The influence of family life on the pedagogical praxis of male teachers in early childhood education and care

There is increasing literature regarding the experiences of men working in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). Around the world, men are an under-represented group in ECEC settings. The article uses a cultural-historical wholeness approach to explore the interconnected dimensions of the personal and institutional perspectives of male ECEC teachers. The focus is on the participants’ personal experiences (family) and professional practices (pedagogy) when working with young children (aged under five years). Data were gathered from four participants through approximately six hours of semi-structured interviews and included discussion of personal and pedagogical artefacts collected from the men’s personal life and work in ECEC settings. Findings suggest that for all participants, family practices were particularly important in shaping pedagogy, and influence the development of motives and everyday practices. We argue that the intersection of personal and professional family practices informs and enhances the pedagogical praxis of male teachers in ECEC.