Christine Skelton is a lecturer at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne where she teaches on undergraduate courses in gender and identity and on the MA Gender Studies degree. Her PhD was a study of boys in the primary school. She has published widely in this area and is currently co-editor (with Dr. Becky Francis) of the journal Gender and Education.

This book explores where masculinity is in primary schools. It has been argued by some commentators that a contributory factor to boys' underachievement is the predominance of women teachers in primary schools which has led to classroom management and teaching styles which 'favour' girls. As this book shows, primary schools produce a range of masculinities for pupils to draw on. A number of questions are raised: what are the tensions for boys between what the school expects from them as 'school pupils' and how they are drawn to behave as a 'boy'? How does a primary school produce certain masculine styles in its day-to-day routines? In what ways do girls respond to male practices and behaviours in the primary school classroom? The book provides readers with an understanding of the background literature on boys and schooling, an insight into 'masculinity-making' in primary schools, and to offer strategies for developing gender-relevant programmes.

Introduction

Part one

A history of boys' schooling
Theorizing masculinities
Boys and primary schools
a feminist perspective

Part two

Primary schools and local communities
Being a (school) boy
Male teachers and primary schools
Heterosexuality in the primary classroom
Conclusion
References
Index.