Teachers and mothers : an analysis of the maternal aspects of teaching

Abstract

The qualitative research reported here was designed to explore the maternal aspects of teaching, primarily by giving voice to women teachers both single and married, encouraging them to talk freely about their professional and personal lives. The focus was mainly on women teachers who are mothers but single women teachers were also given the opportunity to express their views. The different and similar ways of how women teachers who are mothers and single teachers interact with their students were explored. From the interviews it was very evident that there is a strong relationship between teaching and motherhood. Both single and women teachers agreed that as a teacher besides knowing well the subject one must also be friendly, caring, patient and able to emphatize with his/her students - qualities often associated with mothers. The results have shown that although single women teachers possess maternal instincts, married women teachers as mothers could relate more to their students. However, single women teachers' capability in dealing with the students' academic and emotional problems was not excluded. To be a good teacher one does not necessarily have to be single or married, male or female, mother or father but the most important thing is the dedication and the respect for the students.