[JenB]

If teachers really are so highly educated that makes it even worse! That means unpaid amateurs, often with 'inferior' levels of education, are beating the socks off these so educated professionals on a daily basis.

I'm two classes short of my master's in computer science currently, so there's no awe of graduate school in me.

And if teachers have undergraduate degrees in their subjects, why are there education majors? Your statements don't match what I've encountered in real life. Particularly in math and sciences, the education students I have know are woefully underprepared.

I wonder if the reason girls in general do not like math and science is partly because their generally female teachers, who do not have mathematical aptitude, manage to convince them that girls just aren't good at such things, in order to make themselves feel betteR? On a subconscious level, I mean.

[WV Mountain Mama]

When I was teaching Title 1 Math, many of the mom parents told me to my face that their daughter was lousy in math because they were too. They wouldn't be able to help them at home (this is just 7th, 8th grade math for crying out loud)And it is the way girls are!!! To make it worse, they said it in front of their daughters. Gee mom, could you make my job harder by telling their child that they probably won't be able to get it, that is just how girls are?!?!?! Talk about programming them to fail and excusing it.

[Gabz]

I wonder if the reason girls in general do not like math and science is partly because their generally female teachers, who do not have mathematical aptitude, manage to convince them that girls just aren't good at such things, in order to make themselves feel betteR? On a subconscious level, I mean.

I went to an all girl HS, and most of my math and science teachers were male. This school expected us all to excel, and most of us did. In fact more than 85% of my graduating class received some sort of scholarship to college, including to IVY Leagues.

All that said, I sucked at math and science.