Timeline of a Man Working in ECE by Greg Uba

Here is a copy of Greg Uba's proposed article for SVAEYC Men In Child Care... adapted from an article I wrote for Connections For Children Child Care Resource and Referral in Santa Monica...

1983… I begin my early care and education (ECE).  I enter the profession from the side door - I was an elementary school teacher in my prior life.  Mentored by wonderful teachers including Jewish, Cuban, Lebanese, and European and African-American teachers, I realize that early educators knew things that I hadn’t imagined were even knowable.  I am one of three men on staff.  Note: in 1993, approximately 5% of the ECE profession is male.

 

1990… I realize that working with young children is the most important thing I will ever do.  I have changed hundreds of diapers, ruined dozens of T-shirts, un-stuffed toilets, mopped floors, bandaged injuries, waited in a hospital emergency room – twice, and had a parent pull a baby out of the program when she saw me changing his diaper. 

 

mid-1990’s… For several years, I join colleagues from across the State to make our annual visit to advocate for children in Sacramento.  At the preschool I work at, Manuel tells me that the sun and moon can’t both be out at the same time (because then it would be both day and night).  He follows this with a spirited performance of air guitar standing in the playground. Samuel reflects upon the fact that he, a Jewish child, and I an Asian man are both vegetarians. 

 

1999… I teach preschool in Santa Cruz where Yanai, the shortest girl in the class builds towering block structures.  We have baby chicks, mud holes and gardens, weekly cooking projects… here, I run across Martin, a dreadlocked activist graduating from UCSC… and realize he was in the first preschool class I taught… he remembers the butterflies that we raised from caterpillars, remembers that one of them couldn’t fly and died… I vow never to underestimate the effect we have on the children we care for.  Note: in 1999 approximately 5% of the ECE profession is male.

 

2012... I rant endlessly about things like the onslaught of technology, the jeopardy to the linguistic and cultural diversity of our workforce presented by ever-increasing educational requirements that focus on formal education, the reality of gendered classrooms and curricula.  I present workshops on the importance of diverse and inclusive programs to audiences that have far too few men in attendance.  I listen to other teachers as they caution children not to go up the slide.

 

2013...  I still pack for conferences by stuffing my belongings into a backpack… I still get my shoes muddy and marvel at things like ladybugs and baby skunks… No, I’m not the greatest teacher.  I make mistakes every day.  Sometimes I can’t believe how hard it is and how inept I can be.  I let the children splash in puddles, and then realize that now we have to change all those socks and pants.  I get frustrated with the children, only to get more frustrated with myself for my lack of patience or “classroom management” skills.  And yet, I know the children are glad that I’m there.  I know by how often they call my name to show me their work, or tie their shoes, or hear their stories.   And we are fortunate.  We have some very involved fathers that spend time volunteering in our classroom.  And the children love it.  One father spent over an hour pushing the swings on our trip to the neighborhood park.  A wonderful grandfather spends entire mornings with us on a regular basis.  Children need to see that men are involved in their lives.  We, as early educators need to work harder to make this happen.

 

Note: today, approximately 5% of the ECE profession is male.