Why are there so few male primary school teachers?

Question

In the UK there are less and less males teaching in primary schools. Why is this? Opinions of teachers would be grateful, I have an interview at Greenwich Uni tomorrow for my Primary Education course and am discussing this topic!! Also any tips for primary education interviews??

Answer 1

I think that society has made things difficult for any male wishing to teach at this level, as this is a tactile age and while women can tap children on the shoulder or put a consoling arm around them even now, men have to be so extremely careful not to be accused of improper conduct under current legislation. There is also the attitude of society towards them, with all sorts of aspersions being cast on their motives in teaching the very young; the social isolation of being perhaps the only male in the staffroom and being given all the traditionally male jobs to do; and the fact that primary school teaching has long been seen as a career with rather limited prospects. There is also a problem which is not often discussed, but is nevertheless present in our society: men don't on the whole like taking orders from women -- something which they will probably have to do until such time as they become head teachers.

Good luck in your interview! Just be yourself!

Answer 2

It's hard for me to answer this for you, being an American. Here in the US I would say the two biggest reasons are ones already listed here - the fact that the salary is considered low to anyone with a college degree and the worries about pedophiles. (Both from the parental "protect my child" standpoint and the school "this could be a lawsuit" standpoint.) That really is a BIG issue here. Even at our church during Sunday School the male volunteers can only work in a room with a female lead teacher in charge. It might not be fair, but that's how it is. If I was a boy old enough to start considering a career and I'd never had anything but women teachers in elementary school and I knew about things like our church policy, I sure wouldn't want to go into primary education - who wants a career that feels like a battle before it even begins and shows signs of being something that would need defending on a potentially daily basis? There are probably some men out there dedicated enough to try, but I'm betting not many.

Answer 3

I think one of the reasons is genetic, woman do have maternal instincts so enter primary teaching easier than men. I also feel that as woman are more highly emotionally they are more equipped mentally to deal with the development of children in an educational environment. I feel another could well be income, a primary school teacher does not earn the same salary as other professional jobs, in say accountancy, or chartered surveying, or property development, or legal work. Another reason could well be linked to the traditional role of men as being the main breadwinners. So given the choice a man might prefer to become a scientist or a solicitor and a woman a teacher. There are other avenues where woman outnumber men. Nursing, Banking, Shop assistants, Customer sales, Yet at the upper end of the salary scale men outnumber women between 3 to 1 and 9 - 1. The institute of Fiscal studies social research shows that womans salaries can be as much as 25% below that of men and sometimes this is still in the same role. The small print of employment contracts is used legally to explain slight differences in job description or person specification and employers have themselves a legal loop hole to pay women less than men for the same job. The said same institute also documented that women still held the majority of low paid full time jobs and low paid part time jobs whilst men held the majority of full time well paid jobs. Of late the recent economic trend places woman between the ages of 35 and 55 as a rising figure in the unemployed market.

Answer 4

It's probably because it's not what people class as " a male domain", and people tend to think that females have more patience with the younger ones. Just let them know why you want to go into Primary School Teaching. I wish you all the luck with your interview tomorrow, my son is doing the same course as you, but up north, in second year now and enjoying it,

Answer 5

Traditionally, the teaching of children under the age of 12 fell upon women (governesses, school 'marms' etc'), who then retired upon marriage. It has therefore always been a 'female' domain. Alongside prejudices about men wanting to work with kids for the 'wrong reasons', the traditionally low pay and the fact that for years primary teaching simply wasn't mentioned to boys as a possible career have all added up to reinforce the gender-bias of the job.

Answer 6

so many men have been scared away from primary ed. because of the stigma that only pedophiles would want to be around children that young...it has become a cultural epidemic to assume that there is something wrong with a man who wants to teach on the elementary level...also many administrators stray away from hiring men because there is a misconception that children learn better at early ages from women because they are more comfortable with a maternal figure...

Answer 7

I really want to change careers and get in to primary teaching but I can't afford the salary drop for the training etc. Its just too low.

Answer 8

social stigma... I am a male who worked in daycare and student taught in elementary. I found that on one hand, women loved the idea of a man working with young kids, but on the other there was much more tendency towards anylizing my sexual orientation, etc... is too bad, younger kids really need those male role models these days, many have no frame of reference.. BTW: I went on to teach high school after college...

Answer 9

teaching is a noble profession - needs nursing and patience combined with affection - may be a reason

Answer 10

males, have probably had enough of little kids, they just want to be in a quite environment.