Education in Canada: Boys need help

Article here. Excerpt:

'They found that at every level, boys' academic marks fell below where their test scores would predict. And they conclude that this discrepancy can be explained by non-cognitive factors - specifically by "how well a child was engaged in the classroom, how often the child externalized or internalized problems, how often the child lost control, and how well the child developed interpersonal skills."

In other words, the boys were being penalized, not because they lacked knowledge or understanding, but because of their behaviour. There seems to be evidence of this in Canada, too, as the Youth in Transition survey found that boys - both those who succeeded and those who didn't - were less likely than girls to be engaged in school, to enjoy the curriculum, or to get along with the teachers.

It all suggests that in our efforts to improve boys' academic performance, we need to consider not merely how boys learn, but how they behave. Good behaviour is necessary in school and beyond, but there are many different ways to encourage it. If we want to ensure boys get a fair shake, we must ensure we are doing all we can to make the academic experience something that appeals to both boys and girls, and that does so equally.'