The Influence of the Teacher’s Sex on High School Students’ Engagement and Achievement in Science

A cross-sectional survey of 798 high school science students showed that although female students may respond better to a female teacher’s classroom management, build reciprocal trust more with female teachers, and be more open to the pressure to learn from female teachers, in most instances the gender of the science teacher did not make a significant difference to female (or male) students. The researchers conclude that it’s important for teachers to know about these differences, but do not recommend that female students should be taught only by female science teachers.