gurdaspur
State or Province:	punjab
Country:	India
Role:	lecturer
Email:	edugndu97@gmail.com
Story:	already submitted

Added: 04/23/2008 2:18 pm

Name:	Jack Lalonde
Organization:	University of Victoria Child Care Services
City:	Victoria
State or Province:	British Columbia
Country:	Canada
Role:	Manager
Email:	jacklalo@uvic.ca
Story:	I have been involved in the ECE field since the late 1970’s having worked with infants, toddlers and pre-school aged children. For the past 6 years I have been managing the University of Victoria Child Care Services department which consists of 6 centres providing care for children from infancy to 12 years of age. Although I no longer work directly with children I make a point of visiting most programs on a daily basis to spend time with the children. I find I still need my daily fix of “kid energy” to keep things in perspective. One of the reasons (besides the daily naps) I stayed in the ECE field was that, in order for me to relate to and be available to young children in an open and honest way, it required that I be aware of the present situation and be tuned into exactly what the children were doing and saying. If I were not “paying attention” the feedback was immediate and precise. Children made it possible to be in the present moment and experience situations in a non-judgmental way. An aspect of caring for young children that I always enjoyed and found meaning in and still impacts me is my communications with children. With toddlers it may be reading stories and singing songs or providing them with the “words” to help them with their emerging social skills. Conversations with 3 to 5 year olds range from playful banter to philosophical discourse sparked by a genuine curiosity about life – theirs, mine, and their playmates. Over the years the opportunity to be a part of the lives of young children has allowed me to stay connected with my child-like and playful energy while at the same time allowing me to be a role model for those children entrusted to my care. For this I am most grateful.

Added: 04/29/2008 11:04 am

Name:	Cary Larson-McKay
Organization:	California State University
City:	Bakersfield,
State or Province:	CA
Country:	United States
Role:	teacher
Email:	cmckay@csub.edu
Story:	I have had an interesting string of experiences with men in ECE. They started out as accidental and unintntional, but as I was nurtured into greater awareness my experiences have become very intentional and hopefully I have become a more proactive person that welcomes not only men, but a whole range of diverse experiences, persons, and approaches in my work with children and families. When my children were quite young I directed a Parent, Infant, Toddler program. We had morning activities for the children and a once or twice a week parent education class that served as a support and information group for the mothers that were involved (notice I did not say mothers and fathers? That is because there were no fathers involved). Thinking that this seemed a bit one sided, and encouraged by the mothers plea that we bring the fathers onboard with information about parenting, we started a once a month fathers meeting on Saturdays. It turned out to be a great success and we all learned a lot--but it took me several sessions before I figured out that my approach (that worked well with the mothers was, well, "too feminine"). So I recruited my husband to help deliver the "fathering message" we wanted to get across in a male friendly way. Working together we created a really interesting parent support group--mothers, fathers, grandparents--all of them involved. Then I actually hired my husband as a teacher's aide for a summer class session (his expertise is in gender differences in communication and theatre, and I was desperate for one more teacher) and by this time he was giving workshops on "Father Power", he seemed like a likely candidate. He added to out little team of infant/toddler teachers many uniquely male perspectives on what seemed like the normal operation of our school. Many discussions later (and having weathered an actual protest by my lone male teacher that he should be allowed to play in the clay and water colors, at least part of the time, and that it should not be assumed by the other teachers that he would always do the outside activities), I began to see some of the difficulties men encounter in this most feminine field. The next big leap in understanding on my part came thanks to an extremely talented young man who was placed in the two year old room his first year at a college campus child education center. He and I had very similar approaches to early education and our values were very much in tune. We became friends. One of the things that I learned about him was that he had a back injury that allowed him to function under normal circumstances but he could not lift anything heavy. Guess what! Because he was the local male, it was assumed that he would be the go to person when we needed to do some heavy lifting. I spent a couple of years lifting things I did not want to lift because I felt a need to protect John from the default demands of the mostly female staff. In addition, he helped me see the inequity of the assumed roles of males and females in the setting and together we started to dismantle them--for this center--for this staff. I finally became more radicalized as my own two sons took classes and eventually graduated with baccalaureate degrees in child development. Having sons (and no daughters) I was accutely aware of the areas of stereotyped activities and assumptions for boys (ie. the protests when their first birthday present from their parents was a baby doll). I worked to enable my sons to be well rounded and aware people who could do any number of things from play a mean game of soccer to nurturing children. As a consequence, I had the opportunity to learn from my sons about how men were treated in early childhood settings and they in turn held my feet to the fire whenever it came time to make decisions about the roles of men and woment in the lives of young children. They have asked me to be aware and to advocate for men's rights as much as I advocate for women--I am glad to take up the challenge. I am grateful for the men in my life that defied the stereotyped assumptions, for the men that stood up for their right to be nurturing caring individuals, for my grandfathers who demonstrated a wonderfully caring attitude with this granddaughter, for my father who appreciated children and their sense of wonder, to my husband who is an amazingly sensitive and caring person, and to my sons who challenged (and challenge) me in ways I could never have imagined.

