Gender issues may arise in discussions about equity in various areas of the curriculum. Some people feel that the schools are female-oriented places because they are predominantly populated with female teachers. Other research tries to determine if it is true that girls are shortchanged in math, science and computer technology courses. Another issue is the perceived concentration of boys in special education and the lack of special services for girls. These are examples of the types of questions that have been raised over gender issues for the past fifty years. For example, while evidence has shown that elementary and middle school girls' participation in math and science has increased over recent years, by high school they typically lose interest and participation begins to decline sharply. There are many possible reasons for this decline, including social pressure to conform to stereotypical roles, performance anxiety in mixed gender classrooms, fewer positive role models for girls in the sciences, and teacher perceptions and beliefs about ability, to name a few. There are also gender issues surrounding the belief that boys are less verbal than girls, sometimes resulting is lowered expectations for boys in language arts courses and in judgments of written work. Are girls more verbal than boys? Are boys better at math and science than girls are? Do teachers call on boys more often than they do girls? The answers to these questions are beyond the scope of this website. However, as a new teacher, it is important for you to be aware of the types of questions related to gender issues. It is also critical that you see each child as an individual with his or her unique skills, abilities and potentials, and treat every child with equal value and opportunity. You may be nurturing a girl who becomes an astronaut or a boy who becomes a poet - or vice versa! The critical elements are opportunity, expectations, perception, and encouragement for all children in discovering and building on their strengths.