UK: Under-fives have almost no male teachers

Submitted by anthony on Fri, 2008-09-19 02:48

Story here. Excerpt:

'Just one in 50 teachers of the youngest primary schoolchildren in England are male, despite a government recruitment campaign, figures revealed today.

Only 2% of staff in nursery and reception classes, which teach under-fives, are men, according to figures from the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

In schools with receptions but no nurseries, this figure falls to 1%. Men account for 16% of all primary schoolteachers.

The figures led to warnings over the social impact of many boys reaching the age of 11 without a positive male role model.'

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Comments

Honestly the three reasons are correct, seen as "women's work", the low wages, and fears that they may be suspected of being paedophiles. But I also find that there is a "Girl's Club" mentality that also goes along, my friend teaches elementary, he is male, and the women talk AT him not to him, making suggestions and disrespectfully engaging in conversation that is a one sided lecture style. So in reaction he seeks to be left alone, yet he likes the actual job.

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Submitted by Michael on Fri, 2008-09-19 22:29

manonthestreet

I don't think the pay is that bad. If your ambitions are not too excessive then teaching in the UK is not a bad paying job at all. The other reason are sound. But it goes beyond primary school. The whole of school education is female dominated. Look at any Education Department in a University and more than half will usually be women, and probably much more than half.

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Submitted by trotter on Sat, 2008-09-20 12:14