There are some professions in which mothers tend to excel because of their natural proclivity for seeing to the needs of others. One such profession is nursing and the other is teaching. Whether on a graduate level or an undergraduate level, or even for high school or elementary school, teachers need to be in tune to the needs of their students. Not all students have the same strengths just as not all students will have the same weaknesses. Moms are in tune to their children and so are educators. It may sound a bit stereotypical but the reality is, that’s what moms do! And conversely, that’s what teachers do.
Creating a Healthy Atmosphere for Learning
While there are men who are the custodial parent, their role has only recently been seen as caregivers and so it’s not a societal norm. Mothers, on the other hand, have been raised up to create an atmosphere where children can grow in a healthy environment. This is much like the role of an educator who is tasked with creating an environment to facilitate learning. Both are tasked with helping children develop cognitive skills. Perhaps this is why many teachers have historically been women.
Evolving Roles of Women in Administration
Now then, onto the role of administration. It is also a societal norm for men up until recent years to have held positions of authority. With more women in administration, we are watching their roles evolve as well. When combined with an ability to foster a healthy environment for learning, women can make great academic administrators based on their experience in the home as mothers. The two lend themselves perfectly and often this is why college administrators such as those produced by Maryville University have had to work their way up the academic ladder.
Why College Administrators Are Raised up Within the Field
In some fields MBAs are called in to be the CEO, but not typically a CAO. A Chief Academic Officer would necessarily need experience in the classroom. An increasing number of mothers are pursuing an online doctor of education in higher education leadership and it is being evidenced that this position is absolutely ideally suited for mothers who have also been educators. Many pursue an online doctor of education degree while they place their teaching career on hiatus to raise a family, but in the end that experience is a plus when seeking a leadership position. Who better than a mom who makes on-the-spot decisions day after day with kids always in the midst of some ‘emergency’ that needs tending?
This could be why educators make great moms and why moms make great educators. It’s all about raising up the next generation of leaders. Moms approach it in the home and educators in the classroom. Then when a mom has risen through the ranks to an administrative position in academia, she brings with her the ability to make snap decisions as needed, to nurture budding academics and to put together an educational package that fosters growth. That’s why moms make great educators and even greater administrators.