Anpassning till rådande ordning. En studie av manliga förskollärare i förskoleverksamhet

The aim of this study is to describe and analyse the situation of male teachers in the day-to-day work of pre-school, taking into account the fact that men are underrepresented in this profession. The methodic field is qualitative. Video recordings and interviews have been carried out with the fourteen male pre-school teachers who have participated in the project. Some of these men work together with another man, while others have women colleagues only. The results show that to a large extent the male teachers adapt to traditional pre-school praxis. In most cases they see the relationship between the sexes as grounded in biological difference. Pre-schools are classified as belonging within a feminine sphere. The male teachers take active part in all activities, many of which are nurturing and repetitive. In some cases, strategies of avoidance are employed, for instance in situations involving interior decoration. The men assume responsibility for activities that are traditionally classified as masculine, but these activities are marginalised by both female and male staff. When the male teachers and the children choose what to do, they tend to choose activities that are not gender-classified, such as creative activities. In their juxtaposition of maleness with feminine approaches in routine situations of nurture, they are instrumental in the development of new masculinities. It is masculine as well as feminine, male as well as female, to change nappies, do the housecleaning and wipe little noses.