Gender Success in the Classroom

Gender Success in the Classroom

a) Gender differences and sexual dimorphism

b) Emotional maturity

c) Statistics on differences

a) the elementary classroom

b) Neurological difference

c) Socialization and Gender

d) Inequality in the Classroom

e) Resources for teacher's behavioral changes

f) External bias and hidden acculturation issues

a) Direction of the issue

b) Research Trends

Annotated Bibliography

For some time, educational psychologists have realized that at certain times during childhood and adolescent development, there is a gender gap between boys and girls in terms of intellectual maturity, physical makeup, and emotional growth. Boys and girls are different in many ways, particularly the way they approach problem solving, cognition, spatial awareness, and even memory. This idea of emotional literacy should not be underestimated, since it is that type of thinking that allows the brain to make leaps in cognition that translate into higher levels of analysis and synthesis. Too, the lack of emotional maturity may also lead to behavioral issues that take away from time spend on studies. "Deficits in the understanding of emotion expressions and emotion experience could contribute to developmental deficiencies in adaptive social behavior and to the emergence of behavior problems" (Izard, Schultz and Ackerman, April 1997).

This translates into a school system in which 75% of class leadership positions, National Honors Society memberships and advanced placement classes go to girls. and, although there are statistically more male geniuses than girl geniuses, far more boys than girls are found at the bottom of the academic curve. Girls outperform boys in elementary, middle, high school, college, and even graduate school. After decades of special attention, girls seem to be soaring brightly while boys are stagnating. "Girls are being told, 'Go for it, you can do it. Go for it, you can do it.' They are getting an immense amount of support," he says. "Boys hear that the way to shine is athletically. And boys get a lot of mixed messages about what it means to be masculine and what it means to be a student. Does being a good student make you a real man? I don't think so… it is not cool" (Kindlon and Thompson, 2000).

Literature Review -- Scholarly research also shows that particularly in the elementary classroom, boys and girls receive different levels of education. This may be because of perceived behavior or interest level differences, but in nearly every measure of achievement, it appears that boys are simply not developing at the intellectual level that age appropriate academics necessitates (Sadker, 1994). To emphasize this point, statistical analysis shows boys get into trouble more, early ae of the D's and F's in school, make up 2/3 of the learning disabled, culprits in 90% of drug and alcohol violates and 4 out of 5 crimes that go to juvenile court. Boys account for 80% of high school dropouts and attention deficit disorder diagnoses (Mulrine, 2001).

Certainly the literature shows us that female brains outperform males on tests requiring the recognition of emotions or relationships among other people. There is a clear distinction between empathy, even though the gap between adult men and women seems larger than that between younger children. One recent study showed that one subdivision of the prefrontal cortex, an area involved in social cognition and interpersonal judgments -- is proportionally larger in females than males, even though male brain tends to average about 10% larger than female brains. This subdivision is called the straight gyrud "SG," and that the size of the SG correlates with females being able to score higher in interpersonal awareness and cognitive activities that relate to interpretation (Wood, Murko and Nopoulos, 2008).

This is not to say, however, that nurture and social environment does not play a huge role in the expression of these differences. While boys and girls are psycholgoically different in anatomy, it is likely that these are but predispositions of articulated behavior or intellectual abilities that are hardwired; but the expression of these behaviors and abilities are shaped more by rearing and experience (Eliot, 2009).

Socialization of gender begins as soon as the child is born, even if they remain unaware. Studies show that on the surface, dressing boys and girls in different clothing, painting their rooms different colors, and even purchasing baby toys that are different are but the tip of the iceberg regarding external cultural expectations. Once the child is a toddler girls are encouraged to be more feminine, while boys are allowed to play rough, get dirty, and enjoy more physical activity. In school students are segregated by gender in lines, seating arrangements, and even frequency of praise. Each time this happens, teachers are affirming that boys and girls should be treated differently. How many times, for instance, have we heard the phrase, "Be nice to the girls, " or "Boys will be boys," as the evidence continues that the genders are socialized from an early age to notice and capitalize on those differences (Murphy and Gipps, 1996).

Even in the modern classroom, teachers socialize girls towards a feminine ideal. They are praised for being neat, quiet, and calm; boys are encouraged to think independently, be active, and speak up. Girls are socialized to understand that being nice and popular is important, but that being intellectual is more of a boy trait. However, this socialization tends to backfire in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. This very pretense at socialization has more of an affect on distancing girls and boys, allowing girls the time and energy for focus more on academics while boys are pushed outside to develop their skills in physical activities and sports. This tends to be exaggerated when one adds the ethnic or diversity component. However, once again we find that even with the differenes in attention, girls are watched more carefully to ensure that their homework is timely, they show neatness and proper explanations on their work, and that their reading skills develop at a continually rapid rate (How Schools Shortchange Girls, 1992).

The first step in changing any issue is, of course, identifying the issue and communicating it to those involved. In this case, beyond changing their own behaviors, teachers need to be aware of the gender bias imbeedded in many educational materials and texts and take steps to combat this bias. Many seemingly innocent stories still portray vase gender differences and do not allow either boys or girls to take advantage of the appropriateness of the literture for their level of development. Curriculum research has established six major attributes that need to be considered when trying to establish a gender-equitable curriculum and affirm variation while still being sensitive to cognitive appropriateness. Texts and materials need to be incusive, accurate, affirmative, representative, and integrated -- weaving together expereinecs, needs, past knowledge, and interests of both genders in a professional, yet exciting manner (Antrobus, 2006)

Annotated Bibliography

How Schools Shortchange Girls. (1992, June). Retrieved November 2010, from American Association of University Women: http://www.aauw.org/learn/research/upload/hssg.pdf

This is a very important study that gives a synthesis on most of the research on the subject of boys and girls in the school systems up to 1992. While it emphasizes that education fails to address the relationship between gender, poverty, and future ability; depsite the socialization in the schools and the push towards educating boys, girls often outperform alarmingly.

Antrobus, P. (2006). Gender Equality in the New Millennium: Goal or Gimmick? The Caribbean Quarterly, 52(2/3), 39-47.