Gender Gap

I recently read an article titled “Gender Gap: Why Boys Can’t Keep Up”. This article discusses the disadvantages young male students are facing in the class room. Previously it was believed that female students were at more of a disadvantage than males, but the article explains how this isn’t so. It proves this is false by informing the reader that we have two indicators of girls over powering boys in school. One indicator is the rising aspirations of female high school seniors compared to those of male seniors. Another is the lack of men graduating from college. Where does a problem like this begin? According to the article’s writer, Rose Garrett, it begins early on in elementary school.

Garrett further discusses how reading is pushed upon children at earlier and earlier ages. She believes that since girls begin reading at a younger age this puts them ahead of their male peers and keeps them ahead for the rest of their educational career. Garrett also believes classrooms have been remodeled to serve the needs of girls. This creates reverse sexism in the classroom. Boys need structure and competition to thrive and in the new classroom they lack this. The article continues to give examples of this and give tips on how parents can help their sons keep up.

Personally I do not agree with the writer. I do not think boys are put at any disadvantage in a modern class room. I know for a fact a few male students in my exploratory class are struggling, but so are some of the female students. We also have male students that are excelling at a rapid pace. It appears to me that my supervising teacher teaches both sexes the same way. With any of her struggling students she gladly gives them all the help they are willing to receive.

I be...

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...r pay depends on this so she cannot be lazy about her students’ educations.

As far as my supervising teacher’s methods for helping students keep up in class she has many. She talked to me all about multiple intelligences and how each student learns differently. She tries to provide a wide variety of options to her students to better help them learn. She also likes open discussion with her class. When she learns about their interests she does her best to incorporate the things they like into their school work. She provides them with a variety of non-fiction and fiction reading material too. She keeps writing topics open as well. Mrs. Lemons reminded me that all students are different and that it’s important to teach with an open mind and never with just one method. I wholly agree with her opinion and I see her put her thoughts into successful actions every morning.