Peer mentoring could help male teachers stay in the classroomPeer mentoring would help attract and retain male primary school teachers in Australia according to a Central Queensland University researcher.

CQU Researcher Dr Teresa Moore argues that networks between male pre-service student teachers and experienced male teachers could help establish a teacher identity that would encourage quality male primary school teachers to stay in the classroom.

Dr Moore has undertaken an online survey of the ‘lived experience' of beginning male teachers in Queensland as part of a larger Australian research project that looks at peer mentoring as a retention strategy.

"Respondents talked about the tensions between a lifestyle choice concerning changing careers and the realities of the changing nature of school, complexity of teachers' work and intensification of work," Dr Moore said.

"Male teachers ‘in the field' want to see more male teachers in primary schools and more workshop-based networking facilitated."

The research also highlights the benefits that could be gained from school-based industry partners collaborating with university teacher educators.