Date

4-7-2026

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)

Chair

Amy Schechter

Keywords

gender, teachers, students, school leaders, culture, bias, expectations, policy, professional development, cross-gender teaching, gender dynamics, single-gender schools, leadership styles

Disciplines

Educational Leadership

Abstract

The purpose of this comparative case study is to examine the gendered experiences of teachers through the perspective of school leaders at single-gender schools. The theory guiding this study is Tomlinson’s theory on differentiated instruction, as it explains how the recognition and response to student differences allows for effective teaching in order to optimize learning experiences. The central research question is: How do school leaders perceive and navigate cross-gender teaching dynamics in single-gender schools? This study uses semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and journal entries from school leaders. The sample consists of 10 school leaders with current experience in single-gender schools, reflecting their experience at the site. The sample consists of school leaders from independent single-gender secondary schools across the northeastern United States. The findings indicate that school leaders perceive cross-gender teaching dynamics as both an asset and a challenge, often facing difficulties of societal impact. School leaders emphasized the importance of mentorship, professional learning, and welcoming school culture to ensure cross-gender teaching success. This study addresses a gap in literature as limited research has investigated the intersection of teacher gender and school-populations, specifically regarding gender, within the scope of educational leadership.

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