When senior early childhood education major Zeke Johnsen walks into his education classes, he is always different from the other 30 students. He’s the only man.

Although Eastern is often praised for having one of the best education departments, typically only female students take advantage of the university’s program.

Of the 1,136 students that major in elementary education, only 11 percent, or 131 of them, are men. There are only four men of the 174 early childhood education majors – less than 1 percent.

Their plans

Johnsen knew since his senior year of high school that he wanted to teach kindergarten.

“It was either this or architecture,” he said. “I liked architecture, but I knew I’d be good at teaching younger classes.”

This year he was hired as a daycare assistant at Country Schoolhouse Preschool in Charleston.

He has his future strategically planned out: he is studying abroad in Australia next semester and wants to become a rescue swimmer in the Coast Guard for a while before he starts teaching children. In Australia he plans on observing the differences between the classrooms there and in the United States.

Mike Diamond, freshman elementary education major, with a dual certificate in special education, knew he wanted to work with children since his aunt got him involved.

“I job shadowed her for a week,” he said. “And I just fell in love with it.”

He plans to teach special education in elementary schools.

Nathan Singer, junior elementary education major, knew since high school that he wanted to work with children. By his sophomore year he was already observing a preschool.

“But even before that I knew that I loved kids,” he said.

He described it as an “evolutionary process” to find exactly what group of children he wants to work with. Once he realized that English and reading were not his strengths, he decided to teach middle school students, where he could focus on math and social studies.

“The key is evolving into a person who not only knows what they’re doing, but why they’re doing it,” he said.

After experiencing the field for a while, he plans on getting his master’s degree and becoming an administrator.

The stereotypes

“There is a certain stigma that guys and kids don’t really go together,” Singer said. “There’s a stereotype that only females can nurture kids, but that’s not true at all.”

Not only are there stereotypes, but also people will sometimes have negative views of them.

“I definitely do feel like some people might make assumptions,” Johnsen said. “But after a week or so – after seeing me interact with the children – they consider me equal.”

All of the male elementary education majors said they made their decisions because they want to help children.

“There are some people that are skeptical, but they see I’m doing it for the kids,” Diamond said. “So far I’m very, very grateful to be in it [elementary education].”

But Singer said he feels male teachers always need to be cautious with students because some parents may be waiting for them to make a mistake.

“We just have to be careful,” he said, “We have to watch what we say, watch what we do.”

The minorities

Although some administrators may look at male elementary education majors in a negative light, most are actually looking for male teachers to better diversify their schools, Diamond said.

“Younger boys are looking for role models,” he said.

Johnsen added that male teachers could be a “counter position” in the female dominated field, adding a broader perspective.

“My teachers have told me that being a male can be an advantage,” he said.

Singer said that it all depends on certain people’s interests.

“For me, I don’t pay attention to what I should be doing as a man,” he said. “I do what I’m interested in. Why don’t most females go into construction? It’s all about your interests.”

The future

In his 30-student education class, Diamond is one of only three men, but he said in the future he expects many more men to join the field.

Johnsen also feels that there will be more male teachers in the future.

“In the culture our parents grew up in, women were the caregivers,” he said. “But it’s changing a lot these days.”

But he said men should not become education majors just because it is an advantage.

“I wouldn’t want people to become early childhood majors just to level the playing field,” Johnsen said. “I’d prefer people going into the major for the love of teaching.”

Singer said men who love children should not be afraid to go into the education field.

“My advice for any prospective male teacher is do not let stereotypes, stigma or negative feelings scare you from doing what you want to do,” he said.

“There are plenty of guys that love kids, and I just happen to be one of them.”