Teacher Gender and Career Patterns

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of research into the relationship between gender and teachers' careers. As far as possible it identifies similarities and differ-ences between the UK and other regions of the world, and seeks to relate both to the political, economic and social influences that can have a significant impact upon the differential gendering of teachers' careers in different social locations. We will argue that going against social mores is always difficult, whether it be for men thinking of training to teach in primary schools in England, or for women in India or Afghanistan whose own education is often restricted, and for some of whom social/cultural traditions prevent them working outside the home. We find that a sexual division of labour in teaching does exist, albeit manifesting itself in different shapes and forms, which link to social constructions of masculin-ity and femininity within the societies in which they live and work. The divisions are not of caste-like rigidity, but the probabilities that the sexes will experi-ence differential career lines and typical locations in school are striking enough to allow us to speak confidently of a sexual division of labour in teaching. (Acker, 1994: 76) The sexual division of labour which Sandra Acker speaks of is not a purely European or Western phenomenon. It is a common feature of teaching across the world. Drudy (2008: 309) uses figures from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the European Union to suggest that the teaching profession is characterised by gender imbalances. Female predominance in school teaching is to be found in most countries throughout the world.