Male primary school teachers 'improve behavio

Male primary school teachers can help improve the behaviour of boys, supporting moves by the Training and Development Agency (TDA) for Schools to boost the number of male teachers in the UK.

The balance of male and female teachers in Britain is becoming increasingly skewed, with far more women choosing to train as teaching staff than men.

According to a YouGov poll of more than 600 children aged between eight and 11 years old, 51 per cent of boys claim to be better behaved for male teachers, with 42 per cent stating that they were likely to work harder.

Nearly half (49 per cent) of the boys surveyed wanted more male teachers at their school, while the vast majority of parents quizzed (83 per cent) wanted more men teaching their children.

The study reveals that men currently comprise just 16 per cent of primary school teachers, with one in 12 pupils aged eight to 11 never having had a male teacher by the time they leave primary school.

Research on whether children benefit most from male or female teachers is decidedly mixed but, with a growing number of one-parent families in Britain, education experts are expressing concern about the lack of male influence and positive male role models in many children's lives.

Many boys polled by YouGov also stated that male teachers 'help them to enjoy school more' (44 per cent) and make them feel more self-confident (37 per cent).

The number of men applying to train as primary school teachers is growing, but the TDA wants to see this figure rise much faster to create a more even balance of male and female teachers.


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Date:01/08/2007 11:48:37