Do you remember opening your schedule in the summer for this school year? Immediately calling your friends to compare classes and teachers. Most students get that giddy feeling when they know they have a class with friends or a teacher they love, but have you ever noticed that there are always more female teachers? For most students, the answer is no. It just doesn’t seem to cross their minds, but for us it has. It might not seem like a big issue at first, but it stretches to a more important theme. While schools are making efforts to increase diversity and support all students, teaching has become one of the most gender-segregated jobs in the country. As far as teaching goes there are far more female teachers than male.
Across the United States, about 77% of teachers are female, compared to just 23% male. Although Tallwood’s percentages are slightly above the national average, they still represent this gap. So why has teaching become so heavily female? What does that mean for students?
It wasn’t always like this. In the past, teaching was mostly done by men because women had limited access to education. That changed during the Industrial Revolution when women entered the workforce. So much has changed and interestingly, teaching used to be a male-dominated field. Schools began hiring more female teachers, partly because they could be paid less and were believed to be better for children. After this the number of male teachers dropped significantly.
Today, that imbalance that you see everyday is actually affecting your learning. Students connect easier with teachers they can relate to. For some students, especially boys, having a male teacher makes it easier to stay engaged and feel understood. This can be seen in simple examples such as classroom management, influential role models, and student success. Students benefit from being able to relate and connect with who they see at the front of the room. Students may perform better with a teacher of the same gender as them as it improves attention and participation. In classrooms where male teachers are absent, male students are more likely to disengage and perform under par because they lack motivation.
Different teachers bring different ideas and perspectives. It benefits all students and creates a more balanced learning environment for students. With an even amount of male and female teachers, school becomes stronger and more realistic.
In the end, the gender gap in education isn’t just about the numbers, but it shapes how students experience school each day. More balance equals better schools, better students and better futures.
