Research: Boys To Men
According to some experts, the school environment is not particularly conducive to boys’ success. In 1998, the superintendent of a school district in suburban Boston noticed a concerning trend. A majority of the students being inducted into the National Honor Society were girls, and more girls than boys were receiving academic achievement awards and making the honor roll. This gender disparity was not unique to his district; neighboring districts were experiencing the same issue. As it turns out, this gap in academic performance between boys and girls is a nationwide concern.
Numerous studies and researchers have found mounting evidence that boys are struggling more than girls in school. For example, boys tend to have lower scores on language arts sections of standardized tests and are disproportionately placed in special education classes. Additionally, boys are disciplined more frequently than girls.
Experts argue that educators have been slow to recognize that boys and girls have different learning styles and classroom needs. They believe that boys perform best when they have regular recess breaks and the freedom to move around the classroom. Boys themselves claim that they enjoy argument and lively debate in the classroom, which is often discouraged.
While discussing his 1998 book, “Real Boys: Rescuing Our Sons From the Myths of Boyhood,” William S. Pollack from Harvard University’s medical school concludes that the school environment is not particularly boy-friendly. He highlights that boys receive significantly more disciplinary actions in elementary and middle school, which he believes is a result of the challenging environment they face.
The attention given to the issues boys face in school comes a decade after similar research shed light on the challenges girls encountered. In 1992, the American Association of University Women published a report titled “How Schools Shortchange Girls,” which revealed biases in attention and textbooks favoring boys.
Although acknowledging the obstacles girls have faced in the classroom, experts emphasize the progress they have made in math and science and their superior performance in English and reading. The gender gap in the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS), specifically in math and English language arts, has significantly decreased. Charts and research from Barney Brawer at Tufts University show a narrowing gap in math scores between boys and girls. In terms of English language arts, girls consistently outperform boys, but both genders have improved over the years.
On the National Assessment of Educational Progress, both female and male 12th graders have shown improvements in mathematics from 1990 to 2000, with girls slightly closing the gap. Girls’ average scores on the math test increased from 291 in 1990 to 299 in 2000, while boys’ scores increased from 297 to 303.
Girls have a clear advantage when it comes to reading, as indicated by scores from the national assessment. In the 1992 NAEP reading test, 12th grade boys scored an average of 10 points lower than girls. In 1998, the most recent year for which scores are available, boys scored 15 points below girls. Similar patterns can be seen internationally, based on the Program for International Student Assessment, which found that girls scored significantly higher than boys in reading across all countries in the study (except for Iceland, New Zealand, and Russia). Boys did score higher in math than girls, but the gap was much smaller than the one in reading.
The disparity between boys’ and girls’ achievement in reading becomes apparent at an early age. When entering kindergarten, girls slightly surpass boys in reading skills, according to a report called “Entering Kindergarten: A Portrait of American Children When They Begin School” from the National Center for Education Statistics. The report also highlights that more boys experience developmental delays, while girls exhibit more pro-social behavior and are less likely to engage in problem behaviors. Additionally, the NCES reported that girls are better able to stay on task, pay attention, and exhibit eagerness to learn when they enter kindergarten. However, a study conducted by the University of Chicago reveals that by age 4 1/2, boys have a better understanding of spatial relationships compared to girls. This is significant, as spatial skills are important for interpreting graphs, maps, and X-rays.
Furthermore, boys at a young age are more capable of forming close friendships and discussing relationships than they are later in life, according to researcher Judy Chu from New York University, who has worked with Carol Gilligan on boys’ relationships and development. Gilligan, known for her research on the turmoil experienced by girls during early adolescence, now theorizes that early childhood is a similarly tumultuous time for boys. Chu conducted an in-depth study of six boys aged 4 and 5, closely observing them during their time in preschool and kindergarten.
Despite their efforts, parents and teachers find it challenging to protect boys from societal messages that dictate certain behaviors are more acceptable for girls than for boys.
And that fixation on pretending can hinder the process of learning. “It would be logical to assume that boys would struggle with reading if they are not completely focused,” she explains.
No Females
A group of middle school boys from disadvantaged, minority backgrounds in Long Beach, California, appear to have overcome some of the societal messages they have received. When these boys were educated in single-sex classrooms, their behavior changed in a surprising way, even surprising the boys themselves, according to Kathryn Herr, an associate professor of education at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Herr spent the 1999-2000 school year studying 1,100 students, both boys and girls, who were being educated in single-sex classrooms.
