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Dowell, Judy H.; Greenwood, Bonnie B. 0The Masculine Focus in Home Economics.Home Economics Education Association, Washington,D.C.1 Apr 7531p.

DBES PRICE .MF-$0.-76 HC-$1.95 Plus PostageDESCRIPTORS *Adolescents; *Curriculum Development; *Home

Economics Education; *Males; Secondary Education;*Student Characteristics; Student Interests; StudentNeeds

ABSTRACTThe publication explores what home economics has to

offer young men and provides information useful in establishing orimplementing a curriculum to meet the'needs of today's adolescentmale. The growing recognition that home economics at the secondaryand middle school levels provides important knowledge, attitudes, andskills for the adolescent male is discussed. The existing barriers tomale students' involvement in home economics classes are describedand identified: community involvement, parental attitudes, peerattitudes, attitudes of school personnel, and teacher attitudes. Somegeneral observations on understanding and teaching boys arepresented. The need for considering the masculine self-image is alsodiscussed. Detailed suggestions for curriculum development includemethods of recruitment and ideas for adapting course content andactivities to the needs of males in co-educational classes. Specificareas of the curriculum discussed are: child development, clothingand textiles, food and nutrition, housing and home management,personal development and family relations, and occupational homeeconomics. The report concludes that the inclusion of males in thehome economics curriculum is a forward step which requires teachersto become acquainted with male students' characteristics, needs, andattitudes in order to provide relevant and interesting instruction.(Author/MS)

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r\ICI US DEPARTMENT OF HELTM

E OUCTtON a WELFA RE

C) NATIONAL INSTITUTE OFEOUCT1ON

DO, .)mE N T HAS SEEN REPRO-DuCED ExACTLv AS RECEvE0 FROMvir4,..,E PERSON OR ORGNzTONOR,G,N

T.T."1 T,NG ,T POINTS OF ,.,Edv OR OPINIONSSTATED 00 NOT NECESSARILY REPRECZ SENT Occ,c,AL NATIONAL INSTITUTE OrEDuCT,04 ROS,T,ON OR POLICYLi

The Masculine Focusin

Home Economics

Written byJudy H. Dowell

andBonnie B. Greenwood

School of Home EconomicsFlorida State University

N.

for theHome Economics Education Association

of theNational Education Association

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction 1

Background ...... .... .... ................... 2Home Economics and Young Men `,,,,.. 2Why Home Economics for Young Men 4Existing Barriers , 5

Understanding and Teaching Boys 9Masculine Image 12

Plans for Action 14Methods of Recruitment lzi,Course Content 16 N

\The Inclusion of Males in the HomeEconomics Curriculum How toLive With It and Like It

-....,

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INTRODUCTION

Home Economics is a broad field of endeavor V, hl Ch

emphasizes home and family life and harmonious living.It has something of value to offer people of all ages, bothmale and female. As the years have passed, the scope ofhome economics has been more clearly defined andconsiderable time and effort has been expended in makingall people av are of Ni hat home economics has to offer themas individuals and as family members.

Young men have notably increased their visibility inhome economics in the last decade Teachers report ever-increasing numbers of them in co-eduCational semestercourses such as family living, child development, con-sumer education, housing and home- furnishings, andfoods and nutrition Many schools,have reported highlyfavorable responses to -males only" classes. Often theseclasses have taken the form of a) a comprehensive homeeconomics class touching on nearly all subject matterat-6as or (13) a foods class. In some states, home economicshas attracted a number of very enthusiastic learners byway of middle school-aged boys

The purpose of this publiCation is to explore what homeeconomics has to offer young men as well as to provideinformation that should be of some assistance in estab-l4shing and or implementing a curriculum to meet theneeds of today's adolescent male.

It is not the intention of the publication to focus sosharply on males as to lead readers to conclude that ado-lescent males and femilles share no common ground or tocommunicate a sexist point of view. Differences do exist,however, or teachers would not voice so strongly their

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need for assistance and guidance in working with youngmen. Emphasis will be placed on characteristics freequently described by experienced teachers of male stu-dents, but this is in no way to suggest that female studentsmay not exhibit similar traits.

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BACKGROUND

HOMEICONOMICS AND YOUNG MEN

Men have been part of home economics from its concep-tualization at Lake Placid, through the early years as astruggling professioki, to the present time when a growingnumber of men An be counted as proud members of thehome economics profession.

