A project was undertaken to test feminist teaching strategies designed to improve women students' confidence and engagement in the physical sciences classroom. The strategies under study included peer-support partnerships, writing in the learning process, and systematic self-disclosure by the teacher. In each of four semesters from 1991 to 1992, the strategies were employed in two experimental physics sections matched with two parallel control sections. The effects of the strategies were assessed through analyses of attitude inventories administered to students, grades, failure and abandon rates, office appointments, interviews with teachers and students, and student evaluations of the strategies. Feminist pedagogy was shown to effect significant positive change in student attitudes both towards the physics teacher and towards physics as a subject of study. This was true for both genders, although women showed less overall enjoyment. When student rates of achievement were taken into account, almost significant effects on student anxiety were noted, as low achieving students were less anxious in experimental sections. The partnership and writing assignments were positively evaluated, especially by low achieving and women students who took fuller advantage of writing. In general, feminist pedagogy had a positive impact on engagement in and commitment to physics for all students. Data tables are included. Teacher and student attitude inventories and rating instructions are appended. (Contains 54 references.) (KP)