So why have changing gender identities affected the education and performance of boys and girls? Experiments have been undertaken by scientists testing children’s linguistic, mathematical and perceptual skills. This is known as ‘Cognitive’ testing. This is used to test our abilities in problem solving, which proved that woman and men think differently. Researcher (Kimura, 1992) found by cognitive testing, woman do better in verbal tests and men do better in spatial. However, we can argue that not all children or adults brain structure can be measured by using this form of testing.
Murphy and Elwood argued that: Children’s gender identities allowed them to perform school work differently. They claimed that boys and girls have different interests and skills, in the construction of their gender identities by agency and influences. They argued that boys adapt to subjects which have been formed around their identity i.e. science, mathematical reasoning and drawing and girls are dominating on verbal tests i.e. English, mathematical calculations.
By the 1960s and 1970s Feminists groups argued that more emphasis was placed on the boy’s education than the girls, which changed the educational system around.
However, during the last decade media have reported that the boys are now ‘underachieving’ in certain subjects in school. The concern has recently become wide spread, but not just in Britain but worldwide (Woodward, p.63).
Researchers Prof Rees, G and Gorard, S (1997) have observed the development of the ‘gender gap’ i.e. the difference in the levels of achievement in girls and boys under sixteen. Studies have shown that boys do not perform as well as girls in standard subjects (literacy, math’s) girls are now overtaking boys at a higher level standard. However, post sixteen year old girls tend to drop out of science and technology despite doing better than boys at GCSEs. Boy’s early literacy skills are marked lower than girls. Although sociologists agree that there is a definite ‘gender gap’ between males and females under sixteen, it is not just a simple case of ‘boys are doing badly, girls doing well’. The relationship between gender and attainment is much more complex; problems have arose within the area of ‘the gender gap’ it is not the same in all subjects; boys seem to perform slightly better in GCSE math than girls. However this can not be applied to all levels of education, particularly University level where the drop-out rate is higher amongst girls (The National Literacy trust, 2003).
In conclusion it can be said that gender identity is formed and influenced by a variety of different factors. These are biological and social factors. However, it can be argued that female children who demonstrate a stereotypical female identity may not always show characteristics associated with little girls. It can be suggested that gender identities are not fixed, they change as children learn more about their social world and the opportunities that are presented to them. This can be seen in the changing patterns of educational performance in the UK. Research suggests that boys and girls have different interest and skills. Boys adapt to subjects that have been formed around their identities. However it can be argued that more emphasis was placed on the boy’s education in these areas, which resulted in the girls ‘underachieving’. It is therefore gender inequality that led to their performance and not always their gender identity. Today there is a difference in the level of achievement in girls and boys under sixteen, girls are now out performing boys in subject areas that were traditionally male subjects. This suggests that there is a gender gap and the relationship between gender and education attainment is more complex especially when you see that the above research can not be applied to all levels of education. As a result a variety of reasons can be suggested for the difference between male and female performances in schools. Females out perform males because educational policies to help girls over the past twenty years has seen attempts to improve the academic performance of girls. The introduction of the Butler Education act in England & Wales in 1944, where more vacancies were available for boys in grammar schools than girls, this was on the grounds that ‘boys’ matured much later than girls. The act caused an outcry by feminist groups demanding equality and highlighting the underachievement in girls which turned the education system around. One could argue that the abolishment of the act could now create uncertainty in the boy’s education. Girls have higher career aspiration, greater range of role models in society than in earlier years and improved employment prospects for women and changes in the industry. So it could be argued that changing gender identities have greatly affected the performance of girls and boys in school in the UK.
References
Woodward, k. (2000) Questioning Identity: Gender, Class, nation. In Woodward, K. (ed.) DD100, Milton Keynes. The Open University.
Sherratt, N. Goldblatt, D Mackintosh, M. Woodward, k. (2000) Workbook 1. DD100 Milton Keynes. The Open University.
The Open University (1999) DD100 An Introduction to the Social Sciences: Understanding Social Change, Audio-Cassette 1, side B the Course Themes, Milton Keynes, The Open University.
Mooney, S. (1987) Sociology Alive: Leckhampton, Cheltenham. Stanley Thornes.
Rees, G. Gorard, S. (1999) The National Literacy Trust 2000. www.literacytrust.org.uk/research/boysbadly
Goffman, E. (1922-1982) Roles. What Can Science Tell Us About Identity?
Althusser, S. (1918-1990) Interpellation. What Can Science Tell Us About Identity?
