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This article, by drawing on data collected from qualitative case-study research, raises questions about discourses that claim male teachers are better equipped to improve boys' literacy achievement on the basis of gender affiliation. It reports on interview and observational data collected from a number of boys attending five different secondary-schools in Ontario, Canada. It strategically draws on Connell's critical masculinities theoretical perspective and Foucault's analytic framework for power/knowledge, subjectivity and discourse, as a basis for producing a more nuanced understanding of commonly-accepted beliefs about the potential influence of male teachers to improve boys' engagement and achievement as literacy learners. This research found that only four of the 29 boys who participated in this study understand the gender of their teachers to be a critical factor for their engagement and achievement. Their narratives draw attention, not only to the complex and multiple factors influencing engagement and achievement, but also to the way in which power/knowledge and gender regimes influence their articulation of teacher influence. The findings of this research suggest that building more nuanced theories about teacher influence that move beyond so-called "common-sense" assumptions about role modeling and gender affiliation is critical if effective school reforms to address boys' literacy achievement are to be implemented.

The Marketing column features essays about a variety of creative and innovative marketing strategies used to highlight collections or promote services in all types of libraries. Its purpose is to provide real examples of how libraries are using marketing and outreach techniques in interesting ways. This article describes the social media content management strategy used at Red Deer College Library (Alberta, Canada), which includes an evolving and adaptable social media calendar, targeted timing of social media posts, using a social media management tool, and scheduling content in advance. The author also discusses creating content that is relevant to one's users and evaluating one's social media activities to constantly improve.

This paper examines literacy under-achievement and the limitations of gender-based literacy reforms grounded in essentialist notions of masculinity. It draws on qualitative case-study research conducted in one Ontario secondary school in a working-class community. It focuses on two grade 9 students and their teacher who participated in a larger study which examines how the norms and values associated with school-based literacy practices contribute to under-achievement. The cases highlighted in this paper are employed to raise critical questions about the way in which literacy under-achievement continues to be articulated as a "boy problem". This paper also illustrates how the complex and situated nature of the students' gendered and classed identities, interwoven with contextual and pedagogical factors, contribute to literacy under-achievement for some boys and some girls. In addition, it argues that the disjuncture between in- and out-of-school literacy practices warrants further study. (Contains 1 note.)

This article, by drawing on data collected from qualitative case-study research, raises questions about discourses that claim male teachers are better equipped to improve boys’ literacy achievement on the basis of gender affiliation. It reports on interview and observational data collected from a number of boys attending five different secondary-schools in Ontario, Canada. It strategically draws on Connell’s critical masculinities theoretical perspective and Foucault’s analytic framework for power/knowledge, subjectivity and discourse, as a basis for producing a more nuanced understanding of commonly-accepted beliefs about the potential influence of male teachers to improve boys’ engagement and achievement as literacy learners. This research found that only four of the 29 boys who participated in this study understand the gender of their teachers to be a critical factor for their engagement and achievement. Their narratives draw attention, not only to the complex and multiple factors influencing engagement and achievement, but also to the way in which power/knowledge and gender regimes influence their articulation of teacher influence. The findings of this research suggest that building more nuanced theories about teacher influence that move beyond so-called “common-sense” assumptions about role modeling and gender affiliation is critical if effective school reforms to address boys’ literacy achievement are to be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]