Male Teachers Make Good Role Models

[Dave Roberts]

Out of the 800 men questioned, 35 per cent said that male teachers inspired them to work harder.

Dr Tanya Byron, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, author and broadcaster, said: "The need for strong male role models as constants in the lives of young children is more apparent than ever in light of the increasing numbers of children experiencing breakdown of the traditional family unit, growing up in single parent families or not having a male figure at home. Male primary school teachers can often be stable and reliable figures in the lives of the children that they teach."

Only 13 per cent of current primary school teachers are men. However, the number of male trainee teachers has been increasing by around one percent each year.

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And the implications for church are ....................

[Dave and Sheri Gidney]

It would be good if someone could produce some statistics that parallel these in kids clubs and sunday schools around the country. I suspect the ratio of male leaders to female is even lower there! Does anyone know of any statistics like these?

[Graeme]

I suspect that a lot comes down from the leadership of the kids ministries, I know of one male kids pastor apart from me. I have about 15-20% of my team members as men, but as a 6'4" ex rugby playing bloke I have styled the kids ministry at church to reflect more male values, in a very similar way to how our church has learnt some lessons from the book 'why men don't go to church.' We generally use plenty of technology, loud music, gadgets and encourage competition which brings the best out of blokes and doesn't seem to deter the girls. I'd love to see any national or denominational stats...