Stereotypes of Teachers

Bad Teacher as Antihero Stereotype

Stereotypes of teachers can be grouped into two very broad categories: the good hero teacher and the bad [Page 766]antihero teacher. It is obvious from their names that Mr. Gradgrind and Mrs. Krabapple both fall into the latter category. They are no-nonsense figures who are uninterested in making learning enjoyable for their students. The antihero teacher stereotype depicts the teacher as being joyless, unattractive (like the historical spinster teacher), and boring. This teacher is mean and embittered with life and teaching. Often, antihero teachers are cruel and condescending toward students, resorting to corporal punishment to keep their classes in order. They are also lazy, taking little time to prepare their lessons or care about the learning needs of their students. They become objects of ridicule.

The antihero stereotype is used to propagate the notion that teachers are to blame for societal problems. The stereotype contributes to the belief that teachers are responsible for rising rates of illiteracy, dropouts, and subsequent problems with youth crime, as well as the moral decline of society and slowdowns in the economy. The teacher as antihero stereotype provides a convenient scapegoat for a wide range of societal problems.

Good Teacher as Hero Stereotype

The good teacher stereotype advances the notion of the teacher as hero who is completely dedicated to students. In this view, teachers see their work as their life, and they sacrifice themselves for their students. Contemporary notions of the hero teacher mirror the earlier nineteenth-century stereotype of the teacher as savior or saint, a person who has answered a calling from God to save children from the ills of modern society.

There are two types of teacher-as-hero stereotypes. The first, the charismatic teacher, is inspirational and holds the rapt attention of students. Charismatic teachers often achieve success in unconventional ways and are rarely seen engaging in the ordinary tasks associated with teaching, such as lesson planning. Moreover, they are often rather flustered, disorganized, and unprepared for class. They rarely stick to the official curriculum, preferring instead to innovate and make it up on the go. Through their popularity and charming personality, charismatic teachers are able to inspire their students to success.

Another version of the hero stereotype, most commonly associated with female teachers, is the selfless teacher who is completely dedicated to students. These teachers are willing to go the extra mile for their students, both within and outside of the classroom. They are sensitive to the varying needs of students. Above all, love of children and teaching guides them in their work. The selfless teacher stereotype emphasizes the moral role of the teacher to inculcate in students appropriate moral values and habits to survive in a difficult and dangerous world.

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