Why aren't there male teachers at the primary grades?

Question

The lowest grade I've ever heard of a man teaching was grade 3. Theoretically, there could be men teaching kindergarten and the primary grades, so why aren't there?

Answer 1

MissBall is being paranoid.  There are plenty of men out there who are primary caregivers to small children, and not every man who spends time with children is a pedophile.  You are right that there aren't many men teaching very young children, and I think that is a shame.  Children need to have input from both men and women in their lives.

Answer 2

I know several men who teach kindergarten... but you're right, it's not very common.  It would be a very interesting study to know how many men teach kindergarten in this country.  Most men prefer to teach secondary education; you'll find more men at the high school than women at most schools.  Why?  Perhaps it boils down to society's expectations that women are more nurturing than men... that they are more patient than men.  And perhaps that's why most hiring positions end with a woman in the job.

Answer 3

a professor I had in college was also a kindergarten teacher.  He was an awesome professor and an even better kindergarten teacher.  He played the guitar and would write songs for his students.  His class was always singing.

Answer 4

Well at one point men weren't teaching any subject or grade.  I believe its just one of those professions that slowly became more unisex.  Just like some of the stereotypical "men jobs" are being done by women.  Many years ago any job where taking care of people is the primary role was always a woman job and the ones that involved more physical work were men jobs.  Of course today this is changing and I think teaching is just one of those professions that's taking a long time to change.  In the primary grades there is more "feelings" and nurturing involved and therefore considered a "woman's job" but men are slowly beginning to teach these primary grades.

Answer 5

My kindergarten teacher at Montessori school was a man, but until fifth grade the only male teacher I had in public school was my PE teacher.  However, most of my high school and college teachers were men.

I think men are drawn to roles of leadership and in education Principals and Superintendents are seen as leaders, but teachers aren't.   I also think it has to do with the desire to teach children (women) versus subjects (men).

Answer 6

In my graduating class their was only one male primary teacher. I think many men decide they can make more money other places. I know that male teachers likely have no problem finding positions because schools need male role models. Once they realize they can only make small gains each year in raises they decide to look outside of teaching. It's hard to support a family on a teachers salary. It's definitely hard to raise a family where the mother can stay home with her children on a teachers salary.

Answer 7

MissBall is really off the mark here and I would ask her to provide some research to support those remarks.  Grade 11?  That is such an arbitrary remark.

I think one of the main reasons we don't see men teaching in lower levels is the same reason we don't see many women in engineering programs - people in those programs and society in general insist that these are programs geared towards a certain s*x.  As a high school math teacher (AP calculus) many of my most brilliant students have been female.  

So why do we reverse the stereotypes in education (or nursing or secretarial work?).  Some men are suited for this work, but chose other work because of the stereotypes or to make more money.  Furthermore, many elementary professionals express frustration that there are not more men.  Children need male role models, just as they need female ones.  This is especially true in districts where fathers tend to be absent.

Answer 8

A majority of men are not caregivers to small children.  Men should not be able to teach grades lower than 11th and still that is questionable.  Does anyone think, why a grown man is teaching junior high?

Answer 9

They don't apply for the jobs. Women are seen as more nurturing and more patient and compassionate. Whether this is the truth or not, if men don't apply, they don't get the jobs.

Answer 10

There are men teaching preschool and kindergarten in my hometown. But I haven't seen many men 1st grade teachers. Teaching 1st grade is a challange. You have to bring first graders from point A to point Z in one school year. 1st grade is like kindergarten without the nap break or instructional assistant. Very few men are nurturing and tolerant of first graders.