From newsletter at menteach.org Mon Mar 1 12:02:33 2010 From: newsletter at menteach.org (Newsletter about men teachers) Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 12:02:33 -0600 Subject: [MenTeach] E-News - February 2010 Message-ID: <168F7D22-63DC-4400-96B8-BE970A158F15@MenTeach.org> MenTeach E-News February 2010 1) It's important to challenge ALL gender bias 2) More men turn hand to teaching 3) Role male teachers have in lives of children with absent fathers 4) Can bankers make the grade as teachers? 5) Fear and Anti-Male Discrimination in the Classroom 6) Teacher quit corporate job to make difference 7) More men teachers: Back to class for men in Australia 8) Simply Teaching - One man's teaching journey 9) Call for Papers: 'Male Teachers, Masculinities, and the Teaching Profession' 10) MenTeach on national New Zealand Television ABOUT MenTeach JOIN or DONATE to MenTeach VOLUNTEER for MenTeach Forward Our Message To be Removed From the List --------------- 1) It's important to challenge ALL gender bias We read numerous articles about gender bias. Our focus at MenTeach.org is primarily about challenging stereotypes and bias that men face in education. And we know this is important work. We also think it's important to challenge any and all gender stereotypes and bias. If we allow stereotypes about women - our co-workers/teachers - then we are perpetuating the entire system of sexism. And ironically, it will hurt us. Read about a study about gender bias against female science teachers: http://www.menteach.org/node/1267 --------------- 2) More men turn hand to teaching The economic downturn is believed to be behind a jump in men training to be teachers - a welcome development for schools trying to even up the gender balance. But while secondary schools are pleased to see more male teachers coming through, they say recruiting and retaining enough suitable staff remains a problem. Massey University's College of Education has almost doubled the number of men in its secondary school Graduate Diploma of Teaching course this year, up from 35 to 65. Read the rest of the article: http://www.menteach.org/node/1232 --------------- 3) Role male teachers have in lives of children with absent fathers I am a few weeks away from my initial thesis submission titled, Understanding the role of male elementary school teachers in the social development of children raised by single-mothers in the Jewish community of Montreal, Canada. It is a topic that has not received much attention. Sure, there is a concern for why men leave the teaching profession, and why there are so few, but what impact do they have on children in today's contemporary society? This is the area I chose to study as a male elementary school teacher myself. Read his abstract: http://www.menteach.org/node/1272 --------------- 4) Can bankers make the grade as teachers? The room was packed so full that they were standing at the back, but we were an orderly and attentive lot. 'Hands up those of you who've been into a school recently,' our facilitator requested. A good number of hands shot up. 'Those of you who didn't put your hands up need to get into a school,' she said with a stern look. Read the rest of the story: http://www.menteach.org/node/1283 --------------- 5) Fear and Anti-Male Discrimination in the Classroom In his book The Culture of Fear: Why Americans Are Afraid of the Wrong Things, Barry Glassner discusses how Americans have become unnecessarily fearful of many things, thanks in good part to opportunistic politicians, single-minded advocacy groups, sensationalist news media, "news magazine" programming and so on. Such irrational fear complexes can do profound and unjustified harm not just to the directly affected individuals and groups, but to society as a whole. Read the rest of this man's experience with being affectionate with young children: http://www.menteach.org/node/1285 --------------- 6) Teacher quit corporate job to make difference On Sept. 12, 2001, Andre Mountain submitted his resignation and booked a flight home. The terrorist attacks a day earlier jarred him, and he no longer wanted to sit in a cubicle of a Merrill Lynch office in New Jersey, performing the tedious task of verifying a long list of stock prices before a sale could be finalized. The attacks reminded him how short life is, he said, and he wanted to serve the interests of the community rather than those of a corporation. 'Teaching was always nagging at me in the back of my mind,' Mr. Mountain said. Read the rest of his story: http://www.menteach.org/node/1286 --------------- 7) More men teachers: Back to class for men in Australia An Ipswich school is defying trends and putting men back in front of the class with more male teachers than women. St Edmund's College has 33 male full-time teachers (57 per cent) and 25 female teachers (43 per cent) this year. Read the article: http://www.menteach.org/node/1288 --------------- 8) Simply Teaching - One man's teaching journey This is an interesting blogpost from a male teacher. He tells an interesting story about his getting hired and cites numerous articles on the internet. This is an excerpt. Why is there a lack of male teachers in the elementary school grades? I find it to be a very fulfilling job, so where are all the other guys? In this article, 'It's elementary: Male teachers rare-Primary school is still mainly a woman's world' from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer