There are many ways to recruit more men to be teachers.
Start a large public awareness campaign
There needs to be constant, pervasive messages about the importance of men teaching children. Every media needs to show positive images of men teaching or telling stories about the value and significance of men teaching. Newspapers, magazine, television, the internet, movies and radio all need to help to shift people’s perception that teaching is women’s work.
Pay teachers more money
Increasing teachers salaries will attract more men to teaching. Our society shows that it values something by paying for it. If we can pay millions to athletes, then we have the resources to pay teachers more money. In our society, one way we show how we value something, is by paying more money for it. Aren’t our children worth more than what we are paying teachers for.
Increase boys’ opportunity to learn to be a teacher
We offer girls special courses in math/science/engineering or computer technology because we know that they have had less exposure and support in those areas. Do we offer boys the same opportunity around teaching and nurturing? We can offer boys workshops and classes around how to teach and care for children. And we need to offer it in a way that is interesting to boys. We have modified the math/science/engineering and computer technology workshops and classes for girls, we need to first offer something for boys while making certain it is relevent to boys likes and dislikes.
Those are just three ideas, we have more to share.
What about you?
What ideas do you have to recruit more men to teaching?