When asked what gender issues in education Thailand was concerned about, a high-ranking education official replied, "There are no gender issues here — equal numbers of girls and boys are enrolled in our schools." After he visited several classrooms and observed the gendered practices of teachers (e.g., calling on more boys than girls, asking boys more difficult questions than girls) the surprised official exclaimed: "It looks like we do have some things to work on here in our schools!"

This provocative anecdote shared by Shirley Miske illustrates a disconnect between policy and practice in gender-inclusive education. It is clear that policymakers have a lot to learn about the gender-based challenges that exist in their local classrooms before we can truly achieve gender equality in education. But, how do we get there? Here, we highlight some key takeaways from the panel discussion that can help chart us on a path to that better world:

1. Teachers are gendered beings: In creating gender-inclusive learning environments, be it in the classroom or in after school clubs, education stakeholders tend to forget that teachers themselves are products of their society and can carry with them the gender norms “baggage” of their communities, for better or for worse.

2. Tools abound regarding the how-to: One of the greatest hurdles to supporting teachers to adapt and implement gender-inclusive teaching strategies is the lack of training and information. The good news is that there are tools and resources that have already been developed.

3. Give girls (and boys) space to voice their experiences and concerns: Panelists also emphasized the urgent need for educators and policymakers to listen to girls and boys. This serves as an important reminder that the student-teacher relationship is vitally important to teachers’ effectiveness in guiding students through critical reflection on their own understandings of gender.

Read the full article about how teachers can be more gender inclusive in the classroom by Christina Kwauk and Sarah Bever at Brookings.