Education Law

Not so easy for male teachers

With back to school upon us, students are getting ready to see their new classrooms and meet their new teachers for the year. But, thanks to an article from ABC News, BoardBuzz was surprised to see that some parents aren't so thrilled with the outcome of their children's teachers... that is, when the teacher is a male.

The 2003 National Schools and Staffing Survey reported that men account for 16 percent of all elementary school teachers. Despite the help of the National Education Association and MenTeach to recruit young men interested in teaching, it seems that some parents still have stereotypes about male teachers not having enough experience with caretaking or nurturing.

For these male teachers, the struggle doesn't end there. There is mistrust in male teachers for their interest in the profession, and many parents express uneasiness on how this affects student and teacher relationships.

So BoardBuzz wants to know, is gender really important? According to the article:

"I really think it has a lot to do with the personality of the teacher," said Dr. Caryl Oris, a consulting psychiatrist for the Sewanhaka Central High School District on Long Island, N.Y. "What matters more than anything is that it's a good teacher and the teacher loves to teach."

A good teacher that loves to teach sounds good to BoardBuzz. Be sure to check out the article to learn how parents are dealing with their anxieties over male teachers, and what great accomplishments some have had with students. And tell us about how male teachers in your district are faring by leaving a comment.

Full post as published by BoardBuzz: NSBA's Daily Weblog on August 28, 2008 (boomark / email).