Y-Factor Leads to a Positive Turnaround

Mr. Franklin changed my son’s life.

Alex used to hate school. He angrily questioned and resented every assignment, no matter how easy or fun it seemed. I dreaded the monumental struggle it took just getting him to do his work. Many parents fight this daily battle. Even those of us who are professional educators are not exempt from it.

Then came Mr. Franklin.

It wasn’t just that he was endlessly positive and encouraging. It wasn’t just that he listened to every kid, made jokes that were actually funny and treated every person with respect. Yes, Mr. Franklin was an outstanding teacher, but other outstanding teachers had also tried to engage Alex with creativity and kindness to no avail. Mr. Franklin had the y-factor that turned my son around.

He was a man.

Mr. Franklin didn’t do anything so different from the female teachers Alex had. But for a kid who doesn’t live with his father, being in the presence of a good man every day completely shifted his world. Alex is one of millions of boys and girls who would benefit from having good male teachers.

More men are needed in education. Of course, more people of color and different abilities are needed as well. Ideally, children learn from diverse adults who help to shape their world. According to the U.S. Department of Education, nearly 76 percent of teachers are female.  

But sometimes it’s the system that stands in the way of attracting good male teachers to their dream jobs.

One of my male colleagues often laments teaching middle level grades. For as long as Matt can remember, he wanted to teach elementary school. However, he was strongly discouraged to pursue elementary education by the first district that hired him. They felt that his keen desire to teach at the elementary level might be construed as creepy. There were no men in either of the district’s elementary schools.

Matt is a kind, funny, thoughtful teacher, but he doesn’t possess any remarkable qualities that differ from wonderful female teachers—except that y-factor.

Still, I can’t help but wonder how my son’s elementary experience might have benefitted from having someone like Matt as a teacher. While I do believe that the quality of the teacher is not gender-specific, I also believe that more quality men in education would make a positive difference for lots of kids, including mine.

Sofen is a middle school writing teacher in New Jersey.