The scripts are available for printing and for sound bite identification.

Go to http://www.wichita.edu/newsline to get the current Wichita State University Newsline. If you cannot access the Newsline at the Web address above, contact Joe Kleinsasser at (316) 978-3013 or joe.kleinsasser@wichita.edu.

Newsline cuts may be edited to suit your needs. If you have additional questions for Kear after listening to the WSU Newsline, please contact him at (316) 978-3301 or dennis.kear@wichita.edu.

Background:

Men are generally underrepresented as elementary school teachers in the United States. They comprise just 17 percent of elementary teachers and about 2 percent of kindergarten to second grade teachers. Wichita State University education professor Dennis Kear explains why there continues to be a shortage of male teachers. If you have additional questions for Kear after listening to the WSU Newsline, please contact him at (316) 978-3301 or dennis.kear@wichita.edu.

Voice wrap:

Announcer: It may not come as any surprise that there’s a shortage of male elementary teachers in the United States. But you may be surprised to learn how long the shortage has existed. Wichita State University education professor Dennis Kear explains.

Kear: “The shortage of male teachers can be traced all the way back to the Civil War. Approximately 600,000 soldiers died and they had to be replaced as far as the teachers among them, by females.”

Announcer: Kear says there’s no indication that an end is in sight to the shortage of male elementary school teachers. According to one study, about 17 percent of elementary teachers were males in 1980, compared with a little more than 14 percent in today’s elementary classrooms. This is Joe Kleinsasser at Wichita State University.

Sound bite #1

Kear says the percentage of male teachers has declined since 1980. The sound bite is 13 seconds and the outcue is “NEA study.”

Kear: “In 1980, about 17 percent of elementary teachers were males, compared with 14.2 percent in today’s elementary classrooms, according to a NEA study.”

Sound bite #2

Kear explains why there’s some concern over the shortage of male elementary school teachers. The sound bite is 25 seconds and the outcue is “female teachers.” Kear: “Some research suggests students of color perform better academically, personally and socially when they’re taught by teachers from their own ethnic groups. Recently a study has surfaced that suggests that boys may learn better from male teachers, and girls may learn better from female teachers.

Sound bite #3

Kear says learning styles is a major concern of educators today. The sound bite is 28 seconds and the outcue is “different teaching styles.”

Kear: “Learning styles is a major concern of educators today. We realize that students, both male and female, have different learning styles. And the concern of fewer males in the classroom is that students are denied that diversity of different teaching styles.”

Sound bite #4

Kear says low salaries is the reason most often cited for fewer males going into teaching. The sound bite is 17 seconds and the outcue is “males in the classroom.”

Kear: “Low salaries is the reason most often cited for fewer males going into teaching. However, states that have the highest teaching salaries also have the highest percentage of males in the classroom.”

Sound bite #5

Kear cites other reasons for the shortage of male elementary teachers. The sound bite is 50 seconds and the outcue is “coaching sports.”

Kear: “Other factors that are cited as reasons for why there are so few males going into teaching, especially in the elementary school — isolation, many elementary schools have one or two male teachers; pressure to move into administration coupled out with the fact that 51 percent of new teachers leave the profession within the first five years; and finally, coaching sports is something that many males feel pressure to move into, and teaching in the elementary school, which usually goes later in the day, cuts off those males from access to coaching sports.”