Gender Differences

Chapter One spends a lot of time talking about the differences between boys and girls. Although a lot of it is information that is not surprising, it is interesting to learn some insights into our male student population. According to various studies done by countless researchers, a long list of findings consisting of achievement, attitude, choice and response are provided. What a mouthful. Not all of the findings were surprising, “boys tend to read more informational texts,” (Smith, 11) or “poetry is less popular with boys than with girls” (Smith, 11). There was, however, some interesting information, “the appearance of a book and its cover is important to boys,” (Smith, 11) or “boys prefer active responses to reading in which they physically act out responses, do or make something” (Smith, 11).

Aside from the overviews and differences that the authors continue to point out, they also discuss gender in reference to masculinity. They continue to bring up the aversion that most boys have to anything feminine. They also point out that, “gender is a historical and social construct that changes with time, culture, and situation” (Smith, 5). Now, that is something to think about. Are we all, as a society, partially responsible for our boy’s lack of literacy?

“Phillips (1993) and Barrs (1993) argue that while most girls arrive at school with a secure sense of gender, most boys do not” (Smith, 12). I think this is an interesting observation but I don’t necessarily agree with that completely. I think that all of our students struggle with identity, masculine and feminine alike. Now, the book also states that, “This is particularly true if the activities involve effort and the chance of failure, for incompetence and expending effort are also seen as unmasculine. Achievement, for men, is supposed to be attained with ease.” (Smith, 13). This is something that I don’t really think about, being female. I don’t mind stopping to ask directions, but my husband will drive and “find his way” eventually. It is a gender difference that is prominent but one that I had never thought about in correlation to teaching.

The book also talks about various gender differences, like the fact that girls tend to acquire language earlier than boys, which may make the connection with the lack of literacy. The chapter also touches briefly on the lack of subject matter in classroom reading that appeals to male students. The chapter concludes with the introduction of four of the boys that the book is based on. It wraps up the chapter, showing that these boys have potential that school just has not necessarily tapped into yet.