Over time, girls have always performed better than boys in school, but the gap is growing. This is troubling. Although different theories have been offered, it is hard to pinpoint a definite cause. Some theories have been based on the potentially biased attitudes of parents and teachers during the first years of their children’s lives.
A study done by Michael Baker and Kevin Milligan for the United States National Bureau of Economic Research provided evidence that suggested parents spend a bit more time with young girls engaging in activities that promote cognition. Comparisons using 2-4-year-old boys and girls showed that parents buy more books for girls than boys. Also, activities such as telling stories and singing to kids are done with girls more often than boys. The study showed that the gap between girls’ and boys’ home activities corresponded with significant gaps in their performance on cognitive tests at age 4-5, with girls outperforming boys in both reading and math.
It is generally known that boys spend less time doing homework than girls. Boys also spend more time playing video games and watching television than girls. In school, boys engage in more aggressive behaviour, which causes them to be excluded from school more often than girls. Girls also seem to organise and plan more effectively, while seeking out help more often than boys.
I am fortunate that my extended family is made up of 80 percent females. Just recently I was honoured to meet one of my great nieces, who is currently doing well in high school and who is planning to study medicine in college. My advice to parents is to be more proactive in the daily activities of their children, especially their young boys. And fathers need to become involved in their sons’ lives from an early age, teaching them, giving guidance, making sure they do their homework, and insisting that dropping out of high school is not an option.
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