Congratulations to Erna Goodier, Educator Physical Science Department (Physics and Chemistry), Grade 9 Tutor Upper, Teacher in Charge Tennis, and Mentorship Program Lead at St. Andrew’s College (South Africa), for winning the 2024 IBSC Action Research Award for completing highly innovative action research projects that make a valuable contribution to the IBSC Action Research community.
The International Boys’ Schools Coalition (IBSC) Action Research topic for 2023/2024 was “Promoting Healthy Masculinity beyond the classroom”. This immediately sparked interest.
I was immediately interested to know how boys (both in my class and at co-curricular activities) view masculinity and what it means to be a man. The focus was on conversations – to challenge and possibly redefine traditional notions of masculinity and gender role stereotypes with our boys, to ultimately foster a healthier and more inclusive understanding of manhood.
Being a culturally diverse country, concepts of masculinity are entwined with historical and societal constructs based on inequality, racism, and socio-economic disparity. The kaleidoscope of masculinities that exists is framed within manmade hierarchies, which often include power and influence (Ammann & Staudacher).
My passion for the Sciences, my love for cooking and the connection that is formed when people share a meal around a dinner table, all led to the creation of the Kitchen Chemistry Club. Both here and during other activities, I witnessed the sharing (and in some cases the unlearning) of views and hearing the boys vocabulary change when articulating their opinions.
Action Research does not have to be formal – it can take a few minutes to adapt and change an approach to a section in an academic class. Feedback from boys will then determine the qualitative data captured and by analysing the responses, an educator can see whether the change in approach made a difference to the boys.
As educators, we continuously have to create opportunities for the boys to try unconventional activities, providing a brave space where they can be their authentic selves while being stretched outside their comfort zone.
I would like to thank St Andrew’s College and Mr Tom Hamilton for giving me the opportunity to participate in this incredible IBSC Action Research Program. This has been one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences of my teaching career.
A big thank you to Ms Marika du Toit for her technical support and creativity in creating a promotional video. Your effort made all the difference!