It’s no secret that women have dominated the teaching force for decades, even centuries. And with women outpacing men in bachelor’s degrees, the gender gap in teaching only widens. How did teaching become so feminized in the first place and what can be done to close the gender gap and enhance student learning?

When Robyn Griffin graduated with a bachelor’s in education, she entered a tough market for teachers. Griffin needed another route to gain experience and get her foot into a school district, so she looked into becoming a paraprofessional. While she admits the choice was “a little disheartening,” it was an inspiring interview, a helpful teacher and a supportive school that reframed the opportunity.

New Jersey’s Amistad Bill became law in 2002, mandating schools incorporate African American history in social studies curricula. The only problem was the law established no real consequences for districts that did not comply.

Eventually, it was strengthened in 2021 and the Amistad Commission—the body created to oversee curriculum implementation— was given more agency to execute its work. The update created a line item in the state budget for the commission and expanded African American history to all subjects, not just social studies.

As provisionally licensed teachers, Rutgers Alternate Route program candidates connect with expert mentors selected by principals for their teaching achievements. These connections help our first-year teacher candidates feel supported, introduce them to new teaching methods and provide a listening ear when challenges arise.

We often hear how mentors have helped their mentees succeed, but what if we shared the positive impact mentees have had on their mentors?

We asked our mentors to share what they love about their mentees and how they helped make the recent school year successful.