O'Keeffe, Suzanne
(2016)
What are male teachers’ understandings of
masculinities?—an exploration of sex, gender and
bodies in Irish primary schools.
Palgrave Communications, 2 (1).
ISSN 2055-1045
Abstract
Primary teaching has traditionally been framed by assumptions about gender.
These commonly held, but seldom voiced, assumptions have a strong impact on male primary
schoolteachers and on men considering teaching as a career. Focusing on the lives of
five Irish male primary teachers, this article unpacks a number of the assumptions relating to
men who teach children at primary level. Many of the assumptions are often shrouded in
silence, which increases the difficulty in addressing them. In this context, discussions surrounding
the topics of care, men working with young children and teaching as a feminine
occupation, are presented. The study employs three data-collection phases using the interview
as the primary method of enquiry. Overall, two major challenges were identified:
informal barriers and the concept of care in education. The study’s findings show that gender
relations within a feminine environment are central to understanding masculinities in primary
schools. This article makes a contribution towards revealing how issues of masculinities are
navigated and negotiated on a daily basis. Allied to this, it also provides a context for
understanding the challenges male teachers face on a continuous basis. This article is published
as part of a thematic collection on gender studies.
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