Gender Imbalance Derived from Teacher Allocation to Different Grades at Elementary Schools

The purpose of this paper is to examine how gender imbalance is constructed and what gender issues occur in teacher allocation at elementary schools. We conducted an interview survey to 10 male teachers in metropolitan areas to examine the actual conditions of male teacher allocation in elementary schools and analyze how gender imbalance occurs. Female teachers are prone to be allocated to lower grades and male teachers aren\u27t much even if they want to. This imbalance results from gender biased consideration for female teachers, who carry out responsibility for care of their family and young children. Work of upper grades is so tough and hard that female teachers tend to avoid taking charge of upper grades. And then male teachers are often taken their workplaces in upper grades and they do busy and hard work. Male teachers are also expected masculine and controlling role to student behavior. Additionally work of upper grades is in a spotlight or central parts at schools, on the other hands, work of lower grades is regarded as shadow work. This gender imbalance works as sexual discrimination in elementary schools. Some experiences of male teachers suggest possibilities to change gender imbalance in teacher allocation. Changing balance of disproportionate work between lower grades and upper grades and sharing hard work will improve institution and structure in schools