How Does Gender Affect the Teaching Profession?

        Thinking back on my past years in school before college, I realized how many teachers of mine were women. I had a total of 8 male teachers throughout my middle school years to senior year of high school, that were not just a PE coach. I had none in elementary school. There is a gender divide when it comes to the classrooms. Truthfully, I had never taken the time before this to realize how majority of my education was taught by women before college. I found Jennie Weiner’s podcast very interesting as she spoke about how males are more often given the leadership role because they have “male characteristics” that are more fit for leadership than women are. I find this very irritating, and it led me to stop and think about the leadership roles at most of the schools I’ve been to. The majority of them had male principles. I think male teachers are often perceived as scary or tough to their students. They are put into this stereotype that they don’t have a masculine profession. I can say that most of the male teachers I had were some of my favorites, which made me want to go to their class and learn every day. I feel people view male teachers differently than female teachers. A male teacher can show to young men that they too can have the dream of being a teacher. It’s important to have teachers that look like the students being taught, anyone can make a difference and change a student’s life. There is very little respect for teachers when it comes to all that they do behind the scenes for their students. So, I think gender negatively affects the teaching profession.