Added: 05/09/2008 02:56 am

Name:	Jacqui McGrath
Organization:	Milton keynes Early years
City:	Milton keynes
State or Province:
Country:	United Kingdom
Role:	Senior manager
Email:	jacqui.mcgrath@milton-keynes.gov.uk
Story:	Currently piloting a training course in conjunction with MIC Scotland with great success.I am also doing Master's research project about the rercrutiment and retetion of men in childcare careers and have found it difficult to gain information about what works well interms of recruitment an advertising but also how to encourgare men to remain in the sector as practioners. if ther is any information or help available to support eitther the delivery of our training course or the research then i would be very grateful

Added: 05/09/2008 1:18 pm

Name:	Wayne Watkins
Organization:	UH Manoa Children's Center
City:	Honolulu
State or Province:	HI
Country:	United States
Role:	Director
Email:	wwatkins@hawaii.edu
Story:	Thirty-six years ago after growing up with a mother deeply immersed in the early childhood field and then spending a winter break from college as a volunteer at the local Headstart Center I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up – a preschool teacher. Once I started on that path I never wavered (except when I turned 30, had a bad back, no money in the bank and everyone I went to college with owned homes, had retirement plans and took vacations). From the start I saw my role as an ECE professional as my way to make the world a better place by sharing and modeling my love, caring and enjoyment of life with young children. I never thought it odd to be a man in the ECE field. It never crossed my mind that anyone else would think it odd either. I felt it was a shame there were not more men in the field but that was just the way it was, and has been for over 30 years. From the beginning of my career I was always aware of the danger that my physical comforting and caring for the children I worked with could be misinterpreted as something inappropriate but that never kept me from fully participating in all aspects of their care or being physically available to them with a lap or a hug. I left the classroom after 15 years because I was burned-out, broke and in need of more challenge. For 12 years I played music for children and families, taught ECE at community colleges, consulted for ECE programs and ran an accreditation facilitation project. For the past 3 years I have been the director of the University of Hawaii at Manoa Children's Center and am enjoying it immensely. However when I think about the teachers (two of whom are men) at our center and the appropriate compensation they receive, the ongoing professional development opportunities they have and the respectful and appreciative work environment they enjoy I wonder if I would have stayed in the classroom many years ago had those things been available to me. Without my deep sense of mission about ECE and my creativity to find ways to receive appropriate compensation and opportunities for professional development outside of the classroom I would have left the field long ago. I am proud of my career and feel especially fortunate that I am now in a position that I can provide a work environment that attracts both men and women into the wonderful field of Early Childhood Education.

