O/T Men in nurseries

[Goldstone Rapper]

I appreciate that NSC has often proved a rich source of information outside of footy, and I hope you can provide the same for me!

When I'm not busy breaking copyright laws or other stuff, I'm currently doing a 3 month project that will increase the number of men interested in working in nurseries in Brighton & Hove.

At the moment, just over 1% of employees at early years settings are men. I'm one of the few! Right now, children are missing out on opportunities to experience men as positive, caring adults. I've found that boys in particular miss out on being with adults who have direct experience of being a boy, and maybe have better ideas on how to develop boys' potential. Men are also missing out on a fun, varied and ultimately satisfying career direction.

That is why I am organising an information event in early September where I aim to have 50 men there with 15% (that's seven and a half men!) signing up for childcare courses or take further action in applying for jobs. I see it might inspire some men who are out of work or looking for a change of career.

Anyway, if you know any men interested in working in nurseries or already working in one, or if you are interested yourself, please PM me. Thank you.

 

[The Large One]

Not so much for myself, but my missus runs a Montessori School (or Casa dei Bambini - but it's NOT a nursery) for two to nine-year olds (despite The Spanish telling me that's bullshit). There is only male member of teaching staff.

If you can provide more information, she may want to read more about it, as there may be some cross-over of information she may be interested in.

 

[Giraffe]

I think this sounds like a great thing to do. I am permanently frustrated and quite angry with the fact that nurseries and primary schools are run completely by women with hardly a man in sight. My son went through primary school without coming across a single male teacher. Many times I felt that he and other boys would have benefitted from a male way of thinking at school, and frankly it would also have helped with the way the school was run. More professional and less of a mothers meeting!!

Off my soapbox now...

 

[SurreySeagulls]

I thought there were a lot of men working in garden centers

 

[Gwylan]

I think that's precisely the sort of attitude that stops men working in nurseries and primary schools. I appreciate that it was a joke but it's not funny for the thousands of boys who have no male role model in their young lives.

My kids go to an infant school that has one male member of staff. When you think that most nurses, health visitors and social workers (if applicable) are also likely to be male, where do boys get to have regular close contact with men?

My little boy has me but there are plenty of single mothers at the school whose kids hardly see anyone male from day to day. It's something that really has to change. I'm certainly interested to know about any initiative to improve things.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

I think that's precisely the sort of attitude that stops men working in nurseries and primary schools. I appreciate that it was a joke but it's not funny for the thousands of boys who have no male role model in their young lives.

My kids go to an infant school that has one male member of staff. When you think that most nurses, health visitors and social workers (if applicable) are also likely to be male, where do boys get to have regular close contact with men?

My little boy has me but there are plenty of single mothers at the school whose kids hardly see anyone male from day to day. It's something that really has to change. I'm certainly interested to know about any initiative to improve things.

Has it ever been any different though ? I'm 46 but I can only remember female teachers at my infant school. It was different at junior school, there was about 50/50 I think, but not at infants.

 

[adrian29uk]

I think that's precisely the sort of attitude that stops men working in nurseries and primary schools. I appreciate that it was a joke but it's not funny for the thousands of boys who have no male role model in their young lives.

My kids go to an infant school that has one male member of staff. When you think that most nurses, health visitors and social workers (if applicable) are also likely to be male, where do boys get to have regular close contact with men?

My little boy has me but there are plenty of single mothers at the school whose kids hardly see anyone male from day to day. It's something that really has to change. I'm certainly interested to know about any initiative to improve things.

Spot on with this post. Its a sad situation, where people cannot trust anyone. Next door to my work there is a nursery. I wanted to take some pictures of the outside of my office to show my boss and work colleagues who are based up north.

I got my camera out, and thought to myself I better not take any photos here just in case someone in the nursery wonders why I am taking pictures of the building, even thou the nursery was not even in view.

It really is a sad situation when it comes down to this, but society has led us down this path. It really is pathetic. People lives can be ruined overnight.

 

[Publius Ovidius]

There are three male teachers at Mile Oak with 1 of them in reception classes.

