DAY ONE

The first day of my practicum exemplified my prior belief that male teachers within Primary schools are practically nonexistent. One of the first things mentioned was that I was the only male teacher on staff. This merely mirroring the ratio of male to female student teachers currently studying Masters of Teaching Primary at my University. Scholars believe that the school environment is largely a ‘feminised’ environment (DEST, 2003, p.11). Alloway, Freebody, Gilbert and Muspratt (2002, p.55) further this idea as they stated that there are less male role models in schooling. The majority of teachers in the primary setting are female, and the proportion of male teachers is declining (DEST, 2003, p.10). The students in the school that I am performing my practical experience at evidently do not have any male role models in their life. The sad reality is that some of their fathers no longer live with them. It has been argued that male teachers are needs as role models for male students to establish a sense of male identity (DEST, 2003, p.11). Due to this fact as well as some others the school experience boys have is less positive than girls in terms of enjoyment of school, perceived curriculum and teacher responsiveness (DEST, 2003, p.3). According to Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological systems model the development of a child is affected by multiple levels of the environment (Hinde-McLeod & Reynolds, 2003, p.31). The two main systems being the Microsystem; representing the child’s interactions with their family and the Mesosystem; representing the child’s immediate setting e.g. the home and school (Hinde-McLeod & Reynolds, 2003, p.31). As Bronfenbrenner signifies the importance of these two systems and what would be the impact on a child’s life if they had not had a male role model present in these two vital systems? I had noticed during the day the students had addressed me as miss, not mister. Clearly this observation reinforced the research of the lack of male presence in this primary setting. I had reminded the students I was a mister but I was lenient as I was understanding of their sociocultural environment, the New South Wales Professional Teaching Standards, 2.1.1 “Demonstrate knowledge, respect and understanding of the social, cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds of students, and the effects of these factors on learning” (New South Wales Institute of Teachers , 2006, p.4).
REFERENCE:
– Hinde-McLeod, J. & Reynolds, R. (2003). Primary Contexts. In Planning for Learning, (pp. 23-43). Social Science Press.
– Alloway, N., Freebody, P., Gilbert, P., Muspratt, S. (2002). Literacy, Gender and Boys’ Education: The – Background of Theory and Research. Queensland: JS McMillan Printing Group.
– Department of Education Science and Training. (2003) Educating Boys Issues and Information. Canberra: A Commonwealth Government Initiative.
– New South Wales Institute of Teachers. (2006). Professional Teaching Standards, Retrieved 4 February, 2009 from
http://www.nswteachers.nsw.edu.au/Main-Professional-Teaching-Standards.html