A Generation Of Men Raised By Women
Watching the Film Fight Club last weekend, the character Tyler Durden played by Brad Pitt, states that "We’re a generation of men raised by women." Now it would take me a paragraph or two to explain the ins and outs of the films plot without giving away the twist but what he said got me thinking.
There is a junior school that I teach football at in West London and in the main entrance there is a board with photos of all staff members who work at the school, roughly about 30 teachers.
Looking at it recently I noticed there were only 3 men on the board, the headmaster, a PE teacher and a classroom assistant. Come to think of it, 99.9% of the schools, nurseries and children centres I work at are ran by female works.
I'd just like to clarify that this post is not anti-women. The women who I work with everyday are absolutely brilliant at their job and are excellent with the children under their care. My point is that there is not enough male teachers.
A nursery and children centre manger said to me recently that they had noticed how the boys responded differently to me and my coaching to when she and her staff work with them. That over the weeks and months I've worked with the boy in particular, their behaviour and overall attitude has improved. They believe that the reason for their improvement is due to being taught by a male rather than a female.
So what does this teach us? Where does this lead us in trying to help educate boys better?
Back in July I posted up an excellent video presentation by Ali Carr-Chellman. She gave 3 main reasons why in her opinion, boys are being turned-off in school classrooms by their thousands, and introduces her plan to re-captivate their minds and imaginations. If you missed it here it is again -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23Uuehgmd14&feature=related
Also, GCSE results today revealed that again, girls have out performed boys. A quote from the below BBC article sums up what I also believe to be true, that not just do we need more male teachers but that schools don't do enough to engage boys from certain social backgrounds, i.e white working class and African-Caribbean
"Schools should be looking at what they're teaching children to ensure that they engage boys as much as girls."
So what does this teach us? Where does this lead us in trying to help educate boys better?
Back in July I posted up an excellent video presentation by Ali Carr-Chellman. She gave 3 main reasons why in her opinion, boys are being turned-off in school classrooms by their thousands, and introduces her plan to re-captivate their minds and imaginations. If you missed it here it is again -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23Uuehgmd14&feature=related
Also, GCSE results today revealed that again, girls have out performed boys. A quote from the below BBC article sums up what I also believe to be true, that not just do we need more male teachers but that schools don't do enough to engage boys from certain social backgrounds, i.e white working class and African-Caribbean
"Schools should be looking at what they're teaching children to ensure that they engage boys as much as girls."
As a male primary school teacher on the one hand I agree with you, I eagerly look forward to being able to be a positive role model in the lives of 15 5 year old boys (and 15 girls, of course) from next week for the following academic year.
ReplyDeleteHowever I think the problem goes deeper than the lack of male primary teachers. After all, primary education has been dominated by women throughout it's 200 year history. The heart of the problem, in my opinion, is the lack of fathers, or even father figures, in so many young British boys' lives.
Yes, a male primary teacher, or indeed any male who plays a significant role in the life of a boy - through schools, religious organisations, Cubs, or sports clubs - can be a great blessing and inspiration in a boy's life, but the tragedy, in my opinion, is that ultimately none of these men can make up for the lack of that most basic human right so many British children today lack - a loving mother and father.
Hi Matt, thanks for contributing to the journal.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with you more. A stable, caring and loving home life IS the most important thing needed, not just in a boys life, but girls as well.
I was speaking to a primary school teacher from East London recently and I put your point forward to her and she also agreed with you. Working in a deprived area, she pointed to the lack of a 'visible' father figure in so many of her pupils lives but that, like you say, "schools, religious organisations, Cubs, or sports clubs - can be a great blessing and inspiration in a boy's life".