Men in Schools? Yes! But ⋯: The Need for Male Teachers in Primary Education

Abstract

In recent public discussions in Europe on the advantages of mixed-gender teams, many voices have been calling for more men in primary education. The urgent need to get more male teachers into primary education exists also in the Czech Republic. In a highly feminised environment, the prevailing view is that we need more male role models and male teachers who are already in kindergartens and elementary schools are presented as unique and exceptional. Behind this idea lies the belief that female teachers need to be 'complemented' by male teachers, because female collectives are not that helpful - and may even be harmful - without the presence of men. The crucial question is: When we are asking for more 'good male role models' in primary education, what type of masculinity are we looking for? The aim of the paper is to identify the problematic assumptions underpinning the discourse on the shortage of male teachers. This paper is based on qualitative ethnographic research conducted in kindergartens and elementary schools between 2013 and 2017, which included interviews with different actors in primary education in the Czech Republic.