Hello there
It has been suggested that boys see activities like reading as
feminine because they are usually taught by women at primary school
and by mum at home. Primary schools are trying to recruit more male
teachers to provide positive male role models which they hope will
combat this phenomenon.
The British Government certainly thinks boys need male teachers in
primary school.
In August 2000, Estelle Morris, the Education Secretary said:
"We want to see more male applicants becoming primary school teachers
as boys benefit from positive role models"
And Mr Hart, general secretary of the National Association of Head
Teachers agreed, saying:
"I we are going to solve the problems of the lad culture which is
clearly having an impact at GCSE, because the girls are marching
ahead, then we can only do it if we capture the boys at primary
school,"
Taken from the BBC news pages: Male teachers for 'role models'
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/893313.stm )
..o0o..
Even more recently, in October 2002, a report in Australia came to the
same conclusion:
Taken from "The Australian: Boys need male teachers: report by Sophie
Morris, October 22, 2002
( http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,5337674%255E13880,00.html
)
"THE federal Government should provide scholarships to redress the
shortage of male teachers in schools that has left boys lagging
academically, according to a parliamentary report released yesterday."
"The unanimous recommendation of the House of Representatives
Committee on Education and Training is for scholarships to attract
bright students to teaching. The report, Boys: Getting it Right,
argues for a quota system that would see half of them awarded to
males. "
"Committee chairman and Liberal MP Kerry Bartlett said the two-year
inquiry had shown that a lack of male role models had contributed to
under-achievement in boys. "
"The committee argued that all students, particularly boys, would
benefit from more teacher attention and set a goal of reducing class
sizes to 20 by 2005. "
"Deputy chairman and Labor MP Rod Sawford criticised education
departments and teachers' unions for denying the problem, despite
figures showing girls were 11 per cent more likely than boys to finish
school and 6 per cent more likely to qualify for university. "
..o0o..
The problem has also been noted in New Zealand.
A press release was issued by their education minister in 1999, PUSH
FOR MORE MALE PRIMARY TEACHERS
(http://www.ts.co.nz/~nicksmp/pressrel/99/7-30a.html )
"Education Minister Nick Smith today, at the Principals' Federation
Conference in Rotorua, announced a campaign to attract more men into
primary teaching, saying that schools need a better balance of male
teachers to deal with an increasing number of social issues and to
provide positive role models for boys." We do not live in a genderless
society and balance is important. Children, and particularly boys,
need positive male role models. The increasing number of sole parents,
most of whom are mothers, makes the issue even more important. It has
been solo mums that have most often raised this issue with me. Male
teachers send a message to boys that education is not sissy and help
issues of discipline by setting an example of appropriate male
behaviour."
..o0o..
And the UK, and London in particular, has a problem with ethnic
minority boys
Back in the UK, in January of 2002, the government admitted there was
a worrying shortage of male role models in the classroom, after a
Labour MP claimed that back boys were under-achieving because primary
schools were dominated by women teachers. With the proportion of men
entering primary teacher training courses below the 15% target set
for the teacher training agency.
Diane Abbott, MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, said black
boys needed boundaries and strong direction from "male mentors" at an
early age. She said primary schools had become a feminine domain and
called on the education secretary, Estelle Morris, to recruit more
teachers from the Caribbean.
"Certainly work that I've seen in the United States shows that where
you can have more male teachers, particularly at primary school level,
and male mentors, that does help some of these boys, both black and
white, to engage in education," she told BBC Radio 4's Today
programme.
The MP added: "There's nothing wrong [with white women] but the fact
is when these black children come into school aged five, they are
doing as well as white and Asian children. By age 16 their achievement
has collapsed, particularly black boys. We have to focus on why this
is happening."
Her comments followed an article in the Observer in which she said the
issue was "a silent catastrophe
(Summarised from "The Guardian", January 8th 2002 )
..o0o..