I think in a future life, I would like to teach. Probably not teenagers, but I wouldn't mind teaching smaller children. When I was a governor at school it was suggested that people come in and help out and at the time I was busy at work so couldn't, but certainly now I would love to go in and teach kids IT stuff if I had the time.

 

[Wilko]

GR - I am currently putting together a Sociology podcast about the representation (or lack of it) in nurseries and primary schools. Any chance you would like to be interviewed on it to express your views and also plug your September event?

 

[Wilko]

I know you were making a joke here but this is the EXACT reason why boys are underperforming at all levels of education and often lack a positive male role model. Many boys grow up in a one parent family (usually just mum), then go to playgroup, then onto primary school and quite often through the first 12 yrs of their life without any positive male role models.

The images, references and depiction of males in TV programmes and adverts is either as a pathetic wimp being pushed around by his wife or as a paedo.

Very sad state of affairs that society often assumes that males who have a caring side and interest in working with children are dodgy.

 

[magoo]

i briefly considered a career change into childcare of some kind but i have to be honest and thought what's the point? i'm a single man approaching middle age. people are always going to be suspicious. the media have created such paranoia about paedo's. as if their's one on every street or are working in every school.

 

[Wilko]

i briefly considered a career change into childcare of some kind but i have to be honest and thought what's the point? i'm a single man approaching middle age. people are always going to be suspicious. .

That is such a sad (in the proper meaning of the word) statement, the fact that you would not apply for a job due to your gender tells us exactly why this issue needs to be rectified.

 

[Pavilionaire]

My kids go to a nursery with 30-odd staff and one permanent male and one bank staff male. I agree that I'm glad my son has a male staff member in the room for the purposes of balance if nothing else.

Also, I'm mystified as to how some nurseries manage WITHOUT male staff. For instance, that happens when they see a spider?

 

[TonyW]

I know you were making a joke here but this is the EXACT reason why boys are underperforming at all levels of education and often lack a positive male role model. Many boys grow up in a one parent family (usually just mum), then go to playgroup, then onto primary school and quite often through the first 12 yrs of their life without any positive male role models.

The images, references and depiction of males in TV programmes and adverts is either as a pathetic wimp being pushed around by his wife or as a paedo.

Very sad state of affairs that society often assumes that males who have a caring side and interest in working with children are dodgy.

What a lot of shite.

 

[Wilko]

What a lot of shite.

Brilliant argument, care to explain?

 

[Hiney]

I am currently training to be a teacher and want to work in a Primary School. Our younger children go to one of the biggest Primary Schools in Hampshire and I think there are TWO male teachers out of 22

I can't bloody wait

 

[Publius Ovidius]

What a lot of shite.

why?

what bit particularily?

 

[TonyW]

Quite frankly, if this was a problem, then all boys would grow up wearing dresses and listening to Take That.

As they don't, then clearly the problem doesn't exist.

Most blokes would rather stab themselves in the nuts than look after screaming infants all day - and what about the nappies - NAPPIES.
f*** off!! Changing my own Son's nappy was an ordeal devised by Satan himself, I'm certainly not going to volunteer to suffer somebody else's offspring's shit.

Girl's are made differently, they LIKE babies, they don't mind the fluids that seem to constantly emanate from them, and they somehow manage to drown out the infernal, unholy racket all children make.

In much the same way that most men don't want to be a nurse, they don't want to look after children - its nature's natural order.

 

[TonyW]

why?

what bit particularily?

This bit.....

"I know you were making a joke here but this is the EXACT reason why boys are underperforming at all levels of education"

Wrong in every respect.

 

[Wilko]

This bit.....

"I know you were making a joke here but this is the EXACT reason why boys are underperforming at all levels of education"

Wrong in every respect.

ok, it is not the ONLY reason that many males are underperforming but it is very much a contributing factor. Many researchers have found that boys underperform due instability at home, lack of a father figure and also a lack of positive male role models.

If a boy grows up without any positive male influence at home, playgroup or primary school is it not fair to suggest that this COULD have some form of impact on the overall educational success rates of males compared to females?