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When the Smith- Hughes Act was passed fn 1917, homeeconomics became an integral part of vocational educa-tion at the secondary level. Unlike the other vocationalsubjects identified, home economics was designed to pre-pare students for homemaking rather than wage-earningactivities. In 1917, the home economics classroom clien-tele was envisioned as strictly female. In fact, many saidthat home economics was included in this particular pieceof legislation so that there would be some provi sion for theyoung women of the nation. )

Thus home economics in the secondary schools has hada reputation as a female endeavor. On the other hand, thefield of home economics has never been so narrowly de-fined. The family has been at the center of our activities,and home economists have taken pride in the unique waysthey have applied the physical and social sciences and thearts for the purpose of serving families and improvingfamily life.

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There has been, in recent years, a growing recognitionthat home economics in the secondary schools has much tooffer the young man of today. This recognition has beenstrengthened by the successes of a number of homeeconomics teachers who over the years have experimentedwith home economics curricula for males and by the pro-posed regulations to implement Title IX of the Educa-tional Amendments of 1972 dealing with sex discrimina-tion.

The growth of the middle school movement has alsofocused attention on what home economics can offer youngmen. The middle school curriculum typically provides anexploratory component of which home economics is usu-ally a part. Most, of these exploratory programs are oper-ated on the basis of free choice by students with nd regardto sex. Prevocational experiences, provided today in manymiddle schools and junior highs, have also served to intro-duce males to the home economics concept.

Natprally, emphasis on the multiple roles and the re-moval of sex barriers in terms of acceptable behaviorand or jobs for the sexes has been a great contributingfactor Socie as a whole, as well as young men Tem-selves, is mare likely to accept the sharing of tasks and

ject trad tonal stereotyping in regard to work both ind outsi e the home.

WHY HOME ECONOMICS FOR YOUNG MEN?

Whft can males gain from home economics? Probablyno less than their female counterparts. Adolescent malesare participating family members, and most 'of them willestablish families of their own. Naturally, n& all willchoose to'marry. A number of young people, both Male andfemale, will experience a period of single, independent

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living even though they anticipate marriage in the future.Females, by tradition, are better prepared for this role,but home economics courses can assist males in assumingthe same responsibilities.

Home economics has much to offer the adolescent malein the form of knowledge, attitudes, and skills useful tohim both now and in the future. Everyone is a consumer.Men are just as interested in managing money wisely asare women. Many want to learn to prepare meals andsnacks for themselves, and most are concerned with phys-ical health and development. They would like to be-able tomake simple clothing repairs. Some have the desire tomake clothing or accessory items for themselves. Anumber of young males enjoy relating to children andwould like to know more about how they develop andgr9w. Nearly all want to make themselye.s more attractiveto others not only in terms of appearance but in personalrelations as well. Creating a pleasant environment inwhich to live and finding suitable housing is also of impor-tance. In addition, home economics careers will appeal tomany young men.

EXISTING BARRIERS

If the study of home economics can contribute so muchto the growth and development of young men and providethem with knowledge, attitudes and skills for the future,why aren't more of them enrolled in home economicsclasses? The reasons are many, and some degree of varia-tion exists as to the specific barriel-s operating in a givensituation. Some of the more common ones will be dis-cussed.

Community Environment. Communities vary interms of the prevailing attitudes egarding sex roles andappropriate behavior for adolesce'ri and females. Insome communities, home economics is considered in-

Itoappropriate for young men. Many teachers have found,however, that the form the class takes or even the title cangreatly influence the acceptance or lack of it in a givensituation. For example, a class in cooking may be labeledinappropriate by the community for male participationwhereas "Bachelor Survival" may be readily acceptedeven though both courses are identical in terms of subjectmatter.

Parental Attitudes. Parents usually have a great dealof influence on the courses selected by their children.Some parents have a stereotyped image of male andfemale roles. In some cases, this will result in a negativeinfluence on their sons regarding enrollment in homeeconomics classes. There are also a number of parents whohave a very limited perception of' home ecoipmics. Al-though they might see the need for their sons to be edu-cated in the areas of family life and consumer education,they do not see home economics as the source for suchknowledge, attitudes, and skills. Concerted efforts in thearea of public relations can do much to counteract thisparticular barrier.

