The lack of male elementary teachers (Mitchell, 2004) is "because men like to be active; play games and look to the future, explore-they don't want to be stuck in a classroom with kids" (p. F1). This adds to the concerns that the school is a feminine place and that the subjects (reading, writing, and math) taught mainly by females in the early and elementary years lead to the perception that school is not a place where even conventional forms of masculinity are found (Skelton, 2001, p. 126). If males prefer to learn purposefully then perhaps the school, with its preponderant number of female elementary teachers, does not meet the needs of our boys. The male mentor can help bring some purpose through active, playful reading and responses with the children. Male mentors in this study attempted to bring in the outside world; modeling success with literacy; sharing their world view with the children; and establishing a purpose for reading. The children were pleased with the mentors and when asked if the program should continue, a little girl replied, "Yes I think this is a good program to have and should continue next year. STU mentors are great." A grade four boy said, "it is a good program and if the students [mentors] want to do it - it should continue." A mentor's first job is to develop a social relationship with the children. Part of the process of mentoring is assisting children in making connections to self and to the world.

The term mentor is used frequently today in an educational context. Often this term refers to a one to one relationship. An example would be a gifted student paired with a physics professor at a university. Another example would be a mentor paired with an underachieving student. In the UK, a learning mentors program has developed as a type of one on one tutoring and advising education. The program is meant to be informal yet it addresses academic needs as well as counseling children at risk. The learning mentors are hired by the local school districts (Smitl, 1999). In Canada, Julia Ellis has done extensive research on school-based mentorship. She investigates "the quality of the relationship and the academic benefits of the program" (Ellis, Small-McGinley & Hart, 1998). A recent phone call from a young man with the Fredericton, YMCA leadership program asked us for help in setting up a mentoring program in our local area. These volunteer mentors will address the social and literacy needs of youth at risk. We are prepared to help this group develop a mentoring program and develop materials to meet the needs of these youth (who are all male). There is a desire to use mentoring in many sectors of the community. Other academic mentoring programs focus on the potential of the student with regard to future careers (Brenner & Rumberger, 2002).