December, 2007

Primary school boys want more male teachers

Training and Development Agency for Schools - UK
Primary school boys are calling for more men to teach them, as new research reveals that many have never been taught by a male teacher.

The study, published today by the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA), finds that three-quarters (76 per cent) of boys aged eight to 11 are in favour of schools having teachers of both genders.
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Editorial: It’s Official

[MenTeach: This article comes from a 1st grade teacher's blog]

As of today, I am the only male teacher left in my pre-6 elementary school. The only male teacher in a building with 600 kids. It's me, myself, and I. At least the line for the men's room will be short. Oh wait, they turned that into a unisex bathroom three years ago. Never mind.
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Men in New Zealand

Read a New Zealand government publication with articles focused on men in early childhood education.

Go to Education Gazette
November 19, 2007
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Male Elementary Preservice Teachers’ Gendering of Teaching

Montecinos & Nielsen
In this article, we examine how prevailing and alternative conceptions of masculinity framed the ways in which 40 White, male, elementary preservice teachers constructed the meaning of teaching. The imperatives associated with maleness were recognizable through four metaphors frequently used to define teaching and themselves as teachers; to teach is as follows: (a) to be a male role model, (b) to be a sports coach, (c) to appeal to reason, and (d) to prepare oneself for occupations within the field of education that carry more status.
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Teaching a University Course about Men In Early Education

by Paul Proett - California - USA
[Paul Proett has taught a university course for over ten years.]

We are in are 10th year of doing the 1 unit, Community College ECE class. Now are expanding to two colleges.

We continue to "morph" the class. Many of the issues to the "newer" generation entering the field are different, but the reality of few men teaching remains.

How did you begin teaching?
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Editorial: Studies about boys and girls reading - scientific mischief

We have had the opportunity to look at many studies over the years and appreciate the challenges of conducting quality research.

One study published in Sex Roles concludes that boys don't benefit from having male teachers reading to them.

Is this a correct conclusion based on this study?
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Some families are uncomfortable with male teachers - What do you do?

[MenTeach - A director of a program sent the following e-mail and below it is our response. Do you have any additional suggestions?]

I have a family at my center who is very uncomfortable with my preschool excellent male teacher. His postion is that this male teacher can't be left alone with girls because he is a guy.

I already explained to him our rigorous background check process and talked to him about how good of a person and teacher he is. Still, Mom and Dad are not confortable.
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Only handful of men teach elementary kids

by Garthia Elena Burnett - cdispatch.com
As 51-year-old Mark Sanders stands towering over a group of West Lowndes Elementary School fourth graders talking about decimals or long division, he commands attention. The group is silent and poised to answer any questions he might ask.

It's just another day in the classroom for Sanders, who - in his five years of teaching fourth- and fifth-grade remedial math - has been a bit of an anomaly. Women still dominate the elementary education field.

And Sanders is one of only a handful of male educators working in public schools in Lowndes County.
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Changing laws: Including gender in the definition Diversity

by Kitt Cox - Massachusetts Family Network - USA
Like many states, Massachusetts is attempting to develop a comprehensive early education and care system. One of the first steps towards that was bringing most of the providers into one department - known in this state as the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC).
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Why don't more men teach in grade school?

by Corrinne Hess - Daily Herald Staff - Chicago, IL
Just 9 percent of all elementary school teachers are men

Josh Fauser is a whiz at getting a double-knotted shoelace untied.

And by lowering his voice an octave, he easily commands the attention of even the most rambunctious crowd.

The skills make him popular at Hillcrest Elementary School in Antioch. But despite his status, Fauser, who teaches first grade, is part of a group on the verge of extinction.
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