Motivation of Male Students for Preschool Teacher Profession

Abstract

The number of single parent families is on the rise. There is a lack of father figure both in the family and kindergarten where children are exposed to female influence. Eurostat statistical data (2015) show that female teaching staff is dominant in pre-school education with 95%. The number of female preschool teachers in France is 83%, in Netherlands 86.6%, in the United Kingdom 90%. Male preschool teachers are a rare breed in Croatia too, only 2.3% work in preschool institutions. The aim of the research was to examine motivation of male students for preschool teacher profession. Interviews with all male students enrolled at Undergraduate preschool education in Osijek and Slavonski Brod were conducted. The results showed four clusters of male preschool students’ motivation. Students are intrinsically motivated and see this profession as a calling. This topic sheds new light on family pedagogy and opens up insufficiently explored area of research.