To teach boys and girls: a pro-feminist perspective on the boys' debate in Iceland

This article is based on an interview study with 14 women teachers in Icelandic primary schools (6-16 years old). It presents their experiences and opinions about the differences in teaching boys and girls as well as what they believe about their prospects and possibilities in school and in the future. It also portrays their opinions regarding the so called 'boys' debate'. The study found that the interviewees see clear gender patterns among students but also very strong individual differences. The interviewees emphasised that individual differences among teachers are most important, although there are gender patterns. The article is critical of the myth that boys in particular need 'male role models', and it argues that student teachers of both genders should be equally prepared to teach children of both genders.