we are introduced to a third grade teacher Andrew Bean. He explains why teaching can be a very rewarding job when he says that teaching '...can be exhausting and very demanding, but I see it as this constant intellectual challenge ... you have to be constantly thinking on your feet. I wish that could be understood and honored and respected.' I think this is a key explanation about why some men enjoy the art of teaching (and women too!). Everyday is new and different and you never know what problems you will have to solve or what challenges you may face. Read the rest of his interesting story: http://www.menteach.org/node/1290 --------------- 9) Call for Papers: 'Male Teachers, Masculinities, and the Teaching Profession' The Journal of Men's Studies is planning a special issue dealing with male teachers, the importance of male teachers in the lives of young children, and the teaching practices that both encourage and discourage males from entering the teaching profession. We especially want to highlight research that is moving in the direction of incorporating intersectional identities like class, race, sexual orientation, ability/disability, and so forth. Other questions of interest would be (but not limited to): Is a different perspective on the roles of schools and all teachers needed to encourage a different ethos when it comes to gender? What is the role and responsibility of educational programs in creating a real space for males in the early grades classrooms? What makes males enter the teaching profession despite the social and personal barriers that discourage them from teaching in the early grades? What educational policies and educational programs can realistically alleviate the lack of male teachers in the early grades? Read the entire call for papers description: http://www.menteach.org/node/1300 --------------- 10) MenTeach on national New Zealand Television After presenting at the 4th Annual Men in Early Childhood Education New Zealand conference I had the opportunity to appear on TV3 a national morning show (thanks for arranging that Adam Buckingham!). By the way, I had special bumper stickers made for NZ because in certain parts of the world diapers are called nappies. See the clip: http://www.menteach.org/node/1302 --------------- ABOUT MenTEACH: This email Newsletter has been distributed by MenTeach - a clearinghouse with a mission to increase the percentage of men teaching. Forward Our Message - be sure to forward this message to anyone you think might be interested in teaching children. JOIN or DONATE to MenTeach today - support our mission to increase the number of men teachers. http://www.menteach.org/join_or_donate VOLUNTEER for MenTeach - help make a difference by volunteering with MenTeach. We could use help moderating forums, posting articles that you find, updating the bibliography, hosting a group in your region, do some research about the percentages in your state, get involved and make some new friends. Drop us a line to let us know what you'd like to do. E-LETTER POLICY FOR INCLUSION: MenTeach's monthly e-letter includes news/resources/events that are relevant to those interested and supporting the education, support and care of children and families and who want qualified men teaching children. To be Removed From the List Go to this link and manage your account: http://menteach.org/mailman/listinfo/newsletter_menteach.org ************************************ Bryan G. Nelson MenTeach.org P.O. Box 6778 Minneapolis, MN 55406 (612) 724-3430 ************************************ From newsletter at menteach.org Mon Mar 29 08:39:10 2010 From: newsletter at menteach.org (Newsletter about men teachers) Date: Mon, 29 Mar 2010 08:39:10 -0500 Subject: [MenTeach] E-News - March 2010 Message-ID: MenTeach E-News March 2010 1) Radio Interview: Fear of Men In Early Childhood Education 2) New Zealand Teacher calls for more men to join the profession 3) 50% rise in men applying to be primary teachers 4) Canada: Bridging daycare's gender divide 5) In search of black male teachers 6) Men wanted - because teaching isn't just women's work 7) Program aims to channel more black males into teaching 8) See a video: Primary schools seek male teachers 9) Men's Stories: From Japan to New Zealand 10) Resources - Men teaching data for 2009 ABOUT MenTeach JOIN or DONATE to MenTeach VOLUNTEER for MenTeach Forward Our Message To be Removed From the List --------------- 1) Radio Interview: Fear of Men In Early Childhood Education Whether it's on the quiet or in your face the fear of men in early education is widespread. Yes, it's difficult to quantify and talk about, but it's real. From parents, to administrators the fear of men who work with young children has a significant impact in classrooms and beyond. We brought together a parent, a male educator and early education attorney to look at the fear and the reality of Men in ECE. Listen to the podcast: http://www.menteach.org/node/1308 --------------- 2) New Zealand Teacher calls for more men to join the profession [MenTeach: Adam Buckingham is one of the organizers of the Men in ECE NZ. You can read his story on the MenTeach site.] New Zealand children are disadvantaged by a lack of male early childhood teachers, a North Shore teacher says. Adam Buckingham wants men to become early childhood teachers after learning that fewer than 2 percent of preschool teachers in New Zealand are men - the lowest rate in the world, he says. Read