Spring Break
Male Teacher Shortage Hits Home
James White
Issue date: 9/25/07 Section: News
One often-cited reason as to why men rarely teach is the low salaries.
"It's gotten better," Schwab said, "but teaching is a tough way to make a living."
Connecticut pays some of the highest average salaries in the nation for teachers: more than $61,000 last year, according to the state Department of Education. Starting salaries typically hover around $30,000.
"It's not enough," said Jay Perrier, a 9th-semester molecular and cell biology major. He explained that he originally planned on teaching biology in a secondary school after graduation, but was turned off by the pay, "especially for a five-year program."
"It's not even enough to pay off loans," he said.
Daniels agreed that pay was a major factor in deterring men from becoming educators.
"Salary is a huge turn-off to the profession," he said. "Teachers have to be compensated and rewarded."
When men do choose to become teachers, they're often attracted to middle and high schools because of the opportunity to coach sports and teach "hard" subjects like history, math and science, exacerbating the shortage of male teachers at the elementary level, Daniels added.
Addressing the shortage will mean a renewed emphasis on recruiting men to educational programs early, starting in high school, Schwab said.
Daniels said the importance of male teachers means the NEA will lobby to strongly support such programs. He cited one recruiting program in New Jersey where men receive financial aid for college upon committing to teach in-state after graduation.
No matter how men are recruited to teaching, they're needed to produce a diverse teaching environment that can help kids achieve their full potential, Daniels stressed.
"It takes a village to raise a child, we truly believe that," he said.
Contact James White at
James.White@UConn.edu.
"It's gotten better," Schwab said, "but teaching is a tough way to make a living."
Connecticut pays some of the highest average salaries in the nation for teachers: more than $61,000 last year, according to the state Department of Education. Starting salaries typically hover around $30,000.
"It's not enough," said Jay Perrier, a 9th-semester molecular and cell biology major. He explained that he originally planned on teaching biology in a secondary school after graduation, but was turned off by the pay, "especially for a five-year program."
"It's not even enough to pay off loans," he said.
Daniels agreed that pay was a major factor in deterring men from becoming educators.
"Salary is a huge turn-off to the profession," he said. "Teachers have to be compensated and rewarded."
When men do choose to become teachers, they're often attracted to middle and high schools because of the opportunity to coach sports and teach "hard" subjects like history, math and science, exacerbating the shortage of male teachers at the elementary level, Daniels added.
Addressing the shortage will mean a renewed emphasis on recruiting men to educational programs early, starting in high school, Schwab said.
Daniels said the importance of male teachers means the NEA will lobby to strongly support such programs. He cited one recruiting program in New Jersey where men receive financial aid for college upon committing to teach in-state after graduation.
No matter how men are recruited to teaching, they're needed to produce a diverse teaching environment that can help kids achieve their full potential, Daniels stressed.
"It takes a village to raise a child, we truly believe that," he said.
Contact James White at
James.White@UConn.edu.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Jeff
posted 10/01/07 @ 11:54 PM EST
Excellent article.
Celina
posted 11/18/08 @ 10:38 AM EST
Just came across this article, and I think the failing performance of boys in schools mirrors this decline in male teachers. I don't understand why we don't pay for men's college or offer men only scholarships to address this. (Continued…)
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