One study in the USA has been influential on the ongoing debate
Social Learning Theory and the Influence of Male Role Models on
African American Children in PROJECT 2000 by Rhonda Wells-Wilbon and
Spencer Holland
The Qualitative Report, Volume 6, Number 4 December, 2001
http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR6-4/wellswilbon.html
Its summary states:
"The role and contribution of males in the classroom cannot be
ignored. At minimum, they make the classrooms more manageable so
teachers can teach. At their highest level, they instill positive
values, pride, and the desire to want to do the right thing even in
absence of the role model. While school is considered the place where
children learn the skills to be productive participants in the
workforce, reading, writing and math alone are not sufficient for
preparing the next generation. Mentoring programs and other volunteer
programs that bring men into the classroom, and that are well
structured for consistency and modeling positive behavior can be a
valuable resource for intervening with African American public school
children. "
..o0o..
Even the boys themselves recognise the need for role models:
In an article dealing with the issue in Martin Luther King High School
in Philadelphia, one boy said:
"More male role models are needed, says Gary Dunlap, a junior. "Girls
have more people talking to them, encouraging them," he says. Girls
are often friendlier to teachers and other adults, he adds. "A boy
doesn't open up to the same degree. If he's upset, he might just stop
coming to classes."
Taken from" Boys Speak: We need Role Models"
(http://www.csmonitor.com/durable/2001/05/29/p21s1.htm )
..o0o..
There’s an Australian Education Report dealing with the issue here:
NSW Government Advisory Committee
Report on Boys' Education 1994 : Chapter 2:
Investigation (cont.)
(http://www.shadoweducation.nsw.gov.au/boys/chap23.htm )
It says:
"Traditionally schools have emphasised obedience, conformity and
passive learning (reading and listening). These favour and reinforce
the behaviour of those girls who conform to the traditional female
stereotype (passive, obedient, dependent) rather than those boys who
conform to the traditional male stereotype (aggressive, active,
independent). For many boys this creates conflict between their
gender-role and their role as a student which may lead to
dissatisfaction, lower achievement and poor self-esteem. "
It acknowledges the need for role models, but also realises that
employing male teachers may not be easy, and offers some alternatives.
"The provision of appropriate role models is an important part of
changing attitudes. Involving community members in the educational
programmes of the school, and not just the social, cultural or
sporting activities, gives schools the chance to send important
messages that run counter to negative stereotyped attitudes.
"Community members can be used in a strategic way to show, for
example, aspects of masculinity not normally seen. At a Central Coast
High School, teachers invited local football heroes to talk to boys.
Rather than talk about football, they spoke about their role as
fathers and husbands. In the same way other male role models could be
used in reading programmes, history projects or in the arts.
"One programme that works well in this regard is the RSVP programme,
where (predominantly) retired people take small reading groups. An
effort should be made to encourage men to take part showing that yes,
its quite usual for men to read and enjoy books. "
It concludes:
"More men should be encouraged into primary school teaching"
..o0o..
The British Government has been trying to make inroads, and has been
attracting male teachers by offering more money.
"The education secretary is keen to attract more male teachers to
provide more role models for pupils. Only 17% of primary teachers are
male, but the new £6,000 training bursaries increased inquiries from
male postgraduates by 50%. "
Education Guardian, August 21, 2000
(http://education.guardian.co.uk/alevels2000/story/0,7348,356903,00.html
)
..o0o..
The issue is still making the news , and as recently as last week,
October 29th 2002, there was a contentious piece in the Australian
press, laying much of the blame on boys lack of progression in
schools, on the "Feminist" movement, which naturally caused a furore.
You can read the article here:
The Australian: Boys' education needs help By Richard Yallop, October
29, 2002
(http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,5382327%255E13880,00.html
)
..o0o..
Also in the UK, the Teacher Training Association has recognised the
problem, and is trying to recruit more male staff for primary schools.
In 2001 it announced a drive to get more men teaching in primary
schools.
"…. hoping for a 20% increase in male trainees by September 2002
….Many educationalists believe putting more men into primary schools
would help to improve the performance of boys, responding better to
male role models."
Ananova: More male teachers wanted for primary schools
(http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_572461.html )
So to answer your question, all the evidence accrued in education
studies so far seems to point to the need for positive male role
models for primary school boys, but it is proving difficult to attract
male teachers to a professional area that is seen as a "woman’s"
domain.
Hope that answers your question, but if you need any clarification,
just ask.
Willie-ga
You’ll find an archive discussion forum dealing with the subject here:
( http://www2b.abc.net.au/triplej/outclassed/dunny/posts/topic38.shtm
)
Google searches used:
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