Teaching creative writing
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Should there be more male teachers?

Definitely! We are a dying species in education at the moment and the few of us who are around tend to hide in our offices behind bits of paper. The problem is particularly acute in primary school where we are virtually extinct. I appeared on BBC Breakfast TV this Tuesday to talk about this: a mother and her two sons agreed with me, talking about how they could talk to male teachers about their problems more openly. I explained that I think a lot of men don’t go into teaching because they are frightened of being accused of being paedophiles, don’t the poor pay and status. It’s sad because good male teachers are not only needed as role models but also to motivate, to bring a different perspective, to bring diversity, to liven things up a bit.

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