Where have the all the men gone?

In today's classroom, you will rarely see a male teacher, especially in an elementary classroom. You may see a male gym teacher or a male Math or Science teacher, but it is unlikely to see a male teacher in the classroom. I know in all of my years of schools, including college. I have had more female teachers than male teachers. In elementary school, I think I only had 3, two of which were gym teachers and one was my science teacher. I didn't think about the sex of teachers at the time, but now as an adult, I look back on it and I think. Even in my education classes, we always laugh if we see just one male because we are happy. We are laughing at him, we are happy to see him.

I truly believe the classroom will be better if there were more teachers in place. I believe children to have the experience of both male and female teachers. As children develop, sometimes boys will identify more with male teachers as girls with female teachers. I think there is a definite place for males in teaching (and not just PE or secondary schools). I can understand their uninterest in teaching because they feel it will not pay the bills or will not be accepted by their peers. True, some teachers do not make as much as a doctor, lawyer, and so forth, but with education and time salaries do increase.

In 2006, only 24% of the teachers nationally were male teachers according to Denise Sinclair. She continues on to say that since 1981, there has been a decline in male teachers in elementary classrooms which was an all-time high of 18%. What has deterred males from the classroom? (1) Some believe because society thinks of teaching as woman's work, others feel teaching is not good support a family, others feel they are looked at as disciplinaries and not teachers.

A quote in an article by Jodi Foster, makes an excellent point:

"Children are missing out on different teaching approaches, alternative authority figures, and male role models because there are so few male teachers," he says. "Children are also getting a powerful message that teaching is something men just do not do." (2)

In her article, her subject makes a point of men shy away from because they are afraid of unjustified accusations of sexual misconduct by students. Unfortunately, males in many careers have been unfairly accused of sexual misconduct. Teachers may have a high probablity if they are in a position to be a target of a infactuated student or an angry student.

It is difficult enough to retain teachers: male and female. Many leave the profession after five years. So, keeping this in mind, there needs to be a push keep male teachers on board. The system needs to be set up to where male teachers are respected for their work and their ability to discipline students or do certain jobs around the school. Males that enter the education field are often promoted to administrative (quicker than their female counterparts). According to Peha in an article by Dan Brown, "Even if men start out in the classroom, they often don't stay there for long"(3). They venture off into administrative roles than are more lucrative and accepted by society.

Society needs to respect males teachers and get rid of the misconception that teaching is female job. It is not and should never be. Children will benefit from positive male teachers in the classroom, especially since many youth do not have a positive male role model at home.


Websites:

(1) http://www.dailyhome.com/news/2006/dh-localnews-0820-dsinclair-6h19v3957.htm

(2) http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0315/p11s01-legn.html

(3) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-brown/why-so-few-male-teachers-_b_87562.html