Peer Attitudes. Anyone who has worked with adoles-cents in a school setting realizes there are prevailing peerattitudes. that strongly influence adolescent behavior.Most teenagers do not want to do anything considered

0 unacceptable by their friends. If home economics has a"female only" image, there is little chance of having asignificant male enrollment until the image is changedwithin the peer group. Some teachers have reported suc-cess in this area by "packaging" their home economicsclasses in non-home economics wrappings. For example acourse might be titled "Bachelors Only" rather than"Home Economics for Moderns". Other teachers have con-centrated their efforts on winning over those adolescentsrecognized as being most influential in terms of peer at-

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tit udes. If a teacher has most of the varsity footballplayers in her home economics classes, there is a goodchance they will serve as a positive influence on otheryoung men to enroll.

Attitudes of School Personnel. It is common to hearhome economics teachers say that their efforts to makehome economics courses available to males have beenhindered by school administrators and, or guidance per-sonnel. Sometimes these individuals are not fully aware ofwhat home economics has to offer young men. In otherinstances, the course offering is misunderstood and misin-terpreted to potential students. It is rester difficult for thehome economics teacher with a class of adolescent maleswho are there because they were told they would eateveryday if they enrolled, or fothe teacher with a class ofyoung men who couldn't be scheduled into any other classat that particular time period. Teachers have found itinvaluable to keep administrators and guidance rson-nel fully informed of the purpose, scope and objectiv s of ahome economics class open to boys.

Home Economics Teacher Attitudes. The holeeconomics teacher naturally has a great deal of influencein determining success or lack of success in homeeconomics classes serving adolescent males. It is not at alluncommon to hear college home economics education stu-dents comment that they had never considered the possP-bility of teaching males. Many experienced teachers havesimilar feelings. Some teachers think they would notenjoy teaching them, and many others express feelings ofuncertainty at such a prospect. It is not unusual foryounger teachers to re ort difficulties in establishing theteacher role With a cla lder adolescent males. At thesame time, others descr the protective and supportiveattitude shown by young mep having a young homeeconomics teacher.

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Most teachers find that some reorientation is necessarywhen working with males. A small habit such as referringto the class as"girls" can quickly alienate a group of youngmen. Every good teacher knows that curriculum andcourse emphasis have to 14k tailored to a given group, andthis is especially true in Working with adolescent males.Having young men in home economics calls for a teacherwho is flexibleand willing to examine existing curriculumcontent, teaching methods and learning experiences forrelevance and appeal to the male students enrolled.

What particular trouble spots should teachers be awareof in effectively working with young, men? Kreutz (1965)questioned 579 home economics teachers who had taughtadolescent males in an attempt to answer this question.'In general, she found that older teachers and those,withmore years of teaching experience reported more difficul-ties in the following areas:

1. Working with young men who had little interest inschool

2 Meeting the differences in background preparation ofyou g men.

3.,

Inco orating the differences in interests and develop-menta) levels of young men.

Younger teachers and those with fewer years of experi-ence reported more difficulties in the areas of:

1. Selecting content and methods for classes in which youngmen were enrolled.

2 Discipline.3. Getting depth in subject matter to interest young nien.

'Kreutz. Shirley M Teacher-Recognized Problems in Teaching Boys in HomeEconomics 1965 Dissertation Abstracts 26 4620-4621

UNDERSTANDING AND TEACHING BOYS

Very little scientific research exists to document thedifferences teachers should expect when working withboys as compared to girls. However. nearly all homeeconomics twhers of young-men can express an opinionon the subject. Some general 'observations that seem to beconsistent from teacher to teacher will be cited here.

Activity Orientation: Although all adolescents re-quire a variety of activity-oriented learning experiences,most teachers find that this is especially true for adoles-cent males. They recommend more emphasis on activitieswhich enable the s udents to learn the theo'ry indirectly.

Skill Oriqntation. Most young men who enroll jnhomeeconomics want to obtain some type of skills whether theybe cooking skills or skill at decorating a bachelor apart-ment. It is important that they have the opportunity todevelop and practice these Skills in home economics.When adolescents are able to see that they are acquiringdesired skills, they are more likely be accepting of thetheory that accompanies them.

Scientific Orientation. The limited research that doesexist documents the fact that males are more likely toexcell in science-oriented areas than are females, forwhatever reason. Thus many home economics teachersfind them more interested than females in the scientificprinciples applicable to home economics. Young men arealso more likely to ,question the "whys"of things anddemand the scientifil explanation behind the practice ordemonstration.

