His and Her Brains? Effectively Educating Our Boys: A Meta-Synthesis

Abstract

The statistical data from the U.S. Department of Education shows a decline in the performance and graduation rates for boys since 1967. By contrast, performance and graduation rates for girls has steadily increased and actually passed the boys in 1981. As reading scores for boys with disabilities continues to be among the lowest in the nation, girls are becoming more competitive in math, science, and AP courses. As this trend has continued in these opposing directions for some time, it has come to the attention of administrators, educators, and even reporters when more schools fail to make adequate yearly progress towards student performance measurements. This meta-synthesis of the literature on the academic achievement of boys as compared to girls examines the effectiveness of brain-based instruction and what impact it has on those outcomes.