Western society's social constructions of gender have a wide range of impacts on both children and instructors in a classroom setting. It has the ability to influence and shape expectations, beliefs, and goals. As well, ideas associated with gender impact the way people interact with each other. Sometimes these concepts can negatively impact a student's performance, or create limitations in communication between teachers and students. It is important to recognize the way ideas of gender play into and shape classroom interaction in order to identify and counteract the negative implications of it.

Expectations for men and women are different throughout nearly every aspect of Western culture. This is includes expectations within a classroom, and can have a very profound impact on children in their formative growth years.