If you're a man, be a primary teacher
There has always been a disparity between the number of female and male teachers in primary schools in the UK, and although there has been a slight increase in the number of men applying for primary school training in recent years the numbers are still low. Last year about 14 per cent of primary initial teacher trainees in England and Wales were men, a figure which is roughly reflected in primary schools. And it may not come as a surprise that male teachers of black and minority ethnic origin are also greatly under-represented at this level of education.
Why do we need more men in teaching?
School is about offering a holistic education to children, not simply getting them to accumulate academic knowledge. It’s therefore extremely important that children should be taught by a workforce that is representative of our richly diverse society, both in terms of gender and ethnic background. Many children lack a stable male influence in the home. Evidence suggests that boys in particular will benefit enormously from positive male role models at school, both in terms of future behaviour and academic attainment – and research carried out by the Training and Development Agency for Schools shows that both pupils and parents want to see more male teachers in the classroom.
The recruitment drive for male teachers is on
The Training and Development Agency for Schools has launched a big campaign to attract men into primary schools. Practical measures include teacher tasting courses specifically aimed at men thinking about primary teaching. Some education institutions offer support to men applying for for primary initial teacher training, because it’s recognised that they find it more difficult to articulate themselves in their personal statements. So if you are a man thinking about applying to teach at primary level, call up your course provider of choice to see what help is on offer.
Teaching: a profession with serious prospects
Why don’t more men consider becoming primary school teachers? Worries about relating to children of this age group is one reason, yet men who go on primary teaching taster courses frequently report being pleased and surprised at how well they were able to communicate with the pupils. If this is one of your concerns, it would be well worthwhile putting your doubts to the test. While the professional status and financial rewards of teaching have undoubtedly risen in recent years, the attitude that primary teaching is not a ‘real career’, especially for men, persists. However, the reality is that opportunities for career development and financial rewards in primary teaching match those in secondary school – so why not ignore the career chauvinists and find out for yourself?
Kate Arnold is recruitment and widening participation development manager at Edge Hill University.
