Educated in Romance

Why are young women--even those who perform very well in school--less likely to be achievers in the world than their male counterparts? According to Dorothy C. Holland and Margaret A. Eisenhart, authors of the fascinating book Educated In Romance (University of Chicago Press), the answer lies not so much in what or how much is learned, but in why they learn. In their longitudinal study, the authors found most females are more interested in pleasing others, attracting males, getting good grades or just getting by than they are in mastering knowledge or skills. Only those who saw a relationship between their education and future occupations went on to live up to their potential in the workplace.

The authors' findings provide strong support for comprehensive career education programs in secondary schools. By understanding the forces that can lead even gifted young women into dead-end futures, you can take steps to prevent this from happening to your students and your daughters. This book is available in paperback at bookstores, and we highly recommend it to you.