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Paper Short Abstract:

How does the phrase “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach” harm the public perception of educators? With education being a female-led profession, what additional damage is done to women and femininity within the field? How do we reclaim the nobility and expertise in our role as educators?

Paper Abstract:

In 1905, George Bernard Shaw published his play Man, Superman, in which he wrote, “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.” Nearly 120 years later, this phase continues to diminish the role of educators in our society. To repeat the expression is to take away from the inherent power and politics of educating the next generation. So why, then, is it still used?

In a world built by and for the success of men, women have reigned in the field of education for more than a century. According to the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development), across the 38 countries represented, 79.2% of teachers are female. In patriarchal institutions, the message behind Shaw’s phrase “those who can't" disparage those who gave up on their other aspirations, opting for the “lesser” profession or fallback career. Instead, we must reframe this narrative as men have always been given more opportunities “to do,” as Shaw puts it. It is my intention to examine the ways in which this common saying harms the field of education and, by extension, the role of femininity in such a vital field.

Why do women gravitate towards the education profession?

How does femininity strengthen pedagogical practices?

What steps can we take to unwrite this narrative of condescension and shame in teaching?

How do we reclaim the nobility and expertise needed to excel in our role as educators?