News

Principal loves teaching pre-schoolers, takes lead in skills upgrade with pursuit of master's

by Goh Yan Han - Singapore - The Straits Times

When he first started teaching at a pre-school, even the parents of the children enrolled there were curious as to why a man would take up the job.

"Some of them would ask me 'Men can join this job?' or 'Why didn't you teach primary school instead?'" said Mr Mohammad Aizat Hashim, 31, who is now a principal, at Mosaic Kindergarten.

A message from a black male teacher: Don’t make educators like me the default disciplinarians

by Rann Miller - Chalkbeat.org

My first day in the classroom is one I’ll never forget. I was given a room of curious sophomore students — 43 of them.

I could feel the lump in my throat and every drop of sweat on my body. I was used to public speaking, and I felt good about what I would be teaching. But in that moment before the first bell rang, I actually thought about walking out.

Former basketball standout is different role model now, first black man to win state’s early education honor

By Marlon A. Walker, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

For two years as a teaching assistant in a Pre-K classroom, Johnathon Hines learned about rituals and routines and how to keep a 4-year-old student's attention long enough to impart a lesson.

The job was supposed to be a way into the school system while Hines waited for a physical education position to come available. Those are coveted. Many who become PE teachers only give them up when they retire. Or die.

Black Male Educators and the Lack of Diversity in Classrooms

By Ana Martinez-Ortiz - The Milwaukee Courier

Young people are often asked what they want to be when they grow up. While the answers range, the fact remains that its difficult for young people to envision themselves in a career or professional field when they don’t someone who looks like them already in that position.

For example, young girls may respond that they want to be a teacher because a majority of their teachers are female. But young boys, especially black boys, may struggle to see themselves as a teacher. And there’s a reason for that.

Bowie State program looks to draw more black men to education careers

by John Henry - WUSA9

If you look inside many of America’s classrooms, you’ll notice someone is missing: black male teachers.

According to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Education, only 2 percent of the country’s teaching workforce are black males.