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Practical Orientation. Adolescents, both male andfemale, tend to question subject matter in terms of itsrelevance and practicality for them' . It is important for thehome economics teacher to make young men aware of therelevance of the course content and be sure that the mate-rial presented does have practical application for the par-ticular group of males enrolled.

Competitive Orientation. Most adolescent males arekeen competitors and enjoy friendly competition withtheir peers both in and out of the classroom. They' tend tobe eager to compare the results of their work againstestablished standards in order to judge how well theirproduct measures up. They will often demand somejudgement from the teacher as to which one of them hasachieved at the highest level. Learning activities can bedesigned and selected to take maximum advantage of thischaracteristic through use of games, team competition,score cards for projects, etc.

Basic Skill and Theory Orientation. Teachers havefound that many young, men bring very little practicalexperience with them when they enroll in homeeconomics. Teachers have learned this fact in interestingways. They have discovered that males using a gelatinsalad recipe do not know from experience that the watershould be boiling water rather than hot water from thefaucet. Who would consider a device such as a can openerwhen a pocket knife is readily accessible?

Whereas thJs lack of experience and knowledge can be..

consulered a disadvantage, many teachers see it more asan advantage. They say young men have fewer "badhabits" and misconceptions to be corrected. Males may notbe as keenly aware of "how mother does it" or "the way wealways do it". Whether an advantage or dttradvaVage, the

'''. limited experience' and knowledge of young men must be,

carefully considered as the teachefplans for instruction.

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Male Orientation. Nearly all teachers who haveworked wit hyoung men comment on the sensitil, ity maleshave to what was designed for them and what they per-ceive as being for "girls only". Many a teacher has found aparticularly informative filmstrip or other teaching aidrejected by male students because they thought it wasfemale oriented. It is often easy to be so impressed with thecontent of resource materials that the students to whom itis articularly directed is ignored. Unfortunately, there isriot:a great variety of resource materials in homekonornics geared for male students.

Conducive Learning Environment. What type oflearning environment is most conducive for adolescentmales? Some of the more successful teachers working withyoung men have found that a relaxed but structured ap-proach works best. Adolescent males, perhaps more thanfemales, tend to dislike a classroom in which they feel theteacher is "uptight" or too structured. An example mightbest illustrate this point.

Janice Jones was teaching an "all male" semester course inhome economics. Toward the end of the semester, the classbegan a unit in clothing. Janice decided that the fellowswould enjoy an activity-oriented project and selected tie mak-i ng as both suitable and appropriate. At the beginning of theproject, the fellows showed some reluctance. A few studentscommented that they weren't sure they wanted to make a tie.Janice did not become defensive or show any irritation attheir comments. She encouraged them in a friendly way asthey started to wQrk...AS time passed she reacted in the samemanner to comments to the effect that they would not want towea' their ties once they were completed. Finally the tieswere completed Janice was amused at the fellows' behavior.They gathered around the mirror to try on their ties and get afirst hand look at their completed projects The fellows werevery proud of themselves and impressed with the professionallook of their ties. Every fellow decided to wear his tie to thenext class even t,ho ugh none were wearing shirts that could,possibly be considered as coordinated with their ties.

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By taking a relaxed but firm approach and humoring thestudents along, Janice was able to help them accomplishmuch more than would have resulted from a demandingand authoritarian approach. Although this is basicallytrue for all students, teachers have found this to be evenmore crucial in working with young men.

Boys are likely to see the humor in a given situation andoften find it difficult to relate to someone who doesn't.Therefore, the successful teacher of boys needs a goodsense of humor to be able to enjoy and participate in thetype of give and take typical among teenagers.

MASCULINE IMAGE

A review of the characteristics of adolescent males re-veals how important their peers are to them during thisstage. The image which they portray to their friends, bothmale and female, is of vital importance in order to insure asatisfying self-concept. By giving some basic considera-tion to certain areas, as home economics teachers we canenhance their masculine "image" and at the same timeprovide them with the opportunity to learn in the homeeconomics department.

Consideration should first be given to a male's concernfor his "image" when the first co-educational course orcourses are being formulated. Input from male students inthe form of an advisory committee or perhaps a schoolsurvey determining the needs and desires of the males inregards to the home economics curriculum would be ahelpful beginning. Realization by the students that theirinput will be a vital force in shaping the courses willinsure them that it will be relevant to their particularneeds.

