Boys and girls are faced with different struggles and are susceptible to varying issues throughout their schooling careers. Whereas females may be exposed to body image issues, harassment (AAUW, 1992) and a lack of female perspective or role models throughout their education (Coulter, 1996, p. 434), boys face an assortment of diverse issues that impede their learning potentials as well. For boys, these issues include a higher rate of diagnosed learning disabilities, and the difficulties they have with reading and writing skills in comparison to females (Shaywitz et. al., 1990).
Although both genders have unique differences and face an assortment of obstacles throughout their educational experiences, there has been a shift in the notion of girls being short changed in the classroom. With results from EQAO standardized testing, current literature and other statistics involving achievement based results, research and data suggest that females have nearly closed the gender gap and are, in most cases, outperforming males.
The shift in the gender gap considers males and females as wholes, in other words, these results are not identifying individuals, but rather entire groups. It is therefore valuable to note that students, both girls and boys, continue to achieve positive results in some areas, while others do not achieve the most ideal results. It must be taken into consideration then that not all females are outperforming or underperforming males and that all males are not underperforming/outperforming females. This is true based on the nature and habits of individual students and his or her individual learning style.
To meet a conclusion based on the question that address females being short changed in the classroom reveals a different problem emerging within the education system and that is the decreasing achievement of males (EQAO, 2011). Research also suggests that although the significance of females being short changed has decreased, the possibility of either gender being short changed is still possible. This is shown in data presented by the EQAOs standardized testing, where females are out performing males and in data presented by Statistic Canada (1998-2008) showing a lack of females graduating from technological studies.
To make classrooms more equitable, there should be a focus on individual achievement and understanding. Educators must not present biases in the classroom and do their best to ensure fairness and create opportunities for all to learn and express themselves. In creating an equitable environment, females and males should both display more success especially if their individual learning styles are considered, various teaching strategies are used and their needs are being accommodated for.
Although both genders have unique differences and face an assortment of obstacles throughout their educational experiences, there has been a shift in the notion of girls being short changed in the classroom. With results from EQAO standardized testing, current literature and other statistics involving achievement based results, research and data suggest that females have nearly closed the gender gap and are, in most cases, outperforming males.
The shift in the gender gap considers males and females as wholes, in other words, these results are not identifying individuals, but rather entire groups. It is therefore valuable to note that students, both girls and boys, continue to achieve positive results in some areas, while others do not achieve the most ideal results. It must be taken into consideration then that not all females are outperforming or underperforming males and that all males are not underperforming/outperforming females. This is true based on the nature and habits of individual students and his or her individual learning style.
To meet a conclusion based on the question that address females being short changed in the classroom reveals a different problem emerging within the education system and that is the decreasing achievement of males (EQAO, 2011). Research also suggests that although the significance of females being short changed has decreased, the possibility of either gender being short changed is still possible. This is shown in data presented by the EQAOs standardized testing, where females are out performing males and in data presented by Statistic Canada (1998-2008) showing a lack of females graduating from technological studies.
To make classrooms more equitable, there should be a focus on individual achievement and understanding. Educators must not present biases in the classroom and do their best to ensure fairness and create opportunities for all to learn and express themselves. In creating an equitable environment, females and males should both display more success especially if their individual learning styles are considered, various teaching strategies are used and their needs are being accommodated for.