I’m not sure I buy this.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- For all the differences between the sexes, here's one that might stir up debate in the teacher's lounge: Boys learn more from men and girlsOK, Dee has the statistics but my personal experience doesn’t reflect his findings. At least not if I’m remembering correctly. I would have to say that my “learning” was not affected by gender, and certainly not nearly as much as by the personality and abilities of the individual teachers. Not to mention my own aptitude for the subject of the class.
learn more from women.
That's the upshot of a provocative study by Thomas Dee, an associate professor of economics at Swarthmore College and visiting scholar at Stanford University.
[snip]
Dee's study is based on a nationally representative survey of nearly 25,000 eighth-graders that was conducted by the Education Department in 1988. Though dated, the survey is the most comprehensive look at students in middle school, when gender gaps emerge, Dee said.
I suppose I could do a study of my own and compare the grades I got (yes, I have all my college and high school report cards and some from grade school) to the gender of the teachers. I doubt I would find much correlation. As a matter of fact, when I was a student, I’m sure I never even thought about a preference in teachers’ gender. You’d think that if there was a difference, I would have developed, consciously or unconsciously, a preference during my years in school, but I can tell you honestly I did not.
Like I said, my guess is that quality of teacher is far, far more important than their gender.
1 comment:
Gee, could it be linked to studies which show that teachers virtually ignore female students in their quest to turn out the next male president, or male physicist?
Not only was it a huge battle to keep my daughter interested in science, and math starting at about seventh grade, but to repeatedly hear reports that she was being ignored when she had the answer (even when no one else did) in favor of little boys who weren't even paying attention sadly did not come as a suprise - why?
Numerous studies show that both male, and female teachers - even when they are made aware they are doing so - literally ignore female students in favor of boys.
And we just thought they were shy.
This is true not just in science, and math, but in all classes.
Women have fought their way out of having to cover every square inch of their bodies with cloth, have fought & died for the right to vote, have fought their way out of being trapped in abusive marriages, have fought for their rights to own property, and retain custody of their children, have fought their way into schools, and the workplace, and now even sports, and combat - but despite the best intentions of this modern generation unknowingly teachers end up favoring boys.
We have a long way to go (both male, and female) in our quest for an egalitarianistic society.
JP
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