Giving Compass' Take:

• Eric Podberesky reports that female teachers need more support when dealing with education in conflict and crisis situations. Below are recommendations for action to help these teachers thrive. 

• Why are female teachers not prioritized more within education? How can communities bring about more gender-specific teacher development training that can create networks between female teachers?

• Female teachers could possibly benefit from having a coach to enhance their support system and promote professional development.

In education in conflict and crisis (EiCC) situations, community members often take on new roles to provide essential education and psychosocial support services to children. This is especially true for female teachers, who are expected to provide academic and nurturing care to their students while also caring for their families and coping with their own social, emotional and material needs. This is a tall order, and female teachers do not receive the support they need to be as effective — and engaged — as possible.

In 2005, the late Jackie Kirk, a pioneer for girls’ education and female teachers in EiCC, urged practitioners to find gender-sensitive approaches to protect, support and encourage female teachers. We have not moved quickly enough since then. Here are our top three recommendations for action:

  1. Ensure that education programs are responsive to the realities faced by female teachers.
  2. Provide gender-sensitive teacher professional development.
  3. Recruit, support and promote female teachers into leadership positions (e.g., school directors or district education officials) at all levels of an education system.

Read more about ways we can help female teachers by Eric Podberesky at Degrees FHI 360.