Periander wrote:
> Palindrome wrote in
> news:cfKWj.278617$i_6.29522@fe06.news.easynews.com:
>
>> Periander wrote:
>>> Palindrome wrote in news:rFEWj.736565$Gl5.696378
>>> @fe02.news.easynews.com:
>>>
>>>> However, it is a tad unacceptable to tell half the population that
>>>> they can no linger work in infants' schools.
>>> As you may know I am a school governor, not last year, teh year
>>> before we actually had a tacher vacancy place. the advert ran ...
>>>
>>> "Currently men are under represented amongst our teaching staff and
>>> applications from men would be particularly welcome ... blah, blah,
>>> disclaimer nonesense ... employ only on merit etc"
>>>
>> That that wording was considered necessary rather proves the point.
>> The situation in infant schools would be hardly different if half the
>> population was indeed on the SOR.
>
> I wondered who was going to say that :-)
>
> Actually the real reason - if you ask teachers that is, is that teachers
> in primary schools get paid far less than teachers in secondary schools
> and men tend to go towards the higher paid jobs (which of course we
> deserve) ;-)
>
>
Hang on, I'll just ask. ;)
Yep, pay is lower*.
However, look at co-ed prep schools. You will find that the male/female
split is much nearer 50:50. Look at male single-. prep schools. Male
teachers predominate.
The same pay differentials exist that would make those teachers better
off working in secondary education, whether private or state. Yet they
choose not to. Ask those teachers why, rather than asking male teachers
in state secondary education why.
OK, there is a much more serious factor at work that is driving men away
from both primary and secondary teaching (but not tertiary lecturing).
The female/male ratio of new teachers is at 7:1 and still climbing.
Men are reluctant to become teachers.
But they are extremely reluctant to be teachers in state primary schools.
I don't think that you, or anyone, actually believed that adding text
about male teachers being particularly welcome in a job advert was going
to be other than appearing to "do something".
*Whether that pay is lower because it has historically been a female
preserve, or whether it is a female preserve because the pay is lower, I
wouldn't like to say. Historically, the academic and vocational training
requirements have been rather different too. The simple fact is that
there are male teachers that see their vocation at teaching young
children. But they won't go near state primary schools. No matter what
you pay them.
--
Sue
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