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| Posted: May 21, 2008 |
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For years there have been worries about a reported "crisis" in the education rates for boys and young men. This week, the American Association of University Women issued a report stating that income, race and ethnicity were bigger factors than gender. Two experts take your questions. |
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| Judy of Bend, Ore., asks: |
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| Neither of the speakers mentioned the maturation gap between males and females. How does this fit in? |
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| Linda Hallman responds: |
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 This topic is not examined in the AAUW Where the Girls Are report, but I believe that the research is conflicting on this issue. There is, however, a concept of "scaffolding" in child-development theory, which suggests that having students who are at different levels of achievement and maturity in the same groups or classrooms may be helpful. This theory suggests that students who are behind in one area may be able to observe and learn from their slightly more mature and/or higher-achieving peers. So, from this perspective, if in fact girls are more mature than boys in a given age group, then it may be helpful to have them in mixed-gender settings for this purpose. AAUW's study looks at achievement among boys and girls as demonstrated by widely accepted standardized measures. Maturation rates may indeed influence performance-and this is a good question for further study. |
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| Tom Mortenson responds: |
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 Early childhood educators often say boys are about 18 months behind girls in school readiness. This may lead mothers and kindergarten teachers to retain the child in kindergarten for a second year, a practice called "red-shirting." (Yes, this is more than a college football term.) Census Bureau data strongly suggest that this red-shirting practice is applied more often to boys than it is to girls. And motivations may be more than academic as older boys of high school age will be bigger and stronger and presumably more competitive in interscholastic athletics. There is another maturation issue that affects both boys and girls: Children born in the summer months (in the three months before school registration is required around age six) are at a maturity disadvantage throughout their scholastic lives. Data from Great Britain indicates this leads to lowered college participation rates for these children. Children born in the fall, just after registration date requirements, enjoy a maturity advantage that carries through schooling and higher college participation rates. This maturation issue has academic and social implications that parents should be aware of. |
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