Male primary school teachers

[Chuvak]

Hi all

I've joined Mumsnet specifically to post this thread and ask for your views.

I'm a 36-year-old married male with a 7 year old DD and I'm considering becoming a primary school teacher. I work full-time and will finish my part-time degree this year. I want to become a teacher for all the right reasons: I genuinely like children and education and have seen my daughter flourish at her school with good teachers.

My only concern is how males can be perceived being around younger children. The only time I hear about male teachers in the media is when inappropriate contact has been made which (perhaps not unreasonably) affects how the public view them.

I've done some finance workshops in primary schools as part of my current bank career and have spoken to teachers about their jobs, so I know how difficult their jobs can be.

So AIBU in worrying how I could be judged as a male primary school teacher?

P.S. I've posted on Mumsnet because the majority of interaction between teachers and their students' parents is with Mums.

Thanks in advance and please be honest with your views.

I’m a primary teacher. It’ll be fine.

Expect a lot of fawning about how great it is that a man would choose this career.

Primary Schools are crying out for male teachers. The profession is far too female heavy IMO.
Go for it.

There are lots of male primary teachers these days. Not as many as women but it’s certainly not unusual.

My primary aged son has a male teacher and I think he's fab as does my son, it's a boy heavy class and he handles them really well. He also had a male nursery teacher. I'm a LP and the more positive male role models in my son's life the better as far as I'm concerned. I haven't heard any negative comments from other parents about their kids having a male teacher. I'd like to see more male primary teachers personally.

If you're half decent you'll be fast tracked into management and guaranteed a job in KS1.

Both my DC have male teachers (years 3 and 5) - I honestly haven’t heard anything negative about the fact they’re male from any parents. Both lovely inspiring teachers and the kids are happy which is what matters!

My dd's first reception teacher was a man. We loved and she still talks about him and laughs at some of the things he used to say even now, coming to the end of Year 6. I don't think anyone gives it a second thought tbh. I know I didn't or none of the parents I ever spoke to from dd's year group.

Exactly what DisorderedOrder said-as an LP myself I especially second that

Just be a good teacher. That's all most of us want.

Whether you are male or female makes no difference to me or my Dds.

My dd's primary school had several male teachers. Most of them were fabulous, as were most of the female teachers. As a school governor, I don't think your gender would be an issue at all.

By the way, lots of dads did drop-off/pick-up at our school, so the majority of your interaction would not necessarily be with mums.

Primary teaching involves a huge amount of work and a relatively poor work-life balance during term-time. It's worth considering if that's what you want before you take that leap.

Being a man really isn’t something to be worried about in primary.

The downright shiteness of teaching at the moment probably is, though I expect you are aware of this already!

It's bloody hard work. That aside, you'll get a perspective that most women teachers won't. The fawning, yes. But also, a male friend of mine in year 3 was treated slightly off when dealing with the children changing after PE. He was the most angelic type of human, school prefect type and still had to cope with a comment about whether it was 'appropriate' that he was there. Can't remember what, but it rattled him. Just be prepared for that. But then again, there are always asshole parents and they'll say all sorts to anyone.

Good luck! (Also, if you're halfway decent looking, another group of mums will probably go all twittery over you... good luck with that, too)

I'm a primary school teacher. If anything you'll be looked on more favourably. Men are over-represented in management of primary schools so you'll have good promotion prospects.
You'll meet the odd ignorant idiot, but you'll also meet lots that are ever so impressed that as a man you can do the same job as a woman.
Good luck with it, it's a very rewarding and challenging career.

I had male teachers at primary, my dc have had them. I've never heard anyone express concerns about them being male

Loads of blokes at my school, including in Reception. No way will it be seen as inappropriate.

None on SLT though, we keep them in their place.

That was a JOKE before I get the mumsnet stoning.

I think it's good for girls and boys to see men in caring professions.

There's as male teacher at my DDs primary. He seems like a brilliant teacher, the kids all love him and so he's doing his job. His gender means absolutely nothing to us parents or the kids in school.

It's only the bad apples that spoil it for the many. On a day to day basis there are no issues everywhere I've worked.

18 years ago when I was at primary school, male teachers outnumbered female teachers.

I would like to see more gender balance in teaching and childcare. Only one male nursery staff at my daughter's nursery which is a shame - I don't want her growing up with set ideas about jobs that men do and jobs that women do. Go for it!

Ive just finished a teacher training course with a dozen male students and I was taught by at least two male teachers when I was in primary school. As long as you're professional and show you can do the job (like any profession, female orientated or otherwise) you'll be absolutely fine!

Media only ever portrays negative images of anything, happy stories dont make good press! For every 1 male teacher that gets into the news there are hundreds who are perfectly trustworthy

Primary schools are not crying out for male teachers in particular. Just good teachers. There is a certain type of bloke who goes into primary teaching like "here I am. You're welcome". Some think that they are doing education a massive favour by training at all. I've supported students like this. Not saying you would be like that.

When I first started as a TA, our primary school had 5 male teachers out of a total of twelve classes, plus we had a male headteacher. Fast forward to now and we have none. Not one. The only time we see a male teacher is if one comes to school on supply. I'd like to see more (good) male teachers in primary, so I'd say if you can cope with the pressures that come with the job, go for it.

Looking around local primaries for DD we have 2 out of 6 with male heads and most have make teachers.

Wouldn't bother me in the slightest. Go for it!

I think men make great primary school teachers.

As a child, my favourite teachers tended to be male (I suppose it was luck, but all my male teachers were fun, yet 'firm but fair').

As an adult, I know some lovely men who are brilliant teachers and really enjoy their jobs. They don't get negative comments.

I say go for it!