MMEET

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE MMEET PROGRAM?

The purpose of Mizzou Men for Excellence in Elementary Teaching (MMEET) is to recruit, develop, and support the best qualified men who are currently teaching in elementary schools, who are preparing to teach in elementary schools, or who work in other ways with educating boys.

MMEET Scholars complete a one-year program consisting of monthly seminars that include discussion of issues, explorations of readings, videos, guest speakers, informal research activities, meeting with special groups, writing on the MMEET blog, etc.

The MMEET Program will eventually consist of a variety of programs and activities at the following levels:

2. The graduate program in education, including the Teaching Fellows Program and other discipline-specific programs.

3. Freshman Interest Groups or “FIGS”

4. Novice teachers

5. Expert teachers

6. Administrators, Counselors, Coaches

7. Retired teachers

ASSUMPTIONS OF THE MMEET PROGRAM:

1. We have long had very few men involved in Elementary teaching, due to a variety of reasons (stereotypes re: male and female roles; lack of prestige, salary, etc.). There has been, overall, a disturbing lack of male influence in the lives of young children.

2. Men are not somehow “better” or more effective than women as elementary teachers;

3. Men should not be hired as teachers merely because of their gender or sexual orientation; nor should they be excluded on the basis of gender or sexual orientation;

4. To succeed, this program will need to be a joint effort across the College of Education—via financial support and collaborative research projects.