1. Questioning Assumptions About Male Educators Janice Wallace, PhD Educational Policy Studies University of Alberta

2. How can we increase the number of male elementary teachers and male role models to enhance the learning success of boys…  What is driving the high interest in this question?  Is there a clear link between the learning performance of boys and male teachers?

3. There are a complex set of inter-related economic, social, and political factors that are at play in the choices males and females make when considering a career in education.

4. Males contemplating teaching positions that are most stereotypically attached to female interests are caught between the feminized expectations for working with young children traditional masculine ideals and unchallenged homophobia that fuels fears about men working with young children.

5. Male elementary teachers often compensate by assuming a hyper- masculinized persona (Connell, 1989, Francis & Skelton, 2001) or simply leave teaching to find jobs in more traditional grades for male teachers (Ferguson, 2005).

7. Making the decision to become a teacher…

10. Gender/Age Cross-tabulation Age Total 20-2526-3031-3536+ Gender Male Count 22 13764 % within Gender 34.4 20.310.9100.0 % within Age 13.718.641.923.318.8 Female Count 139961823276 % within Gender 50.434.86.58.3100.0 % within Age 86.381.458.176.781.2 Total Count 1611183130340 % within Gender 47.434.79.18.8100.0 % within Age 100.0

12. Did you consider other professions?  Males … 61/64 or 95% considered and many had prepared for or participated in other professions/jobs. None said that they always wanted to be a teacher.  Females … 219/277 or 79% said they had considered and some had prepared for or participated in other professions. 4 said they always knew they wanted to be a teacher

13. What influences the decision to become a teacher?

14. Positive Influences for Becoming a Teacher Positive Influences FemalesMales NumberPercentNumberPercent Parents 17262.12742.2 Relatives 8229.61726.6 Neighbours 31.1 00 Friends 10337.22335.9 Elementary Teacher(s) 13247.71929.7 Secondary Teacher(s) 13147.33859.4 Guidance Counselors(s) 207.211.6 Media 72.557.8 Other 6824.52132.8

15. Negative Influences for Becoming a Teacher Negative Influences FemalesMales NumberPercentNumberPercent Parents 3010.81015.6 Relatives 279.71117.2 Neighbours 114.0710.9 Friends 3613.02031.3 Elementary Teacher(s) 2910.534.7 Secondary Teacher(s) 4917.7710.9 Guidance Counselor(s) 248.723.1 Media 10839.02843.8 Other 4114.857.8

16. What do beginning teachers say about encouraging more males to think about teaching?

17. Suggestions from beginning teachers for attracting more males to elementary teaching 56%of Females 156/277 59 % of Males N=38/64 Increase status/pay 19 % 28 % Break down stereotypes1015 Recruit through guidance courses, media, visits to classes, etc.148 Change work environment to reflect male norms/provide support/services8.515 Stress positive role of teacher in elementary9.58 Preferential admission to elementary/Incentives2.510 Change program to include placements at all levels68 Stress benefits of work environment30 Fear of predatory charges40 Meet women35

18. QUESTIONS ?