Do You Prefer Your Tots Be Taught by Women or Men?

October 21, 2008

As parents, we send our kids to school to learn, but do we care who teaches them? According to the National Education Association, only one quarter of all American teachers are men. Do you prefer a male or female heading up your child's class?
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27 Comments

vmruby 4 years 30 weeks

I have no preference..... teachers are teachers and either one is fine with me.As long as my daughter is getting the best education possible it doesn't matter which gender they are.

anniekim 4 years 30 weeks

I need to pay closer attention--I now see that you already created a link. Thanks!

anniekim 4 years 30 weeks

lilsugar--could you post a link to the article you reference? I'd be interested in checking it out. My anecdotal evidence sees an increase in male teachers in secondary grade levels.

meandtheo 4 years 30 weeks

lilsugar..thanks for the response. i understand why you posed the question and also know that you didn't mean to be offensive.

meandtheo 4 years 30 weeks

lilsugar..thanks for the response. i understand why you posed the question and also know that you didn't mean to be offensive.

POPSUGAR Moms 4 years 30 weeks

HeidiM and meandtheo — I posed the question after reading an interesting article about the small percentage of male teachers and the reasons why. I have no preference in terms of who teaches my children as long as they are qualified, but I was interested in seeing if other moms had opinions.

anniekim 4 years 30 weeks

I certainly believe that men or women can both be excellent teachers. I have to chime in with lilruck touched upon, or what I think she was getting at, I could be wrong. With 98% of convicted sexual offenders I am more comfortable with a woman caring for my children in an unsupervised setting such as youth groups, or home day care, babysitting--especially as 2 of them don't speak very well(or at all) yet. By kindergarten age or so, it makes no difference to me. I don't believe that men are, overall, better disciplinarians, or women are more nurturing or any of that. I'm sure we've all experienced the difference between truth and stereotype.

anniekim 4 years 30 weeks

I certainly believe that men or women can both be excellent teachers.I have to chime in with lilruck touched upon, or what I think she was getting at, I could be wrong.With 98% of convicted sexual offenders I am more comfortable with a woman caring for my children in an unsupervised setting such as youth groups, or home day care, babysitting--especially as 2 of them don't speak very well(or at all) yet.By kindergarten age or so, it makes no difference to me. I don't believe that men are, overall, better disciplinarians, or women are more nurturing or any of that. I'm sure we've all experienced the difference between truth and stereotype.

jessie 4 years 30 weeks

either! my 9 yr old has always had female teachers....now that he is in 4th grade he finally has a male teacher....and you know what....its the same as before! :) but now he just talks about sports a bit more...LOL

Greggie 4 years 30 weeks

I don't think the question and discussion is sexist or shameful. Nor I do think all answers preferring one or the other gender are sexist. I think it's an interesting topic.

lickety split 4 years 30 weeks

so because you don't think gender is an appropriate consideration for anyone else it's offensive? i don't prefer one gender over the other when it comes to teachers, but i think it's important that my girls see women in different positions of authority. so i do want some of their instructors to be female, especially those in math and science.

lickety split 4 years 30 weeks

so because you don't think gender is an appropriate consideration for anyone else it's offensive?i don't prefer one gender over the other when it comes to teachers, but i think it's important that my girls see women in different positions of authority. so i do want some of their instructors to be female, especially those in math and science.

meandtheo 4 years 30 weeks

this is a ridiculous question! i actually find it very offensive and am shocked that it is on the site! why would anyone make gender an issue?? People would be outraged if the question was do you prefer your children to be taught by black people or white people, gay people or straight...same question to me... maybe because the majority of teachers are women this is not offensive to women, if it were the other way around feminist would be fighting mad! Shame on you lilsugar...

meandtheo 4 years 30 weeks

this is a ridiculous question! i actually find it very offensive and am shocked that it is on the site!why would anyone make gender an issue?? People would be outraged if the question was do you prefer your children to be taught by black people or white people, gay people or straight...same question to me...maybe because the majority of teachers are women this is not offensive to women, if it were the other way around feminist would be fighting mad!Shame on you lilsugar...

HeidiMD 4 years 30 weeks

I think this is a ridiculous question. Women and men are equally good teachers.

Greggie 4 years 30 weeks

In missadie's situation I can totally see why someone would request one gender or the other. Regardless of how they're taught to respect both sexes, some kids simply do better with one. My problem comes when it's like the people who request my husband simply because they think men are better at controlling the kids, not because their specific child does better with a male teacher.

Greggie 4 years 30 weeks

In missadie's situation I can totally see why someone would request one gender or the other. Regardless of how they're taught to respect both sexes, some kids simply do better with one.My problem comes when it's like the people who request my husband simply because they think men are better at controlling the kids, not because their specific child does better with a male teacher.

kikidawn 4 years 30 weeks

I've had awesome teachers that were male and female. And I've had bad teachers that were male and female. lol pink, I had an awesome male teacher that I still hang around with ... of course he is also my future father-in-law ;)

kikidawn 4 years 30 weeks

momma tikita 4 years 30 weeks

obviously female or male..as long as the child is learning! To me it doesnt make a difference!

Missadie 4 years 30 weeks

My daughter is soo shy, so as I don't so much mind, she does better with a female teacher

pinkprincess1101 4 years 30 weeks

does not matter as long as they give my children the best education possible, one of the best teachers i ever had was a male, and i still talk to him often and do lunch and dinner

LiLRuck44 4 years 30 weeks

It depends, I mean if we're talking "teachers" as in, sunday school caregivers included, than I think age makes a difference for me. I definitely feel more comfortable with female caregivers for my toddlers. For older children, maybe Kindergarten and up, it doesn't make a difference to me. My stepdaughter has a male teacher this year and he is awesome, her male teacher last year, not so much.

LiLRuck44 4 years 30 weeks

ladyr 4 years 30 weeks

Both men and women can be excellent teachers. Since teachers are very important role models for children, it's good for them to have educators of both genders to look up to.

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