Is Education Failing Boys?

Oct 28, 2005 by Naomi.

Invariably when statistics show the low grades and the dropout rates of boys, the education system is blamed. Various excuses are put forth to bolster that myth — the change in our economy from hands-on manufacturing-based to services and communication, escalated effort to boosting female achievement, or lack of paternal figure in the home - are among the most prevalent faults.

Michael Gurian postulates that the real answer is all in their heads. Gurian reminds us that male and female brains differ on the biological level and these lead to different tendencies in the ways children access the world and how these tendencies help explain why boys as a group are not benefiting as much from our educational system as girls.

Male brain production of higher levels of dopamine in the blood stream than females affects impulse control, making it more difficult to learn while sitting still.

Neural connectors in the sense memory and listening centers of male brains tend to be weaker than females, leading to absorption of less verbal information but are more stimulated by visual and tactile input.

Male brains get about 15 percent less blood flow than female brains.

Male brains like to go into a rest state between tasks, characterized by reduced neural activity.

Changes in the educational system will require looking at gender in the middle school years, actually addressing the issue of gender identity — the period of transition and transformation from child to adult. Offering these children the chance to explore questions about what it means to be a boy or girl opens the opportunity to become more abstract, critical thinkers.

The book “The Minds of Boys” by Michael Gurian and Kathy Stevens offers ways to motivate boys to learn, among them encouraging intake of water and protein in the morning and above all, involving relatives and schools in the nutrition plan.

I’ve always heard: “you are what you eat”.

Well, no doubt it helps the final product.

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