This may be a little controversial, I don't know, and I would like to hear from the educators on this site. But, I have been into some elementary schools in the recent past, and one thing is clear to me...the teacher positions are almost completely dominated by women. On the rare occasion I do see a male elementary teacher, they are usually (not always of course but my experience many times) rather effeminate. I'm not saying that in a bad way, but making the point that they have a lot of mild female qualities about them, at least in the way they deal with the kids, making their interactions with the kids almost female like. Now, I'm not saying female teachers are bad, not at all, just hear me out.

 

With that said, what I have thought for years is needed in the lower grades are more manly, "strong", authoritative type males that the kids can interact with. I don't think there is enough of that presence in the schools, and in todays society with many many fatherless homes (or absent fathers in the home) and lots of single mothers trying to do it all, I think there are a lot of kids that don't get that strong male influence that, IMHO every kid needs. I think this can help keep some kids get/stay on the right track from the get go and can greatly help curb what could have been issues with some kids down the road.

 

Agree, disagree?

The elementary school I attended (4 classes per grade, 30 students per class, 6 grades in the school) back in the deeps of time had 22 female teachers and 2 male teachers.

The point being that this has been the case for a long time. Has that contributed to the increase in the number of single-parent homes? I don't know.

 

As I have stated before, I believe than many families/parents expect teachers to do WAY more than teach. Now, if we expect teachers to, in the general sense, "prepare children for the future", I suppose that entails more than simply teaching curricula.

Teaching always has been a female dominated profession. In the older days (my era), I think women were seen as more nurturing, which is why we had zero male teachers in elementary. I think this is still somewhat true today.

 

In junior high and high school, most teachers were also female. I think that society looked as a teacher as a wife's way of helping out her husband. Teachers often quit when they got married, because they had a husband to support them. After all, they only worked 9 months out of the year, and had all weekends and holidays off. The pay was low and the handful of male teachers we did have had second and third jobs.

 

Teaching has become far more complicated than it was 40 years ago. In addition, women have more equality and respect in the working world than they did back then.

I don't know if the pay scale has kept up with this evolution. God bless all the men and women who do choose it as a profession.

Most men that teach, coach, or at least they did at some point. Pay is horrible and the small coaching stipend helps a little.

 

If they don't coach, they drive a bus.

 

 

If they do not do the above, then most are like you say.

:ohbrother:

I am guessing leading 25 more or less children does not fit into the average male's wheelhouse. My wife does it, and I couldn't. I agree the lack of a balanced home life for many of these children contributes to a bad start in life. Also, there are way too many homes that DO have a male influence, and it is a bad one.

 

One problem in today's classroom is that a small group of behavioral or other special needs can consume the teaching resources and time to the detriment of the other children. I get that it is a benefit for say a non-functioning autistic child to be present in the classroom with other children. However, is this child's needs more important than the futures of the other 24 children. Apparently so in this day and age.

The point being that this has been the case for a long time. Has that contributed to the increase in the number of single-parent homes? I don't know.

 

As I have stated before, I believe than many families/parents expect teachers to do WAY more than teach. Now, if we expect teachers to, in the general sense, "prepare children for the future", I suppose that entails more than simply teaching curricula.

 

I think in the old days that strong male influence was probably seen more at home than it is in a lot of households today.

 

I know a lot of it has to do with pay, and it's probably not a job path (dealing with lots of young children) that jumps out and grabs a guy from the get go. How can those things be overcome?

 

At 24 I don't think I would have looked at teaching 4th and 5th graders as something I would want to do. At 49 and believing there is a need for it I could absolutely do it (I think).

I think in the old days that strong male influence was probably seen more at home than it is in a lot of households today.

 

I know a lot of it has to do with pay, and it's probably not a job path (dealing with lots of young children) that jumps out and grabs a guy from the get go. How can those things be overcome?

 

At 24 I don't think I would have looked at teaching 4th and 5th graders as something I would want to do. At 49 and believing there is a need for it I could absolutely do it (I think).

 

 

If teachers could focus on teaching, that would be one thing.......but the amount of hoops you must jump through, paperwork that needs to be filed, and sheer amount politics and lack of resources......teaching is.....

If teachers could focus on teaching, that would be one thing.......but the amount of hoops you must jump through, paperwork that needs to be filed, and sheer amount politics and lack of resources......teaching is.....

 

Was recently talking to a buddy. He did two years in a small private elementary school and while they pay wasn't great, he really enjoyed it.

 

He's now in his first year of teaching at a public elementary school and while the pay is a little better, he hates it. Thinking about getting out of teaching completely because of all the hoops. Said that through the first 8 weeks of school, he was out of the classroom 10 days for conference and professional development. Crazy to me that they'd have him out 25% of the beginning of the school year.

Was recently talking to a buddy. He did two years in a small private elementary school and while they pay wasn't great, he really enjoyed it.

 

He's now in his first year of teaching at a public elementary school and while the pay is a little better, he hates it. Thinking about getting out of teaching completely because of all the hoops. Said that through the first 8 weeks of school, he was out of the classroom 10 days for conference and professional development. Crazy to me that they'd have him out 25% of the beginning of the school year.

 

My 6th year of teaching, my wife is in her 10th.

 

My first couple of years I noticed how much teachers were out, so I started documenting administration days out of office and core content teachers being out.

 

 

The principal was out 45 days one year and classroom, core content teachers in the building averaged 15.

 

It is crazy and nonsense. Take the politicians out of making policy and have the college/universities teach teachers about teaching, instead of busy work, systems that will be changed at a politicians whim, and getting fat of of out of control student loans, the education system would make a remarkable comeback.

I don't disagree about the "absent father" problem. I don't agree that schools should be focused on that, nor do I think that an influx of strong authoritative male teachers would put much of a dent in the problems caused by absent fathers. It is asking too much of teachers, and too far from the mission of schools, imo, to educate.

There are other ways to get at the absent father issues, but I think it would take a lot of efforts from many different community groups and government agencies (like the department for community based services).

I don't disagree about the "absent father" problem. I don't agree that schools should be focused on that, nor do I think that an influx of strong authoritative male teachers would put much of a dent in the problems caused by absent fathers. It is asking too much of teachers, and too far from the mission of schools, imo, to educate.

There are other ways to get at the absent father issues, but I think it would take a lot of efforts from many different community groups and government agencies (like the department for community based services).

 

Not saying it should be the focus of schools. What I am saying is I believe the whole educational system would be better served with good, strong, authoritative male teachers in the class room at a younger age. One of the by products of that could and I think would be helping kids to learn, recognize and respect those in authority. And I will tell you something else, don't underestimate the positive benefits a good strong male teacher can have on a young struggling kid that doesn't have get/see that at home. It can be life changing.

I teach in a Catholic elementary school. I was the only returning male teacher at the school this year.

 

I can honestly say that I have significantly fewer instances of misbehavior than my co-workers. I try to be authoritarian/assertive/strict without being a butt hole.

In 8 years of elementary school (didn't go to kindergarten), I had 0 male teachers. In 4 years of high school I had 2 male teachers. I turned out just fine.

 

My kids went through 9 years of grade school with no male teachers. I don't recall even 1 male teacher at my daughter's high school. But most of my son's high school teachers were male.