Study: Teacher's Gender Affects Learning

Carlos Ovando, 14, left, and his sister Genesis, 12, do their homework in their Hialeah, Fla., home Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2006. Of more than 2.2 million children eligible for tutoring, only 19 percent of them received it in 2004-05, according to auditors at the congressional Government Accountability Office but the number of students in tutoring almost quadrupled from 2003 to 2005.(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) (Wilfredo Lee - AP)

Dee said his research raises valid questions.

Should teachers get more training about the learning styles of boys and girls? Should they be taught to combat biases in what they expect of boys and girls?

In the nature-nurture debate, he said, teacher gender belongs.

"Some people will react strongly to this," he said. "But I've taken pains to explain that we need to be cautious about drawing policy conclusions. As provocative as this all might seem, I really haven't gotten that much negative feedback."

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On The Net:

National Women's Law Center: http://www.nwlc.org

National Education Association: http://www.nea.org