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The course title will help to "sell" home economiccourses to students. The "bachelor" image has been a verypopular one and yet, perhaps in some instances may bemisleading since many times the rationale for the inclu-sion of males in the home economics curriculum is that,they are family members with a variety of roles to play.Some of the popular titles have included "Bachelor Liv-ing", "Bachelor Survival","Bachel or Know-How", "SingleLiving", and other catchy phrases. Some courses may dealwith only one particular area of home economics such as"How to SurvWe in the Kitchen" or "Gourmet Foods".Other courses may be :comprehensive in scope, such as"Family Living" and here it would be especially importantthat the title seem as appropriate for males'as for females.

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PLANS FOR ACTION

Now that you ha ve an understanding of the relevancy ofhome economics for boys and barriers which may exist inyour school and community, some concrete proposals forimplementation are in order. Hopefully the suggestionsfor curriculum development which follow will assist youin initiating a program which will meet the needs of the

students.

METHODS OF RECRUITMENT'

Recruitment efforts may take a variety of forms. Whatis chosen by a department in terms of what to do to recruitmale students may be based primarily on how the homeeconomics ourses for males originated in the first place. If

the depa me nt is responding to expressed needs of maleswithin he school, then recruitment procedures may be

very simple. However, if the department initiates a coursein which they must convince the male students of thecourse relevance, then recruitment will probably be thedetermining factor in the success of such a course. Beingaware of barriers existing in yourparticular situation willbe extremely helpful.

As 4nentioned earlier, one ingredient which may helprecruitment efforts would be the inclusion of representa-tive male students in the basic planning for the course.Here it would be wise to select males who are influentialwith a wide group of students. If we realize how importanttheir peer group is, recruitment may simply mean con-vincing a few "key" persons who, in turn, will recruit theothers.

Another important part of recruitment should be in-forming key groups about what home economics has tooffer young men. These groups would include adminis-trators, guidance counselors, curriculum personnel, andall faculty. It is important here to make sure that you arethorough in your approach to these groups so that theyfully understand the scope of the courses, who may beincluded, types of activities involved, etc. Not enough canbe said about the importance of this step in your recruit-ment procedures since each of these people will have aninfluence on the students' curriculum choices, either di-,rectly or indirectly. Since the inclusion of males in thehome economics curriculum is a rather new idea, you mayhave some convincing to do as to the "need" for homeeconomics courses rather than its likely appeal (in eating,for instance!).

Since parents also serve as an influential group in de-termining the curriculum choices of their children, com-munication to them concerning your offerings may in-clude a letter describing the courses and what they in-clude or perhaps an oral presentation at a parent-teachermeeting. Having the opportunity to meet parents person-ally and discuss offerings with them is many times aneffective means of recruitment especially if you are ableto present yourself and your course well.

There are a variety of methods available to reach pro-spective male students in order to inform them aboutcourse offerings of special interest. Personal contact bythe home 'economics faculty would be most beneficial toinsure. that the information they receive is accurate andcomplete. This personal contact may be in the form of a,student assembly, visits to individual homerooms orpertiaps requesting an invitation to speak to a class tradi-tiohhlly taken by most males, such as physical education.

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If these methods of presentation are not possible, youmight consider using the school's public address system toannounce and explain course offerings available. A spe-cial written bulletin may also be useful in ,circulatinginformatidn to all students, howeve'r, with this methodyou don't have the assurance that your materials will beread. Well done displays with appropriate photos may be agood alternative.

No matter what method of recruitment you may choose,it is important that you have someone available for ques-tto ns that students or parents may have, particularly dur-ing course registration periods. One method may be toannounce that someone will be available in the homeeconomics department during the school day to answerany questions or to help determine curriculum choices forprospective students. This not only promotes good willamong the students, parents and administrators but alsoallows the home economics department the opportunity todirect new students to appropriate home economicscourses, taking into consideration their needs and in-terests.

COURSE CONTENT

With the passage of the Sex Discrimination Act it hasbecome necessary for ail home economics courses whichare federally funded to be co-educational. No longer areseparate home economics courses for boys and girlsconsidered appropriate, particularly in light of emphasison the dual role. Rather, it is the responsibility of homeeconomics teachers to'help each student, male and female,realize the value of the study of home economics. By work-ing together, students may gain an understanding of howthe sexes can work together to create a positive home

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environment and, at the same time, b.reak down the possi-ble sex stereotyping .after all, girls like and can paintand hammer while boys like and can make draperies. Itseems logical that perhaps involving students together incourses related to the home provides a truer picture offamily life and the many aspects which it entails.

