Uncommon Caring

by James R King

Published 1 April 1998
Why do so few men choose to teach young children? And who are the men that do so? In Uncommon Caring: Learning from Men Who Teach Young Children, the author and a group of male primary grade teachers tell their stories and offer in-depth descriptions of what it means for them to teach young children. They discuss a wide range of topics, including discipline, classroom talk, curriculum, physical contact with the children, relationships with other (female) teachers, and issues about sexual orientation that all of them - both gay and straight - must deal with. Analyzing these discussions using a post-structuralist lens, the author examines gender, childhood, sexuality, and caring in relation to primary teaching.