the entire story: http://www.menteach.org/node/1319 --------------- 3) 50% rise in men applying to be primary teachers The number of men applying for teacher training has risen sharply because of the recession, says the body responsible for training teachers. There was a 52% rise in the number of men wanting to be primary school teachers - more than 4,700 in 2009/10, up about 1,500 compared with 2008/09. Read the full article: http://www.menteach.org/node/1321 --------------- 4) Canada: Bridging daycare's gender divide There are the same little wooden cubbyholes, small jackets and frayed scarves hanging from hooks that you find in any child-care centre. The same book corner and tiny plastic couch. The same miniature chairs around miniature round tables. What's most striking about Beatty Buddies Daycare is the men. Big strapping men. Read the rest of the story: http://www.menteach.org/node/1325 --------------- 5) In search of black male teachers Within that paltry 9% of the total teaching population that is male, only 7% of it is black, that comes out to 1% of all American teachers. Hispanic males are severely under-represented as well; they come in at 6%. Both Hispanic and African American boys combine to form the core of Chicago Public Schools' (CPS) most perplexing academic and disciplinary challenges. Read the rest of his editorial: http://www.menteach.org/node/1327 --------------- 6) Men wanted - because teaching isn't just women's work More than a quarter of England's primary schools do not have a male teacher. This is the conclusion of a - for once - interesting and worthwhile Government survey. Our son, who started school last September, is the only boy in his year. Most of the time he's happy enough but, every so often, declares himself 'fed up of girls'. Like the schools highlighted in the survey, the staffroom at his village primary is all-women. It's important to make clear that you couldn't wish for a more talented or pleasant group of professionals. Their teaching skills are always ranked at the highest - outstanding - level. They know everybody's name and always find time to talk. Read the rest of her story: http://www.menteach.org/node/1329 --------------- 7) Program aims to channel more black males into teaching After working with at-risk youth for 10 years through the Department of Social Services, Benjamin Glover has found a job he thinks will allow him to make a bigger difference in the lives of children: Teaching third grade at James J. Davis Elementary School. He is the only black male teacher at the school, where he has taught for two years. 'The male presence, period, is definitely needed in a classroom setting," he said. "With the plight of black America, the plight of African-American males, it is highly important that they have representation in elementary classrooms. ... It's good for them to see themselves as viable, successful young men.' Read the article: http://www.menteach.org/node/1331 --------------- 8) See a video: Primary schools seek male teachers More than a quarter of primary schools in England don't have a single male teacher. Research shows men are important for building confidence and providing role models for children. But figures show the staff in 4,587 out of 17,205 primary schools in England are all-women. There are worries this could have a negative impact on many children. However, one school in Kidderminster is bucking the trend with five male teachers among its staff of 33. Watch a video and read the article: http://www.menteach.org/node/1333 --------------- 9) Men's Stories: From Japan to New Zealand It's been seven years working at Kids' Domain Early Learning Centre in Auckland, New Zealand. I have spent three years to qualify in New Zealand as an early childhood educator. I'm originally from Japan. I have been living in Auckland for 10 years. I like the relaxed life style in New Zealand. And I like working with infants and toddlers here too: http://www.menteach.org/node/1310 --------------- 10) Resources - Men teaching data for 2009 The Bureau of Labor Statistics collects annual data about percentages of adults working in different careers. You can see those numbers on our website and also download a list of other careers so you can see how other professions are doing: http://www.menteach.org/node/34 --------------- ABOUT MenTEACH: This email Newsletter has been distributed by MenTeach - a clearinghouse with a mission to increase the percentage of men teaching. Forward Our Message - be sure to forward this message to anyone you think might be interested in teaching children. JOIN or DONATE to MenTeach today - support our mission to increase the number of men teachers. http://www.menteach.org/join_or_donate VOLUNTEER for MenTeach - help make a difference by volunteering with MenTeach. We could use help moderating forums, posting articles that you find, updating the bibliography, hosting a group in your region, do some research about the percentages in your state, get involved and make some new friends. Drop us a line to let us know what you'd like to do. E-LETTER POLICY FOR INCLUSION: MenTeach's monthly e-letter includes news/resources/events that are relevant to those interested and supporting the education, support and care of children and families and who want qualified men teaching children. To be Removed From the List Go to this link and manage your account: http://menteach.org/mailman/listinfo/newsletter_menteach.org