How Does Gender Affect the Teaching Profession?

 How Does Gender Affect the Teaching Profession?

By: Alex Martinez

       The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about gender in the teaching profession would firstly have to be the gender of teachers and faculty. In my own experience most of my teachers growing up in public education, were females. It was not until middle school that I had a male teacher in the classroom. After listening to the Harvard EdCast with Jennie Weiner, I noticed that all her points were pretty accurate. On the podcast there was discussion on how the field of academia of teaching roles was predominantly females but roles such as higher administrative positions, like superintendents and principals were mostly males. This discussion began my thinking, and I have made the realization that this was exactly the case. As a male in this field, I have multiple classes already where I am the only male, these classes are all elementary education courses. So why is this the case and why are men allowed leadership roles while women are not so equally represented?

    To expand further on what was discussed on the podcast, gender is a key factor in the teaching profession. Teaching and taking care of kids seems to be stereotyped into being a woman's job. Whereas administration and leadership roles are stereotyped into being a man's job. However, this stereotype is ruining aspects of the teaching profession. Firstly, it turns males down from the job. I have experience first-hand that people are telling me I am making a mistake because I want to be an elementary school teacher. I even had an older student tell me that I need to be able to provide for my family and that teaching isn't going to cut it. Secondly, the administrators and higher roles of education that mostly men hold, should be more equally shared by women, especially women who have taught and know what it is like in the classroom and what teachers have to face. My parents are both educators and there have been numerous times where my mom has been undermined by a male in a leadership role that has no idea what her job entails.

    So how does gender affect the profession? Well, gender affects the profession by creating unfair stereotypes about men and women that entail that women are meant to be caretakers and men are meant to be leaders. However, women are great leaders and should have more than an equal opportunity for leadership positions. Gender also affects education by not providing a clear precedent that males can also be teachers. I feel it is almost frowned upon when I bring up that I would like to be an elementary teacher and why should it be?