Rather than trying to fit the male students into ourtraditional courses, it would seem more helpful to deter-mine the roles the students will be filling and possiblerelated problems involved and then determine what homeeconomics has to offer in helping with this role prepara-tion. The following pages include a variety of ideas andsuggestions in the different areas of home economicswhich may be suitable for working with males in yourclasses. Certainly your own imagination will help tocreate the teaching-learning situation which will be mostappropriate.

Child Development. perhaps one of the most chal-lenging areas with which to be involved in working withmales in home economics is child development. Most cer-tainly it is an area which is being recognized as more andmore useful and necessary for males as well as females. Asour lifestyles become more flexible and the opportunity todefine individual roles becomes more acceptable, it hasbecome increasingly important for everyone to learn torelate to children. The use of male models may help tomake this point cle/rer for example, inviting a maleelementary teacher to speak to your class.

Whether a young male is able to recognize his probablefuture as a father Onis desire to relate to children in otherroles, child development can offer a great deal to thoseinterested, including a number of pathways toward self-

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understanding. One of the biggest obstacles is probablysecuring a group of males committed to the study of childdevelopment. If this unit serves as only a portion of thecurriculum, it may not b6As much of a problem. Never-theless, it has been discovered that young men do respondfavorably to the study of children once they have becomeinvolved. And this does seem to be the key INVOLVE-Mg).NT. With this in mind, it will be important to arrangefoal: direct contact with children, on a regular basis if possi-ble. Arrangements may include a cooperative programwith a nearby child care center or elementary school, or, ifinterest is sufficiently great, the students may enjoy aplay school directed by the group for a short length of time.Male students usually find easy acceptance among youngchildren perhaps because they are predominantly in-volved with females as babysitters, teachers, etc. Thisacceptance by the children does a great deal in not onlyfamiliarizing the students with different age groups butalso in enhancing their self-concepts. It is especially im-portant that teachers strive to develop individuals whofeel secure in their male.rol es and have the freedom to dothe things which they enjoy rather than fitting somestereotype. This may, in turn, allow the students to con-sider babysitting or employment as a child care aide aspossil4e jobs which have traditionally been consideredfemale.

Clothing and Textiles. The area of clothing and tex-tiles is becoming increasingly popular with males and thisseems to be true for a variety of reasons. Developing sew-ing skills has provided these students with the ability tobe fashion conscious, creative and yet, at the same tide,economically minded. Their seemingly natural mechani-cal ability allows them to adjust easily to machine sevyngand handling sewing equipment and yet, the meticulolishand work can be rather frustrating to them at times.With this in mind, it is important to consider carefully

sewing projects that are selected for class use and yet alsomaintain some flexibility in the choices available to stu-dents. Some possible suggestions, using knit or wovenfabric, might include a tie, vest, chef's apron, Dashiki-style shirt and other simple-to-make projects. At somepoint they may eventually attempt to construct pants,shirts, etc. and there might possibly be some who woulddevelop their skills to the point of simple tailoring proj-ects. Regardless of the type of project select&l, they willenjoy finding out how the machine works, and it would bea good idea to capitalize on their interest by teaching themthe simple operation and maintenance of the machine.

One of the major advantages of working with malestudents in the area of clothing construction is the factthat, for the most part, they will come into the course withno knowledge or preconceived notions about sewing. As istrue with some girls, you will not have to spend time"uhlearning" them. This same advantage also works as adisadvantage at times as you recognize the constantsupervision which is necessary in order to make sure thatthe students are developing a high level of skill.

As mentioned earlier, flexibility should be the key todeter'mining the usefulness of this area. Since classes areco-educational, you may want to choose items whichwould be useful and enjoyable to both sexes such as bookbags, simple vests, or perhaps learning how to indi-vidualize clothing items with braids, studs, embroidery,iron-on patches, etc. You may also have a group that is notinterested in developing sewing skills, but there will stillbe a number of things that would be important to includein a unit of this type.f are of clothing would probably be amain concern, involving familiarity with textiles and howto care for each; laundry procedures such as sorting,equipment, supplies, etc.; clothing storage, and simplerepairs. The relationship of these skills to clothing costs

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may also be of interest to male students, as well as femalestudents.

