Same author. Not sure why this wasn’t added to the first article. (Yeah, right.)
We hold back, say male teachers
Susan Troller — 10/20/2007 7:41 am
A love for children is the best reason for anyone, male or female, to go into teaching, educators say. But misinterpreted, that affection can be problematic — and that’s particularly true for men.
In an environment where any word, gesture or — especially — touch can be considered suspect in terms of being sexually charged, many male teachers say they must be extra careful in the way they interact with their students.
John Burkholder, principal at Midvale Elementary and a former elementary school classroom teacher, said he is careful not to initiate hugs with his students.
“If they hug me, that’s OK, but I don’t encourage it,” Burkholder said. “I initiate high fives, instead.”
“As a male teacher, you try to make certain you are never alone in your classroom with a student, and if a student comes in you have the door open, and stand in the doorway. Sometimes you see that a kid really needs a hug. That’s when I send them to see our female psychologist, or our social worker,” he added.
Adam Zingsheim teaches a combined grade 4 and 5 class at Mendota Elementary, and is in his third year of teaching.
An ardent athlete and sports fan, he says teaching, along with coaching, is his dream job.
“I think it’s probably one of the only things you do in life where you get as much as you give,” he said enthusiastically.
But he is cautious about his physical contact with students.
“For us, it’s a handshake. That’s something we want to model with our students,” he said.
Like Burkholder, he said he errs on the side of caution when it comes to having students in his room after school.
“The door is always open,” he said. “And I’m very careful even with the words I choose. You want to tell parents, ‘You have a wonderful daughter. She is brilliant, she’s beautiful’ but I want to be careful.”
Veteran first grade teacher Bob Arnold said that while he’s very conscious of current concerns about physical affection is the classroom, he has to be himself, and recognize the needs of his students.
Whether it’s a quick hug, or a pat on the head or shoulder, “a lot of kids crave physical affection,” he said. “I don’t let (these concerns) affect my teaching style.”
Even females have to be very, very careful. I’m hesitant to do anything other than occasionally pat a kid on the shoulder. I’ve had several hug me, and it makes me happy to know they like me, but I’m scared to death to hug them back.