JaredAmbrosio

Expository2
MissYuasa
Period5
TheStruggleforMales
BackgroundandCurrentSituation
Whenitcomestoacademicperformanceinschool,whichgenderismostcommonly
believedtoaccel?Mostpeoplewouldimmediatelyagreethatthegenderwouldbefemales.All
acrosstheUnitedStates,manysimplyassumethatfemalesoutperformtheirmalecounterparts
withinschool.Althoughsuchasayingmaynothavealwaysbeentrue,ormayjusthavebeena
stigmacreatedinsociety,newresearchandstudieshavenowshownthatmalesareinfact
increasinglyperformingworseacademically.
Evidenceprovingsuchphenomenonisnotsomethingnew,butonlyinrecentyearshasit
grownasanissue.Afewreasonsthattheissuehasgrownare:Economicchangeshaveledtoa
dropinnumberofavailablejobsinmanufacturingandotherjobsforyoungmenwithlittle
educationfeminismhasopenedupanenormousamountofopportunitiesforwomenin
educationandcareersexaminationperformanceisincreasinglyimportantwithinschools,and
statisticiansexaminethetablestolookforpatternsbetweengirlsandboys(Mendick2013).
Malescannolongereasilygostraightintotheworkforcetogetawellpayingjob,acollege
degreeisthefirststeptogettingthere.Inturn,itisimportantthatmalesimprovetheiracademic
performance,ratherthantofallbehindincomparisontofemales.

Thelackofmaleperformancecanbewitnessedasearliestaselementary.Elementary
teachersassesstheirstudentsbasedonapproachestolearningwhichincludessixitemsthat
ratethechildsattentiveness,taskpersistence,eagernesstolearn,learningindependence,
flexibilityandorganization,whichanyparentofboysandgirlscouldtellyouthatthegirlhas
moreofthesequalities(Weeks2013).Despitehavingwelltestscores,teachersstilljudgea
childsacademicperformancebiasedtohowthestudentactsinclass.Commonsenseshowsthat
atayoungage,boysaretypicallyroutierthangirls.Becauseofthis,reportswillstatistically
showthatfemalesperformbetterthanmalessimplyduetothewaythechildrenarebeing
assessed.Howeverinhigherlevelsofschooling,thereismorestatisticalsignificancethat
femalesoutperformmales.Foradvancedplacementclasses,70to80percentoftheclassare
femalescollegecampusesarenearly60percentfemalewomenearn170,000morebachelor
degreesyearlythanmen(Stahl2002).Inall50states,itisevidentthatfemalesaretakingover
academically.Ifnothingisdonetocounteractthisissue,maleswillcontinuetodigressfrom
academics.

PreviousSolutions
PolicymakersinEngland,Australia,andothercountrieshavecalledforanincreasein
malerecruitmentforteachingintheprimarysector.Bydoingso,itisbelievedthatwiththe
increaseinmalerolemodelsboyswillhaveanincreaseinacademicmotivationand
engagement(Carrington2007).Thisideahowever,wascreateduponassumptions,butthepolicy
makersthenbeganUtilizingdatafrominterviewswithmorethan3007to8yearolds
attendingprimaryschoolsfindingsrevealedthatthegenderofteachershadlittleapparent

effectontheacademicmotivationandengagementofeitherboysorgirls(Carrington2007).
Theproposedsolutionwasprovedtohavenoeffectonthestudentsbecausethereisno
correlationofthegenderofteacheraffectingtheacademicperformanceofthestudents.
Ifthisideaweretobebroughttothestates,orevenHawaii,itwouldnotbeeffective
similarlytohowitwouldnotbeeffectiveinEngland.Genderhasnorelationtohowstudents
feelaboutlearningortheirmotivationtolearn.Speakingfrompersonalexperience,Ialready
havehadanevenamountofmaleteacherstofemaleteachers.Throughoutmyhighschool
career,Ivehadabouthalfandhalfofbothgenderseveryyear.Justlikethestudyhadfound,the
genderofmyteachershadnoaffectedmylearning,itwasmoresotheteachersinvolvementand
connectionwiththestudentsthatboostedthelearningwithintheclassroom.

MyProposedSolution
Inmanycases,malesarenotatfaultforthepooracademicperformance.Oftentimes,it
isthewaythattheacademicsystemassessesandinvolvesthestudents.Academicsasawhole
catersmoretowardthefemalepopulation,andshouldinsteadbeadjustedtohavemore
malefriendlyinvolvement.Insuchasolution,thefixstemsawayfromthegenderissuesand
focusesonthegeneralpicture:academics.Byremovingtheassociationthatgenderistheissue,it
allowspeopletoseethatmalesarenttrulyunderperforming,butinsteadthatthesystemisvery
onesided.
Atayoungage,boysandgirlsarebothgeneticallydifferent.Girlsaregenerally,verbal,
orderly,quite,submissiveandcooperative.Whereasboysarethepolaroppositeoutgoing,
active,loudandunabletositstill(Lidman2013).Inelementaryschool,studentsarerewarded

