Abstract:

Feminisation of teaching is frequently referred to in the context of “feminisation” of schools and education. The concept of feminisation is of multifaceted nature.

Discussing this phenomenon, researchers distinguish the following factors in feminisation:
• Numerical (women teachers outnumber men teachers particularly in the primary sector).
• Cultural (where the teaching environment and practices are seen to be biased towards females).
• Political (the tensions between feminist and anti-feminist perspectives on gender inequalities in schooling) (Francis and Skelton 2005, p.88).

It is emphasised that statistical feminisation, i.e. an increase in number of female teachers, results in emergence of cultural as well as political feminisation (Timmerman 2011). Feminisation of school as a problem has been analysed in the context of decreasing learning motivation among boys and their deteriorating academic achievements compared to those of girls (Delamont, 1999; Harnett & Lee 2003 and others). Female teachers make up 88.67 % of all the teachers in Lithuania (“Lietuvos švietimas skaičiais 2018. Bendrasis ugdymas” [Lithuanian Education in Numbers 2018. General Education]). Despite the objectives provided for in the strategical educational documents (e.g., the State Education Strategy for 2013 – 2022 outlines that “well-rounded education of children and young people lacks positive role models of men and male teachers can address this shortfall” (2014, p. 31) the number of male teachers is planned to at least 20 % by 2022), the percentage of male teachers shows a downward tendency. 

On the basis of the scientific literature analysis and the data of the qualitative research (2018), this presentation makes attempts to reveal the reasons for such decrease, one of which includes stereotypes about the teacher’s profession and persistent understanding of hegemonic masculinity prevailing in society. 

Keywords:

Teacher, “Feminisation" of education, Gender and Education.