Differences in Math Learning and Aptitude Between Boys and Girls

1550 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Gender differential in schooling

Differences in Math Learning and Aptitude Between Boys and Girls

The topic of my research has been differences in math learning and aptitude

between boys and girls. This topic was suggested to me by my mentor, Mike

Millo, as it is of particular interest to him. Mr. Millo is an Algebra teacher at Ball

High. Much has been made of gender differences in math by the popular media

and Mr. Millo felt that it would be interesting to examine this topic and explore the

findings of educational researchers. I also found this topic personally intriguing

as I am currently reading the book, Failing At Fairness: How Our Schools Cheat

Girls, by Myra and David Sadker (1994), which explores gender bias in all area of

education.

In researching this topic I found many related research articles and extensive

articles where relevant variables had been measured. I tried to focus on highly

relevant articles, which examined specifically the different abilities of males and

females in math or sought explanations for those differences.

With one exception, the studies I reviewed supported that there are differences in

math related achievement between males and females. Two of thr articles I

reviewed focus on the differences in teacher interaction with male and female

students in math class rooms.

The Structure of Abilities in Math-Precocious Young Children: Gender

Similarities and Differences by: Nancy Orbinson, Robert D. Abbott, Virginia W.

Berninger, and Julie Busse (1996), the following research questions were

explored:

1. Can young children who are advanced in mathematical reasoning be located

efficiently by soliciting parent nominations?

2. Do measures of these children's cognitive abilitie...

... middle of paper ...

...Leder, G. (1990). Teacher/student interactions in the mathematics classroom:

A different perspective. From Fenema, E. & Leder, G. (Eds.). Mathematics and

Gender: Influences on Teachers and Students. New York, Teachers College.

Orbinson, N., Abbott, R., Berninger, V., & Busse, J. (1996). The structure of

abilities in math precocious young children: Gender similarities and differences.

Journal of Educational Psychology, 88, 341-352.

Perry, W. (1996). Gender based education: Why it works at the middle

school level. Bulletin, 80, 32-35.

Sadker, M & Sadker, D. (1994). Failing at Fairness: How Our Schools Cheat

Girls. New York: Touchstone.

Updergraff, K., McHale, S., & Crouter, A. (1996). Gender roles in marriage:

What do they mean for boys' and girls' school achievement?. Journal of Youth

and Adolescence, 25, 73-89.

Show More
Related

  • A Peaceful Woman Explains Why She Carries A Gun, By Linda M. Hasselstrom

    1208 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sexism is a highly talked about issue read about online, seen in the news, and experienced in the day to day lives of many. The importance of this issue can be found in many writings. Authors such as Sandra Cisneros, Linda Hasselstrom, and Judy Brady have all discussed the topic of sexism in writings and how they affected their lives. Although each writer addresses the issue of sexism, each author confronts a different type of sexism; the kind we are born into, the kind we learn growing up, and the kind that is accepted by society at the end of the day.

    Read More

  • Mind, Society, And Neurosexism Create Difference By Cordelia Fine

    1188 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the first half of the book, “Half-changed world”, “Half-changed minds”, the author argues about how social and environmental factors influence the mind on the gender differences. She also includes the history and impact of the gender stereotypes we see and how science has been used to justify the use of sexism. In the first chapter in the “Half-changed world” section of the book she uses an example of if a researcher tapped you on the shoulder and asked you to write down what males and females were like if you would write down things such as compassionate for females and aggressive for males or if you would look at the researcher and tell them that every person is unique.(Fine,3) Based on the information in the book most people would pick up the pencil and write down descriptions of each gender based on the way the world perceives gender. She also talks about marriage and how “the husband is the breadwinner and works outside the home to provide financial resources for the family. In return, his wife is responsible for both the emotional and household labor created by the family…” (Fine,78)

    Read More

  • The Swallows of Kabul is Inequality by Yasmina Khadra

    918 Words  | 2 Pages

    In conclusion, by showing evidence for the effects of gender inequality of male dominance, biological hormones, and lack of education we can identify the social injustice issue evident in the novel. These points are all key factors that support the topic of gender inequality. Despite living in such a great country like Canada, there are still issues to this day that we deal with in society relating to gender inequality. This is a global problem that happens to this day, and is of greater concern in different parts of the world. It is a social issue that must be brought to an end before it gets worse causing harm to others. Some attempts that can be made to help deal with this is through education, public awareness and people speaking out for one another.

    Read More

  • Gender in the Work Force

    1241 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... history, it is proven that gender changes along with social, political, and cultural change. Despite all, many women continue to face other kinds of discrimination. Women continue to experience sexism, the idea of traditional gender roles. Women are still thought to be more involved in taking care of their children and the household. Women often face unconscious stereotypes in the workplace as well. In some cases, women have a less change of obtaining better, and higher paying jobs. Women often don’t get promoted to higher positions in office, despite their qualifications and experiences. Female candidates running for public office experience forms of sexism as well. The variations and adaptions of society are evidence that reinforce the idea that gender is formed under social construction rather than the essence from biology alone.

    Read More

  • Gender Ethnicity And Identity Development Essay

    1275 Words  | 3 Pages

    Although some may disagree, I do believe that female are targets of gender bias and have been since birth. For example, a mother is more likely to be gentle with her infant daughter than she would her infant son. Another good example of gender bias is that girls are more than likely to be given a doll to play with, while on the other hand boys would be given a toy truck or ball. This type of action can affect a child’s development.