Added: 05/11/2008 7:29 pm

Name:	Noel Jensen
Organization:	TAFESA Gawler campus
City:	Gawler
State or Province:	South Australia
Country:	Australia
Role:	Coordinating Lecturer
Email:	Noel.Jensen@tafesa.edu.au
Story:	Noel Jensen has been working in the Early Years Care and Education sector for the past 15 years. He is dedicated to the sector and uses every opportunity to voice his views on quality care practices and its importance for the care and wellbeing of children. For the past 5 years Noel has been working as the Coordinating Lecturer for Children’s Services based at Gawler Campus TAFESA. In this time he has developed and delivered training programs for diploma level students. Noels passion is Child Development and Carer Professionalism within the sector and he loves to develop programs that support the needs of children in an environment that enables staff to be engaged and inspired to do great things for children. He also works as part of a much larger regional Children’s Services program that support regional and isolated students to further their qualifications Noel has received many accolades for the programs he has developed, most recently being mentioned in South Australian state parliament for his training innovations with the cyber child care centre he developed and in October 2007 was awarded with the TAFSA award of excellence for educational delivery and educational management. Over the past two years Noel has been a member of the Quality Assurance Group overseeing and advising on Children’s Services programs and training across the whole of TAFESA. A well sort out speaker, Noel has addressed both state and nationally based conferences around quality outcomes for both TAFE students and children in care. His most recent address was as a keynote speaker in Sydney addressing current issues and trends in child care. Maintaining close contact with the early years sector Noel believes that TAFE has a mentoring role in supporting current staff and directors in children’s services. He has developed programs and support mechanisms in regional areas that are seen as models of excellence while maintaining a personable base in supporting individuals. Noel is currently on several committees, all of which support early years training and development in some way, some of his current commitments are: • Founding member and organising committee - Bi-annual Right From the Start Conference, supporting regional workers in gaining access to quality training outcomes • Organising committee, National TAFE Teachers Children’s Services Conference being held in Adelaide in April 2008 • Founding member and committee member – Enabling Group, Gawler Early Learning and Parenting Centre • Chairperson - Network SA, supporting child care management in policy development, understanding regulative concerns and wage and staff issues • Chairperson – ARMSU – Aboriginal Resource Management Support Unit, supporting indigenous child care settings in both metropolitan and regional areas across South Australia Described as a bit of a workaholic, in his spare time Noel likes to write, draw and spend as much time in the garden as possible. He also has a passion for people and loves nothing more than sharing a glass or two of a great red with even greater friends.

Added: 05/13/2008 7:37 pm

Name:	Elaine Yamashita
Organization:	Maui Community College
City:	Kahului
State or Province:	Hawai'i
Country:	United States
Role:	Teacher educator
Email:	yamash@hawaii.edu
Story:	My most recent story with children has to do with the sudden death of our beloved Head Start lead teacher on 3/21/08 - Good Friday. Thank God that we had spring break to process, grieve, and prepare for the children's return to school on Tuesday, April 1. Because we had a child's dad die suddenly the year before, and because I have a friend who is a certified grief counselor who has done workshops for our early childhood community on how to deal with grief and death with children, I had materials that the Head Start administration (our community college is in partnership with the Head Start) could share with families. My friend also spoke for quite awhile with the Head Start Ed coordinator, who then shared information with the staff. The main thing to remember is that it's okay to say "death" and "dead" to young children, and to explain dead as the person's body does not work anymore - they don't feel, or eat, or breathe, or move. For young children, it's also important to tell them that the dead person will not come back. When we had circle that first morning back, because we always go over who's not here, and the first person was "Mrs. Stephens!" The assistant teacher handled it really well - said that Mrs. Stephens died, and that meant she wouldn't come back...then each child who wanted to had a chance to say something about what they were thinking. After that, children are so in the present and in the now, it was, "Okay, now let's go play!" You just cannot stay sad around resilient children. Every day children would mention Mrs. Stephens, we had photos of her up in the classroom, and they would talk about how she died, "her heart stopped - it's a heart attack", and how they missed her, and sometimes when we did something, a child would say, "Mrs. Stephens really liked to do that!" She was also a wonderful teacher to my college students. When they asked her a question, she was fond of saying, "What do YOU think?" and challenging them to think, reason, and put information gained in class together with their experiences. I had written a remembrance for my campus and created a slide show for a celebration of her life, and we showed it again at the children's aloha celebration for the end of the school year. I was also able to share it at my last NAEYC governing board meeting, and through that, Congresswoman Mazie Hirono heard about it and used Mrs. Stephens' story in her proclamation of Week of the Young Child. Mrs. Stephens is laughing, I'm sure, at how she got to leave us painlessly and leave us to deal with the aftermath - I still miss her a lot and hope I did the best to pay tribute to a wonderful colleague.