forbeingcalmandeagertolearn,yetpunishedforbeingloudandrowdy.Sciencehasproven
thatthesetraitsaresimplyhowboysandgirlsarehardwired,thereforeitisunfairofschoolsto
punishboysforbeingwhotheyare.Bycreatingamoremalefriendlyenvironmentforstudents
atayoungage,itwouldallowforboystobecomemoreinvolvedinschoolandoverallprepare
themforfutureschooling.
Noticeablyatanolderage,femalesareconstantlyencouragedtodowell,andtogoafter
professionsthatwereonceuncommonamongstfemalesinthepast.Dr.MichaelThompson
states,
Boyshearthatthewaytoshineisathletically.Andboysgetalotofmixedmessages
aboutwhatitmeanstobemasculineandwhatitmeanstobeastudent.Doesbeingagood
studentmakeyouarealman?Idon'tthinksoItisnotcool(Stahl2002).Duetothelackof
neutralitywithinthesystem,malesdonotreceivethesamepraiseandencouragementtodowell
inacademicsasfemaleswould,leavingsomemalesinastateofconfusion.
Buildingofftheideathatfemalesareconstantlyencouragedtodowell,thesame
encouragementcouldbeappliedtomalestoseesimilarresults.WriterWaltLidmanstates
Boys
alsoperformbetterwhenteachersandparentshelpthemunderstandhowtheirfuturesuccessis
linkedtotheireffortsinmiddleandhighschool(Lidman2013).Iftheacademicssystemswere
toinvolvemalesthesamewaythatisdoneforfemales,thenmoremaleswillseethesamevalue
ofeducationasfemaleshavecometorealize.Morereinforcementtowardlearningwillhelp
thesemalesfocusonimprovingtheirstudiestobettertheirfuture.

AddressPossibleObjections
Heremanypeoplewouldprobablyobjectthatalthoughitwasbelievedthatmales
performedbetterthanfemalesatmathandscience,analysishaveshownthatfemaleshavebeen
earninghighergradesthanmalesforthepastcentury(Voyer2014).Admittedly,femalesdo
tendtooutperformmales,butschoolingisnotagendercompetition.Maleperformanceisjustas
importantasfemaleperformanceandviceversa.Insteadofcreatinganissuebasedongender,
thesysteminitselfshouldbeadjustedtobecomemoregenderneutral.
ThosewhomayobjecttomyproposalwouldbetheBoardofEducation.Changingthe
alreadywellestablishedsystemwouldbeahardtasktodo,costingalotofmoney,andresources
togetthewholenationtochange.Althoughsuchanideamaybedifficulttoimplementintosuch
anestablishedsystem,theoveralloutcomewouldproducemoregenderequalityamongstthe
nationandwouldboostmaleacademicperformance.Asaresponsetothoseskepticalofthe
proposal,theoverallbenefitsclearlyoutweightheworkrequiredtoimplementtheproposal.For
ournationtothrive,itisequallyimportantforbothmalesandfemalestobecomewelleducated.
Ifyoutakegenderoutofthepicture,itwouldsimplymeanthatourcountrywouldhavemore
peopleabletobuildandsustaintheworkfieldforthefuture.

CalltoAction
Ultimately,whatisatstakehereisthefutureofourcountry.Educationiskeyforour
societytofunction.Ifourcountryisunabletokeepupwithothercountriesintheglobalmarket,
manycountryrelationsmayfalter,andourdebtwouldcontinuetoincrease.Ifthingsremainthe
waytheyarenow,eventually,maleswillbeunabletocompeteforcertainjobssimplybecause

theycouldnotmakeitthroughproperschooling.Alongwiththat,malesmaysimplygiveupand
stopcaringaboutacademicsaltogether.Thiswouldmeanthatalmosthalfofthepopulation
wouldbeunfitforworking.Thompsonsays
Girlsaresooutperformingboysinschoolright
now,onestatisticiansaidhetookitouttoitsabsurdendpointandsaidatthepresenttrend,the
lastmantogethisbachelor'sdegreewilldosoin2068(Stahl2002).Basicallyheisstatingthat
intime,maleswilleventuallybecomeinsignificant.

WorksCited
Carrington,Bruce,BeckyFrancis,MerrynHutchings,ChristineSkelton,BarbaraRead,andIan
Hall."RoehamptonUniversityResearchRepository(RURR)."
DoestheGenderofthe
TeacherReallyMatter?Seveneightyearolds'AccountsofTheirInteractionswithTheir
Teachers
.N.p.,Dec.2007.Web.22Nov.2015.

Christakis,Erika."DoTeachersReallyDiscriminateAgainstBoys?"
IdeasDoTeachersReally
DiscriminateAgainstBoysComments
.N.p.,6Feb.2013.Web.08Nov.2015.

Lidman,Walt."WaystoHelpUnderachievingBoysSucceedinSchool."
TheNewYorkTimes
.
TheNewYorkTimes,10Feb.2013.Web.22Nov.2015.

