Those were the first sentences out of Anna’s mouth when she read her teacher assignment for this year. Out of 20 classroom teachers at our school, there’s exactly one male teacher. He teaches first grade, and Anna got him!
She’s thrilled, of course. All the kids know Mr. B. All the parents love him. “Gentle giant,” they say. “A real calm presence.” Sounds good to me. I’ll let you know as the year goes along.
Male teachers, particularly at the elementary level, are a rare breed! I looked around to find any recent data on the numbers, but I didn’t find much. I did read a 2004 NEA news release Are Male Teachers on the Road to Extinction? and a few blog posts (here and here ) on the topic.
What’s your experience? Are you a male teacher? Have you (or your child) ever had one? I’d love to hear about it!
About the Author
Along with her background as a professor, researcher, writer, and teacher, Joanne Meier is a mom. Join Joanne as she shares her experiences raising her own young readers, and guides parents and teachers on the best practices in reading.
Publication Date
August 26, 2008