Kindergarten dads : paternal participation in early childhood education

The purpose of this qualitative study was to learn about 1) the perceptions that fathers have regarding their role in their kindergartners' early childhood education, 2) how those perceptions manifest themselves in pedagogical interactions with their children and in other educationally-related activities, and 3) how their involvement/interaction with their children in this capacity makes them feel.

Data collection methods included participant journal writing, interviews, observations, document analyses, and a focus group discussion. The participants included 7 fathers, 5 mothers, and the classroom teacher who were selected from one kindergarten class in an elementary school located in the Southeast United States.

The data revealed the following: 1) The fathers in this study believe that they play an important and unique role in the education of their young children, 2) They are engaged in many interactive learning events with their kindergartners including reading, talking, playing, and teaching, and 3) Involvement in their children's early childhood education provides many emotional rewards for these 'kindergarten dads.'