How many male reception teachers do we know?

[PeterParkerSays]

DS starts school in September and, as the current Reception teacher is leaving, they've recruited a new Reception teacher for DS' class. He came into school for the first time yesterday, for a play session with the September intake.

He's a NQT, mid-30s, so presumably had another career first, and he's a bloke. I'm not turning this into an "ooh, men can't care for little ones" thing because that's bollocks or a "rah, rah we've got a male primary teacher" thing - I just want a decent teacher for DS' class, whoever they are.

A group of mums were chatting last night though and none of us could remember another male Reception teacher, even when we were in Infants ourselves. I wondered, with male teachers being in the minority in Primary schools, does anyone else know of a male Reception teacher, just out of interest more than anything?

[PeterParkerSays]

Sorry Doreen, but we're in the East midlands. Hope your DS loves his new teacher though.

[FantasticDay]

My fil was a male reception teacher. Judging by the way he is with my 5 yo, I think he'd have been brilliant at it.

[Weegiemum]

In p2 my ds had a male teacher who was just great, his classroom control technique to get attention was to do a standing backflip! Dd1 had him in p6, and then ds had a different male teacher in p6. There's a new male teacher again this year but neither ds or dd2 have him. I think it's a great thing there are more men in primary schools now.

[Jdub]

We currently have no male teachers, which is a shame, but it is small school and the female teachers are all excellent, which is magnificent! I can't remember having any bad teachers throughout my own primary education, however, my stand out favourite teacher EVER was a Mr Hickman (who taught us for the first term of the 4th year - so nowadays Yr7?) and he did cartwheels around the class. He was hilarious and we all thought he was amazing!

[Wordsmith]

The best primary school teacher my 2 DSs have ever had was a young (24) NQT male teacher. He was DS1's teacher in Y5 and now DS2's in Y4. From my experience, male teachers are particularly good with boys as they 'get' them a bit more.

There are 4 male teachers in the school - still outnumbered by women but getting better.

[DoubleMum]

3 out of our 7 teachers are male, and both DS and DD have a male teacher at the moment.

[KatieWaring1]

Yes we have had a male reception teacher- and he has been absolutely brilliant.

[mixedmamameansbusiness]

We do - he is so friggin awesome. Also mid 30s, was an actor I think but is just so lovely and nurturing. His female counter part (also fabulous) is less nurturing having had DS1 in her class.

Our school is pretty unique I think in that we also have two make KS1 teachers.

And DS2 had a male teacher at nursery.

[Barbabeau]

My DC's first teacher will be a male reception teacher. He's apparently very popular with the kids and parents.

[EnolaAlone]

My DH taught Reception for 5 years. He's now in Year 1. He did an Early Years PGCE. The school he works at has 8 female and 6 male teachers.

[Snazzywaitingforsummer]

When I was at primary school, male teachers were very rare - as for you and your peers, I would guess. There was only one in the school when I started, and then another joined. Both of them were fantastic, really inspirational, very popular with us kids. I would be really glad your DS is going to get an experience that some primary school kids don't.

[MidniteScribbler]

One of our Prep teachers is male and he is an amazing teacher. Late 20's, openly gay (unusual because it is a catholic school), wears a bow tie in a vibrant pattern everyday. He's like a live wire to be around. The students adore him. I've already told him he can never change year levels until after DS goes through reception. I don't think he ever would though, he loves working with the preppies.

We've got 8 men on the teaching staff here (out of 17), plus our head. I think it actually works better for staff dynamics to have some men in the team. I've worked in all female environments and it can be a bit of a pain sometimes.

My son's daycare has got a male student trainee at the moment and I can't believe the number of parents who have complained about it and don't want him in their children's rooms. Disgusting really. I think it's fantastic.

[AugustRose]

My DDs go to a small village school and they have a male teacher who comes in 2/3 times a week and usually teaches science/RE across reception to year 6. The kids all really like him and are always talking about his lessons.

When I was young I went through a 3 tier system (first school 4-9) (middle school 9-13) and high school (13-16). At the first school there were no male teachers and it was a very old fashioned environment, then at the middle school most of the teachers were male and it was a much more relaxed place to be.

I know a couple of male primary teachers socially and they are really nice and easy to talk to.

[FannyPriceless]

Isn't it crap that we are talking about this as being such a rare thing. I get down when any job is this extremely gender-stereotyped.

On the bright side, we have a male teacher at the DCs' pre-school. I would say he is great, but then so are all the female teachers, and I'd hate to single him out for special treatment!

[MimsyBorogroves]

No male teachers in DS's school. I wish there were.

[fl0b0t]

I have worked in about 30 primary schools over the last 5 years (not a teacher) and average about 1-5 male teachers per school (depending on school size). Very few lower down in the school though!

[Sprink]

Two primary schools, four male teachers. Interestingly, in both schools (one of 200 pupils, the other of 100 pupils), the males taught the YR and Y6 classes. Well.

[maxbear]

My husband is an infant school teacher, only him and the head master, the rest are women. He did reception last year, a mixture this year and next. He loves it and seems to get on well!

As an aside, I was well impressed with him when he guessed that one of his colleagues was pregnant before she told everyone. I asked him the other day if she had had her scan yet, he said I don't really get in to all that cos she would never stop talking about it!

[Pootles2010]

maxbear - does your dh come across any negative stereotyping at all? My DP is considering going into primary teaching (totally different career atm), as he's so bored with current job, just very disatisfied really.

Obviously we've got to work out how he'll go through training etc, but had also crossed my mind he might meet with negative attitudes?

[Sprink]

Pootles2010--In my limited experience, I've never heard any negative attitudes from the parent/child perspective. All positives. I think, in particular, parents of boys are pleased by a more balanced staff. Some female teachers (this is just some, very few I'm sure) just do not understand or know how to handle boys.

In the end, everyone is happy with a good teacher, regardless of sex.

[missymayhemsmum]

Well, hopefully this chap has really thought about a career in primary teaching, rather than just drifted into it as a 'suitable' graduate option, and you can be reasonably confident he won't go on maternity leave halfway through the year..... give the guy a chance, op. What did your ds think of him?

[mynameisnotmichaelcaine]

DS had a male teacher last year in Year 1, and he absolutely LOVED him. He is about 6'4" and absolutely towers over the teeny kids, but he is a total natural, and DS went from hating school to loving it virtually overnight.

I had two amazing male teachers at infant school in the mid 80s, and still remember them with fondness now. I think it's a career that more men should be encouraged to consider. My DB would have been a fantastic primary school teacher, and he'd love to do it now, but he's the main earner in the family, and it's too expensive for him to leave his current job and train.

[Murraylover]

One of the guys I went to Uni with - ex English student, and my brother. Didn't realise either would be "special". It's more unusual that I'm an Engineering Manager...

[rightsaidfrederick]

I was taught by one when I was in Y5 & 6, though this is going back a few years now! I do have fond memories of him though.

[MidniteScribbler]

Pootles If your DP truly has a passion for teaching, then tell him to go for it. I think we need more male teachers in primary school to provide more positive male role models for students.

I'm a single parent and will be asking for my DS to be in the classes with male teachers when they are available (easy enough for me to do since I work at the school lol). I don't have a lot of men in my social circle for him to connect with, so I hope he can have it in the classroom at times.