When inspiration strikes

Do you have those moments, just before you fall asleep, when you think of great conversation starter?  It is always a genius idea and in that comfortable moment with your head on the pillow, you truly believe you will remember the prompt when you wake in the morning. 

I have these moments regularly.  And no, I never remember the prompts; it is either completely lost from my consciousness or lacks clarity and cohesion the next morning.

Now that I have my blog (and a notepad and pen by my bed to write down the ideas), this article serves as an introduction to me, my research, and as a springboard for a new dialogue about teaching in single-sex environments.

I always knew I wanted a Doctorate, but it wasn’t until I moved into single-sex all-boys’ school education that I found the gap.  Over the course of that first school year, I realised that many of my mentors for teaching boys’, and teaching boys’ music, were male.  Often, their strategies did not work for me.  I began to wonder if my physiology meant that I had to approach teaching and modelling (singing for example), differently.  I also wondered whether my experience learning stereotypically feminine instruments (Harrison, 2005; 2007; 2010; 2024) as a girl meant I was perpetuating stereotypes simply by being female. 

Or is it simpler than that? Am I just weird?

It turns out that my pre-conceived musings were insignificant in the greater picture of things. Hegemonic Masculinity in boys’ schools adds a complexity to teaching that impacts how female and male teachers work in all-boys’ schools.  It isn’t as simple as having a higher vocal range or having had learnt a gender stereotypical instrument.  And in this short introduction, I won’t even try to touch on the findings. 

If there is one thing I can say about completing a Doctorate, is how acutely aware you become of the possible meanings or intentions behind actions, and words and phrases. You become an obsessive critical thinker, always analysing and evaluating the meaning of what you read, hear and speak. If you are like me, you also become more considered and tactful with your own words and in your associations.  You want your hard work and resultant findings to have meaning and make a difference, and whilst it feels like rocking-the-boat, you want to do so in a way that values what we already do and know. I especially, want to do this in a way that seeks to enhance and complement our existing body of knowledge.

In my case, I feel the need to speak up. It is time to start a dialogue about what some may be relieved to finally discuss, what others may see as a contentious subject, and/or those that may perceive this as a feminist diatribe. 

If we want to be better teachers; If we want the male students in our care to grow up and become better men (whatever that might mean to you), then we need to acknowledge there are inherent differences and reasons for why male and female teachers may have different approaches.  And even more relevant to today’s teaching workforce, we need to do this to prepare new teachers, and to support and retain existing teachers and the wealth of experience they bring.