a thoughtful web.
Good ideas and conversation. No ads, no tracking.   Login or Take a Tour!
comment
StillWaters  ·  2438 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Wanted: Male teachers in U.S. schools

The passage I liked the most was this:

    “Children tend to mimic or ‘act out’ the behaviors they see,” Hough says. “In schools, male children may benefit from male teachers by observing appropriate behaviors, most notably associated with how to handle anger, respect for others and rule following.”

Too often I hear debates like this sound like the aim is to deepen the gender divide. Men are butch and active, etc while women are caring, moral and considerate. So nice to hear the focus instead be on demonstrating the "softer" side like handling emotions and showing respect.

I also believe that an important element of the role modeling they do is showing kids that a man caring for kids is manly. In almost all societies being a nurturing father has been a key aspect of being a man, and it is unfortunate that that is among some Americans seen as unmanly/feminine.