Male Teachers at Primary Level

[Cb21]

Hi Folks,

I am just enquiring and interested in Public opinion on this matter. I am a guy who is currently looking at doing my PGCE and QTS in September. As a guy I am wondering what your opinions are of having male teachers in the classroom. Do you have experience of such? Do you have male primary teachers in your DD'S school?
Most of what I have read from such related articles is from many years ago and I'm just looking for an upto date and current opinion. I would appreciate all views positive and negative (as I know there may be some) but I want a rounded view of public opinion. Thanks a lot.

Instead of focusing on turning the children into geniuses (which lots of them can be) you're more interested in turning it into a defensive gender war.

You have zero idea of how high my expectations are or how excellent my behaviour management is.

I do, however, know exactly how you view primary teachers as compared to secondary teachers because you posted it. That's why I was able to comment.

Rather than Alpha teachers, they have an Alpha philosophy that is imparted from the senior leadership that permeates the school. That way, a teacher's individual personality is removed from the equation. Everyone does and says the same thing in lessons.

Sounds like they want robots rather than teachers.

I’d rather eat my own toenails than work somewhere like that.

A bit off topic but does anyone else have absolutely no idea whether they’re ‘alpha’ or ‘beta’?

My view mainly comes from a belief that I don't agree with the 'natural teacher' philosophy. It seems to suggest someone either has 'it' or doesn't, so if they're a great teacher it's because of some intrinsic quality and if they struggle then it's a problem with them as a person.

For me it's a problematic philosophy because it elevates some staff based on personality over pedagogy and it means if staff are weaker then either get rid because they'll never have it, or remove teacher autonomy so even if they're not that good there's a body in the room doing lessons by numbers (which actively prevents the weaker teacher developing pedagogically).

I don't think you can, or should, remove personality and individual differences. The challenge of being a good leader is having a team of staff, maximising what each of them offer and supporting each person to develop professionally.

Sometimes I wonder what's going to happen when we're 10/15 years down the line and all these identical teachers who've spent years delivering other people's lessons, getting promoted doing donkey work for whoever at MAT central has set the agenda etc are the ones running schools. There's some trainees I've worked with think I was unreasonable for not giving them a PowerPoint by PowerPoint set if materials and found our consistent but not scripted behaviour policy difficult. They were much weaker than others who had done their first placement somewhere with some autonomy.

Omega is the way to go

In France but I'd say the male primary teacher at DD1s primary was a total game changer. His system worked for her so well it allowed her to shine. And she's never stopped. He was a lot less concerned with sitting still which massively helped.

Everyone does and says the same thing in lessons.
What do they do when a child comes and tells them something unrelated to the lesson (say, "my mum nicked me some new shoes at the weekend" or "Janie has weed on my colouring" or "the toaster is on fire")?

Re the previous few comments about the school I mentioned. Don't take what I said to be that they all act like robots. The school is doing exceptionally well by all accounts and even people who had the same criticisms as those in here were wowed once they actually visited. The results and universal acclaim don't lie.

results and universal acclaim don’t lie pish.