Men teachers and the "feminised" primary school: a review of the literature

This review discusses and critiques the literature on men teachers and "feminised" primary schools from a feminist poststructuralist position. It is aimed at an audience new to the topic. The focus on "men primary teachers" as a field of research flourished as a consequence of concerns over boys' underachievement when an increase in the numbers of males in primary schools was seen as a solution to this particular "gender problem". There are distinct and contrasting theoretical positions evident in this literature and these are illustrated here by exploring the tensions between "men teachers" and the "feminised" primary school. It is shown how the prevailing perspective which is used to underpin teacher recruitment drives implicitly defines the "feminised" primary school as deficient and defective.