Exploring the Experiences of Male Early Childhood Aspiring Teachers

This exploratory study investigated the reasons why males chose early childhood education and their lived experiences in a teacher education program. Qualitative data were collected through interviews with twelve male early childhood pre-service teachers. Results demonstrated that: Participates were passionate about teaching young children. They were mostly supported by their relatives and friends in their decision to become an early childhood teacher. They were positive about future career opportunities but still had an underlying fear of losing job or being seen as sexual predators. Meanwhile, participates indicated some conflicts might exist between the field experience and program learning experience. They also highlighted a need to recruit male pre-service teachers in early childhood education programs