Published: April 20, 2008 03:20 pm      

Against the tide

Male teachers educate, adjust, take on additional roles in students’ lives

In teaching, women rule. Female teachers dominate more than 75 percent of the field, according to the National Education Association. Males who teach often do so at the high school level. But in Cleburne, there’s a special group of 43 men who go against the norm. They’re teachers of every subject, from English to physical education, but instead of preparing

college-bound high schoolers for the rigors of the real world, they’re molding the youth of tomorrow at the

district’s elementary and middle schools.

Breaking the trend

“When you come into it, everyone thinks you’re a coach,” said Matt Ford, eighth-grade history teacher at Wheat Middle School.

Indeed, it’s rare to find men teaching academics below high school, but the men of Cleburne ISD each has their own reasons for breaking the mold.

“I grew up around youth, and I specifically love middle school kids,” Ford said. “I think it’s a real formative time in their lives. If you like this age group, you should just jump into it because there aren’t many out there wanting to jump into a group of eighth-grade students.”

For other men in the district, elementary school is their cup of tea.

“I’ve had experience with older kids, and it takes a certain personality to be with each grade level,” said Brian Edmonds, a first-grade teacher at Marti Elementary School. “To me, what makes a great teacher is realizing what kind of kids you are able to deal with and what kind of kids you can reach the most.”

“The more I was around these younger kids, the more I realized I needed to be here,” said Randy Agricola, fifth-grade math teacher at Cooke Elementary School.



Working around the women

Some might think working in a woman-dominated industry like teaching would be strange, but the male teachers say it’s no big deal at all.

“Honestly, I haven’t really considered the female-dominated business end of it,” Agricola said. “We’re all just co-workers.”

Ford also said he never considered the gender demographics of his job before.

“Everyone else on my team is a female. But it’s not as big of a deal as you might think it would be,” he said. “The women here are great. Our campus is like a family, I love it here.”

Edmonds said the women he works with treat him wonderfully, and he’s always eager to learn from them.

“They can help you and coach you in what you need to do,” he said.

Still, male teachers can provide some things no female teacher can.



Stepping into the role

Coleman special education teacher Randy Hamilton said the women he works with have been instrumental in helping him with his job, but a male can step beyond being merely a teacher and become a role model for students who otherwise wouldn’t have a male presence in their lives.

“As the world goes, I think we should have more male role models at the elementary levels.”

Hamilton tries to fill that role by talking to students and learning each of their names, whether he teaches them directly or not.

“I think a young child needs to see a man on campus,” he said. “It’s rewarding. When the kids see me, I want them to feel secure, safe, and feel happy that this is a fun place to go, with safety first and academics on the mind.”

Gerard Elementary School Principal Jay Lewis began his career as a fifth-grade teacher at Adams Elementary School. Being a role model was one of the best parts of his job, he said.

“It was a fantastic experience,” he said. “A lot of times you get kiddos who don’t have a father image at home, and there were some moms who would specifically ask that I be their kids’ teacher, so that was nice.”

“There are a few that I’ve kind of taken under my wing because there’s not a true father figure in their house,” Edmonds said. “It’s amazing how much they attach to you and listen do you, even if you’ve gotten onto them about something five minutes before. They’re so loyal.”



The reward

All teachers receive something out of being a educator, whether they’re male or female.

“It makes no difference how bad your day started, when you walk into your classroom, there’s someone everyday that has a fantastic story to share with you, and all my students are so positive,” Agricola said. “You can’t have a bad day when you’re teaching students this age.”

Edmonds said he gets several things out of being a teacher.

“The best part is seeing the smiles on their faces and seeing the light bulb go off in their heads when they finally get the ‘aha’ moment,” Edmonds said. “Just being around the kids, it brings such joy to you and brings things into perspective. You have all these problems, but you look at these kids’ lives, and they touch you in such a way that your problems mean nothing to you.”

Hamilton said watching a student learn is a reward that can’t be found in any other industry.

“You have to let your heart guide you,” Hamilton said. “It’s not about money, it’s about the kids. When that little boy or girl looks you straight in the eye and says ‘I get it. I understand it now, thank you,’ you will feel like the king of the world.”