Mendick,Heather."Boys''Underachievement'"
GenderandEducationAssociation
.N.p.,15Jan.
2013.Web.8Nov.2015.

PalmerCleveland,Kathleen."Membership."
FramingtheIssueofUnderachievement
.N.p.,Apr.
2011.Web.22Nov.2015.

Stahl,Lesley."TheGenderGap:BoysLagging."
CBSNews
.CBSInteractive,31Oct.2002.
Web.22Nov.2015.

Voyer,Daniel."GirlsMakeHigherGradesthanBoysinAllSchoolSubjects,AnalysisFinds."
AmericanPsychologicalAssociation
.N.p.,29Apr.2014.Web.08Nov.2015.

Weeks,Matt."UGAToday."
NewUGAResearchHelpsExplainWhyGirlsDoBetterinSchool
.
N.p.,2Jan.2013.Web.08Nov.2015.

AnnotatedBibliography
Carrington,Bruce,BeckyFrancis,MerrynHutchings,ChristineSkelton,BarbaraRead,andIan
Hall."RoehamptonUniversityResearchRepository(RURR)."
DoestheGenderofthe
TeacherReallyMatter?Seveneightyearolds'AccountsofTheirInteractionswithTheir
Teachers
.N.p.,Dec.2007.Web.22Nov.2015.
Thiscollaborativestudyhadcollecteddatasupportingtheideathatthegenderof
theteacherdoesnotmatterforstudents.Intheabstractportionofthestudy,theauthors
hadbelievedthatbyimplementingmoremaleteachers,theywouldactasrolemodelsfor
themalestudentsandimprovingtheirinvolvementwithinschool.Thestudygoesonto
disprovetheiroriginaltheorythroughinterviewingsevenandeightyearoldsandnoting
theiropinions.
Lidman,Walt."WaystoHelpUnderachievingBoysSucceedinSchool."
TheNewYorkTimes
.
TheNewYorkTimes,10Feb.2013.Web.22Nov.2015.
Lidmanincludeshisideasofhowtohelpcounteractboysfromunderachievingin
school.Heofferstheideathatinsteadofthingslikemorerecess,singlesexclassrooms,
andmoremaleteachers,boyssimplyneedstrongacademicenvironmentsandguidance
toleadthemtotheirfuture.Hestatesthatboysperformbetterwhentheyunderstandthat
theirfuturesuccessislinkedtotheirperformancewithinmiddleandhighschool.
Mendick,Heather."Boys''Underachievement'"
GenderandEducationAssociation
.N.p.,15Jan.
2013.Web.8Nov.2015.
MendicksarticlecoversthetopicofBoysUnderachievementfromtheproblem,
tosolutionandwhyitmatters.Sheintroducestheideathatboysunderachievementisnot

anewissueandhasbeenevidentsincethe1950s,butinlightofrecenteventswithin
societysuchastheneedfordegreestoearnwellpayingjobs,andthefeminist
movements.Alsointhearticle,sheofferssomestrategiesthatcouldaddresstheissues
withboysunderperforming,butdoesnotgoveryindepthintothestrategies.
Stahl,Lesley."TheGenderGap:BoysLagging."
CBSNews
.CBSInteractive,31Oct.2002.
Web.22Nov.2015.
Stahlprovidesnumerousstatisticalevidenceoffemalesoutperformingmalesin
academics.Shestatesthatgirlsdominateadvancedplacementclasses,studentcouncil,
valedictorians,etc.Furthermoreshegivesstatisticsthatfemalesmakeup60%ofcolleges
andearn170,000morebachelordegreesthanmenyearly.
Voyer,Daniel."GirlsMakeHigherGradesthanBoysinAllSchoolSubjects,AnalysisFinds."
AmericanPsychologicalAssociation
.N.p.,29Apr.2014.Web.08Nov.2015.
Voyeraddressesthecommonstereotypethatboysdobetterthanmathandscience
thangirls,withtheideathatgirlshaveinfacthadhighergradesthanboysforthepast
century.Throughoutthearticle,hetalksofhowsocietyhasmisleadmanytothinkthat
maleswerethesuperior,wheninactuality,femaleshavebeendoingbetterinmany
subjectsforaverylongtime.Herefutestheideathatboysarestartingtolagbehindin
academicswiththeideathatworldwide,statisticsprovethatgirlshavealwayshadthe
advantageingrades.
Weeks,Matt."UGAToday."
NewUGAResearchHelpsExplainWhyGirlsDoBetterinSchool
.
N.p.,2Jan.2013.Web.08Nov.2015.
Weeksarticletalksaboutboysunderachievementbeingnoticeableatasyoungof

anageaselementaryschool.Heintroducestheideathatinelementaryschool,students
areassessedbasedonsixitems,allofwhichgirlsnaturallyhavemoreof.Hethenputs
theblameonthesystemthatthewaystudentsareassessedareunfairtoboysbecauseata
youngage,theyarenotgeneticallywiredthesetraitsasgirlsare.Essentially,
underachievementatthisageisunreliableduetothewaythestudentsareassessed.