Male Teachers Declining

"The economic downturn seems to have worsened an already vast gap between the numbers of men and women teachers, particularly in the early grades," writes Sarah Sparks in Education Week (May 9, 2012).

According to the "U.S. Bureau of Census Labor Statistics 2011 Current Population Survey," men make up only 18.3 percent of elementary- and middle-school teachers and 2.3 percent of preschool and kindergarten instructors — "a dip from the 2007 prerecession proportions of 19.1 percent in grades 1 to 8 and 2.7 percent in preschool and kindergarten."  Bryan Nelson, of the World Forum Men in Early Childhood Education Working Group, believes this differs from previous economic declines when more men entered K-12 teaching.

According to Sparks, "Researchers argue that though girls are increasingly encouraged throughout school to enter male-dominated fields such as engineering and mathematics, boys are given less incentive or opportunity to explore working with young children."  Robert Capouozzo, an assistant professor of early childhood education at the University of Alaska-Anchorage, points out that "many of the young men he teaches have never held an infant, while the female preservice teachers have been baby-sitting and tutoring children for years."

For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.

© 2005 Child Care Information Exchange - All Rights Reserved | Contact Us | Return to Site