What would happen if every man that is currently teaching were to seek out any other man in his community that is also teaching? Either in early education, elementary school or high school?
And once the two men get together, talk about their work, they were to find other men. They could meet every other week to talk about work and their lives. The deep satisfaction to see a child learn to read. Or seeing a those first few words on paper connect with an image in their mind about what those words mean. Or helping a child understand adding a few numbers or solving a complicated physics problem.
But why stop there. As the men got to know each other they could begin to think about encouraging other men to join them in their work. The men teaching in high schools could consider offering a class for young men about working with children. They could go to a local child care center and read a book to the children.
We know it is important work. Research supports this. We know this on an intuitive level – that’s why we’ve devoted our lives to this work. It will take concerted efforts to convince men to consider teaching. And it will take working together.