“Both boys and girls reported that the single-sex classes provided a safer environment,” Herr reveals. Being in classes without girls made the boys feel more comfortable taking risks and asking questions. The girls, on the other hand, felt somewhat more at ease without boys around. “Both boys and girls reported that the single-sex classes created a safer environment,” Herr says. Additionally, some of the boys began helping each other succeed. They developed a sense of camaraderie, thinking that they were in it together. “They were surprised by that,” she adds. The boys also expressed feeling supported and better known by their classmates and teachers.
Ain’t Misbehavin’
Almost two-thirds of students receiving special education services in the United States are boys. A study published last February in the journal Education and Treatment of Children suggests various explanations for this. The article, written by researchers from the Beach Center on Families and Disability at the University of Kansas in Lawrence and the ARC in Silver Spring, Maryland, highlights three prevailing theories regarding why more boys than girls are placed in special education.
One theory suggests that boys are more vulnerable to certain genetic disorders and are predisposed to learning disabilities. Due to faster maturity and fewer birth defects, girls may have a biological advantage over boys. Another theory posits that boys, being more prone to misbehavior in the classroom, are more likely to be referred to special education programs. Lastly, researchers in the field of gender equity propose that gender bias might be the underlying cause of this discrepancy. They argue that educators have lower expectations for girls, making it easier to excuse their lower achievements. On the other hand, educators hold higher standards for boys, resulting in the perception that they require special education if they fail to meet those standards. To explore some of the factors contributing to special education placement, the researchers analyzed the records of 695 students with mental retardation and specific learning disabilities from three midsize districts over three school years: 1992-93, 1993-94, and 1994-95. All students were at least 6 years old and were being admitted to special education for the first time.
The researchers collected data on gender, reasons for referral, and the students’ grades at the time of referral to special education. They relied on observations from classroom teachers regarding the students’ behavior, coordination, and academic skills. Of the students studied, only 2.5 percent of the girls were referred to special education due to behavioral issues. In contrast, 20 percent of the boys were referred for the same reason. The study concludes, “Boys are more likely to be referred by regular education teachers, presumably because they are more disruptive and difficult to manage.” Based on the fact that girls do not typically act out the same way boys do in classrooms, the researchers concluded that girls may be underrepresented in special education.
No Brainy Geeks Allowed
In Massachusetts, Superintendent Holland was determined to investigate the gender disparities faced by the Belmont district. He formed a task force consisting of 10 parents, teachers, and administrators. They met 11 times between November 1998 and May 1999 to study the composition of honors-level classes and extracurricular activities. As expected, more boys were involved in sports activities, while more girls participated in academically oriented activities such as the debate club and student government. In the 1997-98 school year, boys accounted for only one-third of the students in Advanced Placement English courses. The AP math classes were equally divided between boys and girls, and the AP science courses comprised 55 percent males and 45 percent females.
The work of the task force has made the district much more cognizant of the academic achievements of boys, according to Holland. However, he states that change has been slow to materialize. District officials have made efforts to encourage middle school teachers to guide boys into more challenging classes for high school. But the superintendent acknowledges that it will take several years to see the results.
Some high-achieving seniors at Belmont High School have their own theories as to why girls seem to outperform boys. Greg Michnikov, a 17-year-old, suggests that one contributing factor could be the higher number of female teachers compared to male teachers. He believes that females relate better to other females, which may benefit girls in the academic setting.
Eden Lin points out that boys are more prone to speak up even if they are unsure about the validity of their statements. He attributes this to boys having a more confrontational approach to tasks compared to girls. The statistics from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reveal that about three-quarters of K-12 teachers in the United States are women. Zdenka Sturm, a 17-year-old student, suggests that girls tend to be more inclined to please their teachers, and this could result in better grades for them.
Brian Caliando emphasizes that it is not just about getting along with the teachers. He believes that teachers discourage arguments, which boys thrive on. According to him, if someone presents an argument that aligns with the teacher’s views, it is allowed to slide. However, when someone brings up a more radical idea, the teacher challenges them, creating a more discouraging environment for boys. Eden Lin proposes that schools should allow boys to be more assertive in their approach to learning to raise their academic achievements. He suggests that harnessing the natural male inclination towards hands-on learning and aggressiveness would be beneficial.
The Research section is supported by funding from the Spencer Foundation.
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