Articles
‘The Pied Piper’ of kindergarten
Eric Ord stands out at his workplace. For one thing, he wears red tennis shoes and a matching red tie. And he towers over everyone else in the room. Of course, everyone else is 5 years old. For the past 17 years, Ord has taught kindergarten at Whited Elementary School in Santa Rosa, where colleagues […]
Read MoreAre There Enough Male Teachers in Kindergarten and Elementary Schools?
According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 18.8 percent of elementary and middle school teachers are male. In pre-kindergarten and kindergarten the number of male teachers is just 2.4 percent. According to the National Education Association the sector could become even more female dominated, because fewer and fewer men are entering the profession. […]
Read MoreTeachers walk fine line in interacting with kids
A veteran elementary school teacher, Louis Watson has mastered the “side hug” and the high five. The moves help him dodge the bear hugs his young students initiate. “Being a male teacher, you never hug a kid from the front area,” said Watson, 63. It’s a lesson Watson has learned over time as teachers face […]
Read MoreMale teacher finds niche in kindergarten class
When the door opened for Phillip Bledsoe to teach kindergarten at Jamestown Elementary School, he gladly walked through it. In the eight years he has been teaching he has worked with every grade level in elementary school, but definitely likes kindergarten the best. “It is their first year of school. If they have a positive […]
Read MorePrincipal successfully recruits black male teachers
At Martin Luther King Elementary School, female teachers outnumber males by almost three to one. In that regard, teachers at the Clayton County school say, MLK is not that different from most schools across the country, where places of learning can seem like female-only clubs. There are signs, however, that the long-standing trend may be […]
Read MoreIt’s elementary, guys: Male teachers bring diversity to primary grades
Kenny Hall has been a teacher for 13 years, all of them at the elementary school level. The Yucaipa instructor has taught first, second and third grades and currently, kindergarten. “It’s pretty rewarding to work with little kids, to see all the growth. They’re so excited about all the learning they do,” said Hall, 36. […]
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