A provocative new line of research has concluded that the students learn better from teachers of their same sex. After controlling for a variety of factors, it turns out that boys learn better from male teachers and girls learn better from female teachers.

“The study found switching up teachers actually could narrow achievement gaps between boys and girls, but one gender would gain at the expense of the other.”

Certainly this is not the final word on the topic, and the results are not being accepted without reservation. Furthermore, it is a great example of research that hits the gray area where psychology and politics mix. Even if study after study shows the same result, it is not consistent with the current political climate on gender issues, and it is unlikely that any policy change would result. I have not had the opportunity to read the actual study, but the idea is very powerful. I would like to see what other factors were accounted for, but my hypothesis on why this occurs would be that kids are more attentative to teachers of the same sex.

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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 28 Aug 2006
    Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.