Added: 05/16/2008 4:15 pm

Name:	Bryan G. Nelson
Organization:	MenTeach.org
City:	Minneapolis
State or Province:	MN
Country:	United States
Role:	Founding Director
Email:
Story:	As I finished my high school education and entered college, I wanted to learn but wasn't clear about what career would be right for me. A few interests stood out. I loved to play and was always involved in sports. One day between classes, I saw children playing. I thought about how much I missed the chance to just play. I decided to stop in at the program. It was called Creative Child Care. Creative Child Care was like any program you would find in a university town; children were outdoors playing. I walked in to ask if they wanted a volunteer. They asked me to come in immediately. So I began to play with the children. I would run and run and run until I couldn't run anymore and would collapse on the floor. The children would pile on top of me. Then, after resting for a minute, I would get back up and run around again. Each week I would do the same thing. Run, run, run, then rest. Run, run, run, then rest. I didn't have a very extensive repertoire. But, the children loved it! And, so did I. Toward the end of the semester, I knew that college wasn't what I wanted to do. For me, college seemed more about getting grades, writing papers and sitting in a classroom. It didn't feel like I was living in the real world. After a year and a half, I took time off from college to be out in the world. I began looking for work. I worked as a short order cook, back deckhand on a ship and also worked in construction. To make enough money I did a late-night shift as a radio announcer, and on weekends I worked as a sportswriter for the local newspaper. After a year, I thought I'd give college another try. So I returned to school but I did not have my heart in it and after one semester, I was placed on academic probation and decided to leave college entirely. Because I had taken some Russian (I love languages) my instructor had told me about a job in the Soviet Union. It was a summer camp for English-speaking children. I applied for the job and with great surprise was hired. Camp Wocsom (Moscow spelled backwards) was a great place for me. To get a visa back in the 1970s (the height of the Cold War), the only way a person could work in the USSR at a US Embassy-sponsored summer camp was to go as a nanny, or in my case, a "manny." Being called a "many" seemed strange to me but I didn't mind. I felt comfortable working at a camp because I had been a Boy Scout and thought I knew what summer camps were about. I was only 19 years old and had never traveled overseas by myself before. It took a few days to get to Moscow via train. The security was intense; barbed wire and armed guards with dogs who performed thorough searches. Once in Moscow, I lived with an American Embassy family with two children. Every day we would ride a bus to the summer camp. I would tell stories on the bus ride to the children. I would take the stories from books I had read, adding my own details. The children were riveted. At the camp, I would run around with the children and play games, and because I wasn't much older than the kids I'd even compete with some of them hoping to win. Looking back I understand that I knew how to play-but I wasn't clear about how to teach. I knew how to have fun, but there were times the job called for more than just having fun. It required guidance. Guidance of young children was something that would take a few more years for me to understand. As the summer ended I wanted to stay longer. I made several Russian friends. A family offered to have me take care of their two young children in exchange for a place to live. That lasted about a month. Then I was hired by a correspondent for the Sunday London Times. He wanted someone to care for his granddaughter and also needed someone who could help him with his writing. Because of my journalism experience and because I had worked at the summer camp, I was hired. After a year of adventures, this job came to an end and I decided to travel through Europe and ended up in Paris, France. Coaching in Europe and Caring for Children By this time, I had worked with children in the child care program, the summer camp, and as a caregiver for two different families. I traveled northern Europe for a few months and ended up in Paris where a friend of mine had a small apartment. After working at various ways to make money, I found a job listed in the newspaper working at the American School of Paris. They needed a baseball coach. They also had me teach martial arts and swimming since I had skills in those areas. After the spring season, the athletic director offered me a job as boys' junior varsity volleyball and girls' varsity basketball coach. It was a great opportunity to travel throughout Europe with my teams but also an opportunity to find out about working with teenagers. I enjoyed my coaching experiences and learned more about connecting with kids. When the school year ended, I wasn't able to remain because I didn't have a degree. I returned to the United States looking for work. I tried various jobs until I saw an advertisement for a part-time job working in an after-school program with young children. There I met a woman, Linda, who took the time to explain to me the difference between running-around play and guidance of children. I began to feel that although playing is wonderful, there was something more to working with children. I was inspired to look for a full-time job working with children. I found one at a parent-owned child care program. I worked with children infants through five years old. I had never worked with infants or toddlers. I was the youngest in my family so I never learned how to take care of a young sibling. But I was willing to learn. And that's what the hiring committee liked about me. I had lots of enthusiasm and had the running around and playing "skills" well developed. Again, I would run, run, run around with the children. The other teachers were getting irritated because I was getting the children too excited. And that would have been the end of my career teaching. Fortunately there was one woman teacher, Phoebe, who worked at the program and was willing to tutor me. She took me aside and said, "You're doing a great job! The kids clearly love playing with you. I was thinking, if you're interested, I could offer you a few additional ideas on how to play with the children." I was so grateful for Phoebe's intervention. She offered me something new every day that I could do with the children. I'd come in early or stay afterwards and she would give me suggestions. She'd suggest that I sit at a table with the children and build blocks with them. That idea seemed easy to do and it brought back long-forgotten memories of playing with blocks as a young boy. Then she had me sit at a table and help some of the older children with scissors. The boys usually had a harder time cutting, and for them to have a man taking the time to do cutting out designs provided the extra inspiration the boys needed to want to try. She had me sit in the book corner and read to the children. I'd have a group of children sitting all around me absolutely riveted to the story I was reading them. The first time I read to a group of children I had a memory of my childhood. I remembered the first time that the word "cat" was being spelled. I could see the letters being carefully written and then a flash of understanding that those symbols, those three letters, had a meaning. I realized as I sat with the group of children that they could have that same flash of insight into the world of words, books and language. It was thrilling. Each year, a new group of children would go through a similar journey and I, along with their parents, was there to help them. I had found work that fascinated me. It was working with children. That work has developed into MenTeach - recruiting men to become teachers and improve the lives of children. I know how much I loved to teach children so I now work to have other men join the fun. Be certain to visit our website: http://www.MenTeach.org