In th textile area male students may enjoy a morescie is look at fibers if you can arrange for the use ofmicroscopes for purposes of identification, evaluation andsimple testing procedures. Wardrobe planning is an im-portant consideration as well. However, to develop in-terest, this may be a topic that would best be approachedin reference to their future and careers. Discussions andactivities dealing with how to select appropriate styles,colors, fabrics would be essential to wardrobe planning aswell as the ability to coordinate different looks.

Food and Nutrition. One of the most enjoyable areasto teach male students in home economics is food andnutrition because most males are so highly motivatedparticularly in the area of food preparation (and consump-tion!) One important decision to be made by the teacher iswhat concepts will be involved in such a unit and how bestto include them. As with other areas, activity is manytimes the key to interest. While the preparation and eat-ing of food will be strong factors in the success of such a

course, other objectives should be kept in mind from thebeginning on the part of the teacher as well as thestudents. The study of food buying, the importance ofnutrition, meal planning, proper use and c: of equip-ment and other topics are all important for inclus inmost typical courses. Each of these areas could be. includedin conjunction with food activities. The study of nutritionmay be more appealing by experimenting scientificallywith foods; for example, studying the cell structure ofdifferent plant foods. Also keying nutrition to physicalathletic performance would be helpful. Perhaps invite oneof the school coaches who is knowledgeable about appro-priate nutritional needs to your class. Camping foods

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and general outdoor cooking are areas of high interest tomales and add variety to a program. In a hunting commu-nity, students were delegated to assist a local hunter in,skinning, cutting and packaging a deer for freezing, anactivity they later used to advantage.

Of course, occupational courses such as those formu-lated to train food service workers would be handledsomewhat differently since the approach would be gearedmore toNard skills necessary to carry out a particular job.This will be discussed in more detail in a later section.

Remember that the student's basic knowledge of thekitchen may be limited. It is essential that the teacher bespecific when covering kitchen equipment, cooking terms,and basic cooking techniques so that the males will have afirm working knowledge from which to base their experi-ences, and yet, many times if thisg detail is "overdone",students lose interest. Being able to apply this informa-tion on their own is essential; for instance, being able tonterprei recipes as they are found in common cookbooksse- a s essential in order to be able to cook independentlyfor on 'self. Building a personal recipe file might appealto many the students looking ahead to independence.

Entertaining a d all that is involved in the process canbe highly valuable fo many males not simply from thestandpoint of what to prepare to eat, but also how to inviteguests and make them feel comfortable and enjoy them-selves. Perhaps if "manners" are seen as ways of helpingput others at ease rather than learning the "proper" wayObehave it will receive wider acceptance. For some, thiscari-b0 animportant lesson. Many times theyare so accus-tomed to being entertained that they seem lost in the roleof host.

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Housing and Home Management. Certainly thestudy of housing and home management is of the utmostiniliortance to both males and females but it may notcommand the interest NN hich seems to come more natu-rally to other areas of home economics. Nevertheless,with the right type of advertising, along with the sugges-tion of its importance in an individual's immediate fu-ture, a course or unit in this area could be most worth-while

Resource persons may be particularly useful in thisarea in order to provide depth and interest. Relying on thestudent' natural interest in how things work and themastery of skills involving housing will provide theframework for many exciting activities. For examplelearning how to refinish furniture, reupholster, and wall-paper are all skills which can be fun to learn by both malesand females, and perhaps even profitable. A project whichthe students could really enjoy might involve redecorat-ing or refurbishing a room in the school perhaps theliving area in the home economics department or theteachers' workroom. Not only could they apply their skillsto something "concrete" but also gain visibility and recog-nition in the school, and to partake in a simulated experi-ence in family living that of male and female workingtogether to achieve a common goal.

There are many persons willing to give their time toteach the students certain skills. Perhaps the manager of

a local hardware store could demonstrate how to antiquefurniture and then help them with small projects theymight bring from home. A Loq contractor could add in-

sight into how a home is plaited and built. Field tripswould be useful in becoming familiar with housing situa-tions in their own area.

The industrial arts teacher would be,invaluable as a

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resource person in such areas as small house repairs,electricity, woodwork, etc. You might possibly consider ateam-teaching approach for much of the course content.

