Education is one of the most important areas of activity of every person and it is natural that each of human beings has one’s own attitudes towards it. However, despite the fact that every person is unique and possesses personal characteristics, some common features can be defined in children when it comes to education. As for the differences, these are effective to be addressed dividing children into two groups – males and females.
As a rule, the greater differences are connected with social, intellectual, physical, emotional aspects of education and because of this girls and boys need to be treated in various ways in order to reach their full potential in education.
A research defied that there are from 10 to 20 per cent of difference in success which is achieved by boys and girls in the following activities:
Emotional development;
Social development
Reading;
Writing;
Creating development;
Linking letters and sounds (Gender differences in school: implications for education)
Each of these areas is especially important and it is impossible to rank them in terms of significance. However, emotional and social development are the most powerful ones when it comes to psychological health of pupils, so the differences should be taken into account in order to support it and maintain stable.
It is important to pay attention to the fact that in childhood people experience changes in the ability to understand their emotions, as well as control them and express. Regardless of the fact whether a boy or a girl experiences problems with this issue, he or she needs support and understanding.
If this support is missing, children, especially boys, tend to become more isolated. As for the girls, they are friendlier and they tend to solve any disagreements with a peaceful way. In the cases when they cannot do this, they ask adults for help, while boys almost never involve parents in their problems, but they tend to use force to solve some conflicts.
As it is reported by EYFS Profile, “the difference between boys’ and girls’ attainment is greater in reading and writing, but much less so in numeracy and physical development, and the lowest of all in knowledge and understanding of the world.”
The differences are explained by some differences in the physical structure of the brain of boys and girls. These also contribute to more developed verbal abilities of girls, their better memory, and ability to find information in the memory more quickly than boys.
Physical differences are also very important. In this area boys lead – their ability to develop jumping, running, and climbing skills is faster than in girls. However, such activities as holding a pencil or playing musical instruments develop faster in girls. Probably, this is the reason why girls have greater achievements at school in comparison with boys.
The gender differences which have been already mentioned above are very important to be taken into account, as well as a range of minor factors. However, at the same time teacher should also remember about exceptions - there are always several pupils in the class who differ from the rest …