Added: 05/16/2008 6:47 pm

Name:	Ray Gattinella
Organization:	Fun,2,3 Preschool
City:	Kula
State or Province:	Hawaii
Country:	United States
Role:	Teacher
Email:	raygattinella@yahoo.com
Story:	After being restructured and downsized, I took an early retirement from my job of nearly 25 years. I got interested in Maria Montessori, read some of her books, and took the training course to certification. I worked as a Montessori teacher in New Mexico, then moved to Kauai where I worked for the Head Start Program. Then I moved to Maui, where I now work for a private preschool, with an inter-generational program. This school is located next to the Kula Hospital in a former nurse's quarter house. We are a play based program with lots of natural outdoor beauty for the children to enjoy and explore. I really enjoy being with the children and becoming a part of their lives. It's sad when they leave. I enjoy each moment.

Added: 05/20/2008 01:18 am

Name:	Rudy Jimenez Ortiz
Organization:	San Diego Unified School District ECE Programs
City:	San Diego
State or Province:	Ca.
Country:	United States
Role:	Resource Teacher
Email:	rortiz1@sandi.net
Story:	Euclid Elementary pre-K teacher Rudy Jimenez Ortiz is the 2007-08 Teacher of the Year at the Elementary Level for San Diego Unified School District. A former Euclid student himself, Rudy has chosen to live in the community where he teaches. The City Heights resident is a strong advocate for the Early Childhood Education Programs. He is a proven leader and learner who invests his time, energy and passion in offering a quality program to the preschool children in his classroom and their families. He credits his success and love of learning to his mom, a retired Pre-K teacher, and his father, a retired Army Master Sergeant and Vietnam Veteran, who always told him they believed in him; something he can’t say about any of his former teachers. When asked why he became a teacher, his response is: “To be the teacher I never had.” As he looks back, he can’t pick out one teacher who told him he’d be successful. In fact, his eighth grade counselor told his parents right in front of him that he wasn’t college material. Rudy did everything in his power to prove that counselor wrong. His personal philosophy is that children learn best in an atmosphere that builds self-esteem and confidence. His classroom is a safe and welcoming learning environment that stimulates students and is open to everyone: current teachers, future teachers, administrators, community leaders and parents. He sums up his philosophy as an early childhood educator in the words of Bob Talbert, “Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best.” He holds Family Friday every other week in his classroom. Family Friday started as a literacy activity where parents would come in and read to their child. It has evolved into a time for art, science and math, to learn about each other, share successes, learn strategies of how to take the teaching role home, learn about community resources and events, or simply enjoy the positive family atmosphere. “Rudy has established himself as a vital and involved member of our staff. His interactions with all grade levels invite spirited conversations that inevitably lead to sharing and exchanging ideas for how to make instruction even better for all students,” says fellow teacher Hilda Rodriguez- Babick. “Rudy is a generous and supportive colleague. He is the first to acknowledge the success and achievements of others and shows genuine appreciation for the work of his fellow educators.” Rudy earned his B.A. in Liberal Studies/Latin American Studies, from CSU San Marcos, and will complete his M.A. in Teaching with an Early Children Education Specialization, from National University, in June 2007.

Added: 05/21/2008 9:39 pm

Name:	Charles Pelosof
Organization:	None
City:	Vancouver
State or Province:	british columbia
Country:	Canada
Role:	ECE assistant
Email:	cpelosof@yahoo.com
Story:	Hello My name is Charles Pelosof and I have been working with children for almost three years as an ECE assistant and I love my profession. I am graduating this year for my ECE courses and demands are high for this profession. Being a man is an advantage in this profession as we are not that many and preschools love the fact to have a man making so