Of course, it is important to keep the course content inperspective as you plan to insure that the studentsachieve g broad view of the many aspects of housing; forinstance, how to select thv appropriate type of housingbased on individual lifestyles, floor planning and design,leases, selection of apartments, ho e construction includ-ing financing and other costs, how to furnish a home andbuymanship guides for selecting rniture, care of fur-nishings, and of course, decorating the home uniquely forthe individual. Each segment of the course can rely onindividual activities carried out by the student. If a uniton housing falls within a comprehensive course, it is im-portant to be selective in terms of the experiences avail-able to the students and the concepts which might be mostrelevant to their immediate needs. With a semester coursein housing, the options available increase greatly, allow-ing for depth and variety as well.

Personal Development and Family Relationships,Personal development may include a variety of topicsfrom the very important decision-making process togrooming. This area can be of great value when experi-ences are directly related to the needs expressed by thestudents. Here it is essential that the lines of communica-tion between teacher and student are open so that honestopinions are expressed as to real needs. Relevant topicsdealing with family relationships and marriage can bebeneficial as well as interesting. Coed classes have a defi-nite advantage in the area of family relationships in thatboth become aware of values and attitudes the oppositesex has. Class discussions can be especially important!Major topics include, dating, understanding self, mate

selection. an beginning marriage A sex education unit isoften inclu eel, as well as single life, divorce, and singleparenthood.

Some topics will take special handling in order to findacceptability by some students. For example, when con-sidering dress and grooniing, it might be helpful to ap-proach this topic from the standpoint of our presentdaydesire for the expression of our individ*ality. This mayinclude ragged jeans, long hair, mod jewelry, leather ac-cessories, etc. Nevertheless, the importance of bodycleanliness may strike a note upon which all could agree-

Another helpful approach to this area may include theconsideration of grooming for job and career. While thestudents may be anxious to -do their own thing". they alsoneed to recognize the importance of meeting the expecta-tions of future employers as well.

Discussion of personal values, goals, and decisionmaking can be especially valuable Ni hen related to deci-sions about their future. While they may have very con-crete ideas about what they expect their future to hold forthem materially, it is important to consider how they aregoing to obtain these things in other words, a career.When viewed in this lighf", the relevanc=y of the conceptsmay be apparent. In making that all-important decisionconcerning the years following high school graduation.each student may find it helpful to interview a technician,a college graduate, or someone who accepted a job im-mediately following high school. Class reports on the re-wards. and the problems of each choice along with self-analysis of personal skills, goals and values help with thisdecision

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A unit on jobs and careers can be full of information,much of which may be supplied by resource persons aspeaker from the employment bureau, the school guid-ance counselor, an English teacher. etc. Here it may behelpful to have the students role play finding a job bystudying newspaper ads, filling out applications, writingletters and resumes, and even interviewing for a job. In aunit of this type, you might want to check andsee what isbeing done in other areas so as not to 13,, erlap heavily. Asection dealing with consumer education topics such asbudgeting, credit, insurance, etc. would be a possiblefollow-up to a unit on the world of work and careers.Again, relevancy is the key to interest, for example, apply-ing credit, information to the purchase of a car.

Occupational Home Economics. Certainly an im-portant aspect of the home economics curriculum includesthose courses specifically designed to prepare students foremployment. Males have found wide employability inmany areas of home economies, partkularly in food ser-vices In addition, there is,a need for tailors, assistants ininterior design, housing managers, and a variety of otherpositions.

It is extremely important that these training programsbe of high standards in order to meet the needs of businessand industry. Acceptance of these programs by male stu-dents will be dependent upon a number of factors as dis-cussed in the previous section on the "male image ". Manytimes something as simple as a uniform may help intereststudents in a course for example, male students in foodservices may wear chef hats and jackets or long aprons.Also males in child care services could have nice lookingjackets while their female counterparts might wear at-tractive smocks as uniforms.

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Many of the ideas discussed under the individual sub-ject matter areas will be applicable to occupationalcourses taught in each of the areas. The wise teacher willdevelop a strong advertising program as well as somemeans of assessing students' ability to profit from such aprogram.

THE INCLUSION OF MALESIN THE HOME ECONOMICS CURRICULUMHOW TO LIVE WITH IT AND LIKE IT

Without a doubt the inclusion of males in the homeeconomics curriculum is a step forward, giving tiew direc-tion to teachers and offering new challenges to the stu-dents. Admittedly there are problems to be faced, just asthere are with any innovation and yet the opportunitiesseem to easily outweigh any barriers or inconveniences. Itis important that each teacher acquaint herselfthoroughly with her male students their characteris-tics, needs, attitudes, and backgrounds thereby allow-ing herself to provide a home economics course which isrelevant, up-to-date and interesting to them.

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