If there is anything I have learned in this crazy world it is that life is many times unfair. I say this because I believe it relates to teaching especially. One of the most common responses I receive when I tell people I'm an education major is "Oh, are you sure you want to do that?" or "You know there's no money in that." I am almost certain many people have had that same experience. Teachers get put through so much, it truly is a difficult job, it does not pay as much as it should, and receives tons of backlash. On top of all of this we have to deal with the gender stereotypes that come with the job. Stereotypes like women belong in education, only women teach young kids, being a teacher is a feminine job. These beliefs are silly and completely untrue, come on it's 2021. You can be whatever you want to be in this world, there is no such thing as feminine or masculine job, only the stereotypes that are embedded in our minds. Another gender issue is the fact that while we see many female teachers in schools, we do not see them in positions of authority like principals, superintendents, etc. How is it possible to say that only women should work in schools, but then refuse to allow them the responsibility of running one? It makes no sense. This is an issue with almost all jobs today. Put women in positions of authority! They are strong, capable, and willing to work, this elaborate made up idea that women do not deserve to be in charge is outrageous and outdated. The last subject I wanted to touch on is men in education. Throughout elementary I never had a male teacher and if I remember correctly there were no male teachers on the campus. That changed when I got into junior high and high school because the few males that I had as teachers were also coaches. The issue is that we do not see a lot of men in early childhood education. I know in my heart that somewhere out there are men who have dreams of being an elementary teacher and they might not pursue them because it is not normal or often seen. I think that the ability to work with children is truly a gift that not many people possess, so if you are someone who has that gift you deserve to see it through. I hope to see these gender stereotypes vanish in the future, it will make my career path and many others happier and healthier.
Hey Cat!
ReplyDeleteWow, your post was extremely informative and a great read. I really like that you included the fact that there are not a lot of male teachers in early childhood education, that is something I noticed as well when I was younger. I don't think I had a male teacher until I was in middle school, and the only males on the campus in elementary were the principle and superintendent. I never had a female in either of those roles, which it unfortunate. I hope sometime in the near future, we see many different genders in all roles of the school. The stereotypes we see on a day to day basis are so outdated and never should have been there to begin with. I hope to read some posts from you again soon!
When I tell people I want to be a teacher, I receive the same reactions you mentioned most of the time. It is definitely an underappreciated job that is crucial for anyone to succeed in society. Another part that people forget to think about is that teaching is not a feminine job. While it is a women dominated career field that does mean it is only for woman. This is true not only for teaching but for all the jobs. There is not a job too masculine for a woman and not a job too feminine for a man. This idea continues to be around as times goes on. Another interesting point you brought up is that even though teachers are mostly women, they don't have high authority positions. I find this idea incredibly frustrating and illogical because it assumes that women's roles don't exist outside the classroom.
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