Since the beginning of time, scientists, and philosophers and the common man and woman alike have been struggling to understand what, besides the obvious, differentiates the genders. Are behavior deviations a product of societal expectations or something more deeply hard-wired from birth via hormones and DNA? There’s still a lot we don’t understand about the relationship between gender and behavior, and even more regarding gender and education.
Hundreds — if not thousands — of studies done on the subject over the past few decades have come up with some interesting results. From understanding why girls don’t often go into math and science to exploring the different expectations teachers may have for each gender, the discoveries reveal a lot about how educators teach, treat and relate to students — both good and bad. Whether you want to hone a more gender-focused approach or believe neutrality is best, these facts (from what we know at present, anyway) are an interesting read for any educator who wants to better understand what may make students tick.
We have to interject a word of caution for readers, however. It’s important to remember that these facts and findings represent averages and generalizations that, while holding true for many, certainly don’t preclude members of either gender from being quite different in their thoughts, actions and preferences. Gender studies and the results they produce can be valuable tools in developing new and better educational methods, but they should never result in pigeonholing students who need space to be who they are.
1. Boys are more likely to be tested and diagnosed for a learning disability than girls.Educators take note: boys are almost twice as likely as girls to have a learning disability, and are three times more at risk for ADHD. This doesn’t mean that girls don’t have learning disabilities, of course. Many believe females may receive fewer diagnoses not because they aren’t