[DOWNLOAD] "Why Men Left: Reconsidering the Feminization of Teaching in the Nineteenth Century (Article 14) (Report)" by American Education History Journal # Book PDF Kindle ePub Free
eBook details
- Title: Why Men Left: Reconsidering the Feminization of Teaching in the Nineteenth Century (Article 14) (Report)
- Author : American Education History Journal
- Release Date : January 01, 2009
- Genre: Education,Books,Professional & Technical,
- Pages : * pages
- Size : 230 KB
Description
Geraldine Joncich Clifford writes in "Man/Woman/Teacher: Gender, Family, and Career in American Educational History" of an Indiana man who recounts his schooling experiences as a child in 1828. The man recalled that "There was no such thing then as a woman teacher. It wasn't a woman's job, any more than milkin' a cow was a man's job" (Clifford 1989, 293). Given such a statement, it is interesting to note that "by 1860, women outnumbered men among teachers in the United States and their preponderance has never been reversed" (Clifford 1989, 293). In fact, it has been suggested that the feminization of education may be "the most unappreciated transformation of American schools in the nineteenth century" (Clifford 1989, 294), which highlights the contemporary need to reconsider the feminization of the teaching profession in the United States, and the way that it has been previously studied. This historiographical essay provides a critique of sources relevant to the feminization of teaching in the United States from the mid- to late-nineteenth century. Sources covering topics such as the American Civil War, labor market forces, increasing urbanization, educational reform, and regional differences, and how they affected the feminization of teaching, are considered. While secondary sources are of primary focus, autobiographical works of women teachers during the period of study are also examined. The dominant narrative regarding the feminization of teaching in the United States centers on women's willingness to work for low wages, which encouraged men to pursue better paying professional endeavors. The present essay challenges this notion, suggesting that, contrary to popular belief, teaching was a financially viable option for young men, but many men considered teaching to be a part-time professional endeavor. Consequently, as the field of education became increasingly professionalized during the late-nineteenth century, men chose other fulltime jobs, while many women were actively invested in teaching as a meaningful career.