'Where the Boys Are'

Article here. Excerpt:

'Why are boys — even those who cultivate college dreams — so prone to underachievement? Explanations abound, but boy advocates say we’ve created a classroom culture that ignores critical boy-girl learning differences and mainly rewards the things girls do well. Bored and disengaged, boys tune out or act out. Too many drop out.

By the time the SAT rolls around, these boys have vacated the school building. They aren’t sharpening No. 2 pencils; they’re mulling the unemployment line.

Feminist groups surely will seize on the latest reading and math scores as proof that girl power is enfeebled, even after years of concerted efforts to work toward gender parity in education.

But this argument doesn’t withstand scrutiny. Of course, we must continue our efforts to help girls achieve. The mother of a son and a daughter, I want a level academic playing field for both boys and girls.

But I’d say right now, the girls are all right. Boys, however, need our targeted attention if they ever are to realize their full potential.

Several years ago, a cadre of educators and prominent boy experts launched a national campaign, The Boys Initiative, to ensure they get it. The Boys Initiative is working to raise awareness of gender-based learning differences, as well as the importance of mentoring and instructional flexibility in the classroom.'