Intense marketing needed to attract men to teaching, Ontario educators say

(Nov. 12, 2004 – Toronto) A study into the declining numbers of male teachers in Ontario suggests provincial government intervention is needed to reverse the trend.

Narrowing the Gender Gap: Attracting Men to Teaching recommends that the province champion a multi-year marketing campaign, research and possible incentives to bring men into the profession and retain them.

The report follows months of consultation with students, teachers, administrators, parents, education stakeholders and community groups, and an examination of trends across Canada and around the world.

Ontario educators launched the study in February in response to school board hiring concerns and the lack of available male teachers. The research project was undertaken by Jean-Luc Bernard, Directeur de l'éducation, Conseil scolaire de district du Centre-Sud-Ouest (CSDCSO); David Hill, Director of the Trillium Lakelands District School Board; Pat Falter, Consulting Director, English Language School of Education, Laurentian University; and Doug Wilson, Registrar, Ontario College of Teachers.

Fewer than one in three Ontario teachers are men. The shortage is acute at the primary-junior levels where, according to Ontario College of Teachers data, only one in 10 teachers under the age of 30 are male.

“Finding, hiring and retaining quality teachers – male or female – is a priority in education, particularly in high need subjects such as French, math and science,” says College Registrar Doug Wilson. “Unfortunately, young men are choosing other career paths.”

“We wanted to identify the barriers that keep men from becoming teachers, talk about it with students, teachers, parents and system partners and come up a practical, forward-looking plan,” said CSDCSO Education Director Jean-Luc Bernard.

The project uncovered a number of perceived barriers to men entering teaching, among them: low salaries; negative stereotypes; and fears of allegations of sexual misconduct.

As a result, the project partners recommend:

* a provincial government sponsored three-year marketing campaign
* providing materials to education faculties, district school boards and other employers and organizations to complement provincial, regional and local recruitment campaigns
* showing the benefits of teaching and working with children and dispelling myths that discourage men from entering the teaching profession
* investigating further incentives
* increasing alternative and part-time programs at faculties of education
* encouraging school boards to offer co-operative education and peer tutoring placements for male high school students in elementary schools
* developing mentoring programs for male teachers
* conducting research to see whether there is a correlation between the academic achievement of boys the presence of male teachers.