gender - boys and achievement Flashcards
globalisation (of economy) and decline of traditional men’s jobs.
there has been decline in heavy industries e.g mining - this is a result of globalisation - these sectors of economy mainly employ men.
Mitsos and Browne - the decline in male employment opportunities has led to an identity crisis for men - many boys believe that they have little prospect of getting a proper job, this undermines their motivation and self esteem so give up trying to get qualifications.
how do subcultures affect gender differences in achievement?
laddish subcultures - the growth of this has contributed to boys underachievement.
Epstein examined the way masculinity is constructed within school and found that working class boys are likely to be bullied and harassed if they work hard - this is because in working class culture masculinity is equated with being tough and doing manual work, the opposite is seen as inferior. as a result they tend to reject school work to avoid being made fun of.
how does shortage of male primary school teachers affect gender differences in achievement?
a lack of male role models both at home and at school could be cause of boys underachievement.
only 14% of primary teachers are male - most boys said that the presence of a male teacher made them behave better and work harder.
moral panic about boys.
critics of feminism argue that policies to promote girls education are no longer needed - these views have contributed to a moral panic about ‘failing boys’ and reflects a fear that underachieving boys will grow up to be dangerous and will threaten social society.