    Read More

  • Tackling Gender Underachievement in Literacy and Numeracy

    2034 Words  | 5 Pages

    Introduction In recent years there has been much research into gender learning issues and the apparent learning disparity between boys and girls. Such research has included investigations into boys' underachievement in literacy and girls' underachievement in mathematics. The aim of such research is to recognise key reasons why such trends are occurring and perhaps more importantly, to address these within the classroom. Since the introduction of the National Curriculum, national testing and assessment has provided a comprehensive account of attainment at all key stages, especially in the key areas of numeracy, literacy and science. However, such results should not be used exclusively when discussing gender learning difference.

    Read More

  • The Negative Effects Of Gender Stereotyping

    1757 Words  | 4 Pages

    Gender stereotyping is when beliefs concerning the characteristics of both women and men that contain both good and bad traits. Gender stereotyping affects both men and women but usually targets the woman more harshly (Cooks & Cusack, 2011, p.1). Gender is something that is very unique and a very interesting topic. “It has obvious links to the real world, first in the connection between many grammatical gender systems and biological size, which underpin particular gender systems and also have external correlates”(Corbett, 2013). For an example gender-based violence against women is widely recognized as a critical concern for women in all part of the world (Cooks & Cusack, 2011, p.28). Now day’s women are underrepresented in the business world today, 16 percent of corporate officers in the U.S are women and 1 percent of all of the CEO positions in the Fortune 500 companies (Baron & Branscombe, 2012). In the workplace there are glass ceilings that are barriers based off of attitudinal and organizational bias that prevent qualified women from making it to the supervisory positions. As time elapsed that generation of women like that no longer existed. Women starting taking job positions and having supervisory positions in the workplace. It was no longer the thing that women would not work when they got older. Males also have a stereotype of being strong and being the head of the household in a family. “Masculine gender markers

    Read More

  • Jog Holland The Feminization Of The Community Corrections Work Force Summary

    583 Words  | 2 Pages

    Martin, S. E. and Jurik, N. C. (1996). Doing justice, Doing Gender. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage.

    Read More

  • Gender Roles in Little House on the Prairie

    2315 Words  | 5 Pages

    Sadker, Myra, David Sadker, and Susan Klein. "The Issue of Gender in Elementary and Secondary Education." Review of Research in Education 17 (1991): 269. JSTOR. Web. 14 Mar. 2012.

    Read More

  • Human Gender and Mathematics

    1397 Words  | 3 Pages

    Is there a difference in the mathematical ability between men and women? Historians have no precise method of quantifying or comparing their individual accomplishments (Olsen). Not only in mathematics, but also in many other career areas in the past, women were looked upon as inferior to their male counterparts. Women were not encouraged to pursue a career in mathematics. Historically, women were seen working around the home, cleaning the house, taking care of the children, and cooking the food. Even if they did pursue a career in mathematics, their research was sometimes viewed as questionable. I will defend the fact that, "Women have the same capabilities of achieving in mathematics than men do." However, you probably have heard of more male mathematicians than female mathematicians because historically, the male is labeled to be smarter in the subject of mathematics. In many cases this is not true. Women were viewed upon as equal in mathematical ability when they began making amazing discoveries in mathematics, began to stick up for their rights, and began to be accepted by their male counterparts as equal. An unknown author once wrote, "To understand the development of mathematics, we must have a picture of the men who made the science"(Olsen). Like many other statements about male mathematicians, you rarely find any trace of their female counterparts. Jean Dumee, a French astronomer, stated that women are not incapable of study, if they wish to make the effort, because between the brain of a woman and that of a man there is no difference (Olsen). Women mathematicians have been around for centuries and have had amazing contributions to the field of mathematics. Women like Hypatia, Sophie Germa...

    Read More

  • Why Being A Jerk At Work Pays Analysis

    1049 Words  | 3 Pages

    The article, Why Being a Jerk at Work Pays written by Amy Reiter, really stuck out to me for the fact a women wrote the article, she talks about the double standard women face in the workforce. She does a very good job at explaining how men in a powerful position can be a jerk and be respected, but how women in that sort of position have to find what she calls a “middle ground” in terms of how they treat there colleges and employes.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of What It Means To Be Gendered Me

    944 Words  | 2 Pages

    Betsy Lucal, "What it means to be gendered me: Life on the Boundaries of a Dichotomous Gender System."

    Read More

  • Gender Roles In Psychological Thrillers

    1154 Words  | 3 Pages

    One gender theory i have chosen to study is ‘The Male Gaze’, created by Laura Mulvey in 1975. This theory refers to the objectivation of women in the media, Mulvey suggest that the camera is in the point of view of a hetrosexual male, and therefor women exist purly for

    Read More

  • The Portrayal of Women in Advertising

    2734 Words  | 6 Pages

    3) Joshi, S.T. In Her Place: A Documentary History of Prejudice against Women. Amherst: Prometheus Books. 2006.

    Read More

  • Feminist Perspective Essay

    1014 Words  | 3 Pages

    The two articles by Reed (1999) troubling boys and disturbing discourses and by Ringrose (2007) gender and education. Both of these articles highlight how gender plays a role in education. For example, it shows how girls outplay boys in exams.

    Read More

More about Differences in Math Learning and Aptitude Between Boys and Girls

Open Document