Male teachers becoming uncommon in teaching

[EEEEEEP]

https://theconversation.com/male-teachers-are-an-endangered-species-in-australia-new-research-83464
https://theconversation.com/primary-schools-are-losing-more-and-more-male-teachers-so-how-can-we-retain-them-82017
https://theconversation.com/we-need-to-rethink-recruitment-for-men-in-primary-schools-66670
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-22/number-of-male-teachers-dwindling-isolating-experience-for-men/7178766
….
In recent times there have been a few articles penned that talk about male teachers becoming rarer and rarer.  Here is a graphic that came from one of the above articles, which is a troubling trend.



Just some stats
-   At the University of South Australia only 4 per cent of students studying early childhood education are male, with less than 10 graduating each year.

-   The percentage of male primary school teachers in Australia has decreased in recent decades, from 30.24% in 1983 to 18.26% in 2016.

-   We (the conversation) found a sharp decrease in the percentage of male teachers since records of teacher gender began in 1965. This includes classroom teachers, head teachers, and principals.

-   Across Australia there is a shortage of male teachers, particularly in primary schools, where men make up just 19% of the full-time workforce nationwide.

My friends , family and relatives tell me that teaching is now mainly done by females.  Now that got me thinking…WHY

A few reasons penned by the above articles are:
-   low salary and status - If this is the case, why is it only men that are choosing the profession less?
-   Men also face social pressures to conform to particular masculine ideals – Leadership has been seen as a “male” thing, so why is teaching seen as non-masculine? Isn’t that contradictory? Maybe this has been the case due to the lack of males in the job (kind of like how nursing is seen as a female job)

-   Hiring policies - a social stigma in advocating for more male teachers when women still face adversity in many other fields – This may the case due to fact that women are still seen as unprivileged in society and the work place.
 
-   uncertainty about physical contact with students – THIS is true. Women can and do definitely do more physical contact and 1 on 1’s with students.

My personal experience
-   Male teachers have avoided one on one tutoring sessions with students after work as it is seen as “risky”
-   Male teachers have avoided physical contact due to scandals and school rumours
…
The impact?
-   The lack of male teachers allows students to see men and women engaging in positive interactions.
-    It also prevents men from observing men working with female leaders.
…
What are your thoughts on this? What do you think about this issue? What do you think about male teachers vs female teachers?

Female, male, both can do the job perfectly…   I think there could be multiple factors, but fear/trust of male teachers would be the biggest one imo.

[Bri MT]

This is concerning. I'd suggest that the perception of teaching as a "nurturing based career" may be significant in the gender representation discrepancy. Either in subconciously influencing career choice or hiring decisions, both of which are undesirable, but the second being particularly unfair.

Anecdotally, I don't know of any teachers (of any gender) avoiding one on one time for fear of what people might think.

[zofromuxo]

I thought I'll add some quick thoughts on this and update it later on as this topic.
a. This topic is a lit like I'm really for the male teachers on this issue
b. It is quite complex and is more then just "physical touch" and "societal's view".

Disclaimer: What I express here is my own view and isn't something that every teacher goes through, nor is every school or student like my thoughts below.

I'll tackle each of EEEEEEP's points below, so if you want to see a specfic response to a point then skip to it.

1. Low salary and status: Salary isn't a massive dealbreaker for male teachers compared to the other points and is more so in general for teaching. I can't quote exact figures, but the ABS and potentially the teacher unions have some accurate figures (one of the things that union does right, IMO). But yeah the low pay is an issue for both male and female teachers. But status is a much bigger thing for males then females teachers, I can tell you firsthand how many off-handed comments I got for even thinking of getting into teaching and the whole "if you can't do, teach" quote thrown at my face. But I don't blame this attitude society has on this, we can all think about teachers who we question why they are teachers in the first place. Then you have to consider the issue of oversupply of teachers currently in English, Early Learning, Primary School and shortage in Maths & Science and you think why bother being a teacher.

2.Men also face social pressures to conform to particular masculine ideals: It all stems that child rearing is a feminine thing to do. Which I can tell you right now sucks like really sucks. I can list numerous occasions where I need a masculine/male role model and didn't get it because of a lack of male teaching staff within my school. Yes, I get the whole speigel of "women are the better of the sexes on emotions". But there are some things despite what people tell you that aren't equal. I can't talk to a girl about say going to the gym or doing "traditional" male activities like camping, fishing, rubgy, footy,etc. Females can also be masculine, but it just isn't the same. Trust me, go and ask girl if they are willingly to talk to a male teacher or even a male in general about their male crushes, most will say no. That's how me and other male students feel about going to see a female teacher about "guy" things.

3. Hiring Policies: This is one of the "hidden" factors that the school sector and even media doesn't cover. You could argue because it "doesn't fit the narrative that females get fucked over in the job market". I can tell you from talking to ex-principals, principals, coordinators, teachers and even some of the HR professionals at various schools. Males get fucked over hard... like they get much more scrunity compared to females. I recall a story, where the panel of interviewers discussed not hiring a male teacher because he looked too much like a "model" and he would distract students from studying..... like really? If that wasn't banal enough, I even got shown an email from a female teacher complaining how a female teacher leaving on marinety leave was being replaced for a male teacher and cited that it should be a female for the "kiddies". Like what? I mean it is quite hard to piss me off, but that just left me seething like this is the people getting hired. Oh and did I mention all the gossip from females teachers over the new male hire from "he looks like someone I would fuck" to "why doesn't he have a girlfriend yet, should I get him in touch with my cousin".

3. Uncertainity about physical contact with students : This is the "Biggest" factor for male teachers, ask any of them and say how do you feel about physical contact with students in particular "young and/or females" and they mostly like say "no physical contact" or "minimal" to "only do it if a female teacher is present". I had a kinder teacher get fired because he had to accompany a little boy to the toliet and the kids slipped over on the way there and he helped me up. A parent saw it and reported that he was going to rape the kid. He didn't even get to defend himself, just straight up fired. A female student hugged one of my primary school teachers and because the female student was small, her height was near his crotch. It looked like she was giving him a blowjob at a certain angle, he got suspended for it. The kid's parents ratted him out, even though their kid told them he did nothing wrong.

Impact
-Male students that can't get issues sorted out. Trust me, there are a lot of male students that need a male teacher to support them. I know one of my friends lives a good life because my economics teacher was able to put him up on the career path he wanted and ultimately saved his life. You don't hear about these stories because most of the public don't give a shit, they like hearing about the "female student/teacher overcomes the "sexist" environment that is teaching" and how "male teachers abuse their positions and rape/sexually assault/abuse students (extra juicy if it is female)." I mean I get it male teachers aren't saints, but stop bashing them into oblivion and making shit up to fit your narrative and stop the "sexist" workplace. If any thing it is sexist for males, I mean those statistics don't lie Females>Males in all fields of Education.

If what I written hasn't stopped you or even made you think of not quitting teaching then I congratulate you.
I'm forever grateful to the current male teachers working now, who have to deal with this bullshit everyday.
I wouldn't be here typing this, if not for my male teachers that understood my issues and were willingly to listen to issues I couldn't talk to female teachers because they didn't get or I didn't feel comfortable around telling.

I salute you.