Few parenting decisions are as important as selecting a school for your child. As children, we are at our most malleable and impressionable during our years at elementary and high school. It’s a time when our brains undergo their most profound growth. But not all of us learn the same way, or at the same rate: research has uncovered significant differences in the way boys and girls absorb information.
Tailoring education to the gender of your child has myriad benefits, and these days, increasing numbers of parents are choosing all-boys’ schools. Here are some of the reasons why:
1. Boys learn differently.
Studies like one conducted by educational psychologists Michael Reichert and Richard Hawley show that young men tend to be engaged, better learners when classes include motion or some kind of physical activity.
2. Boys grow at a different pace.
Generally speaking, girls reach physical and mental maturity sooner, and so tailoring the curriculum around a specific gender benefits both sexes. JoAnn Deak, Ph.D., an expert on brain research, told PBS that girls tend to start reading and writing sooner than boys.
3. Boys have different strengths and weaknesses.
Boys are generally better at spatial visualization and abstract mathematics, but worse at communication compared to girls. Teachers at schools for boys understand this and are able to craft lessons that address these differences. According to “Boys and Girls Learn Differently: A Guide for Teachers and Parents” by educator, consultant, and author Michael Gurian, boys also learn more effectively through tasks.
4. Excellent boys’ classes are “transitive.”
Reichert and Hawley found the best lessons for boys were the ones that contained a memorable element—often something physical—that helped carry the key message beyond the confines of the classroom and gave students something on which to ruminate later.
5. Boys thrive on personal relationships.
Research by educational psychologists Michael Reichert and Richard Hawley found students at Crescent School in Toronto and other boys’ institutions preferred teachers who foster positive, trusting connections with their students. “Teaching boys effectively is like a dance: While someone leads and another follows, the process is a partnership united in common purpose,” the pair wrote.
6. Boys love to feel like they are part of a team.
Traditional sports squads, science clubs, even modern robotics teams — it doesn’t really matter. All help boys learn resilience, courage, and empathy — skills that will help them shine in their chosen career.
7. Boys need a solid support structure.
While parents and teachers are critical components in any healthy support network, student mentors can advise on academic, social, or personal matters. Schools that pair new students with established, older boys, such as Crescent School in Toronto, believe the practice improves relationships and fosters friendships.
8. Boys benefit from experience.
Most schools for boys have decades, sometimes even centuries of experience shaping the minds of young men. The Toronto area is home to several schools with more than a century of history teaching boys.
9. Boys thrive with the right tools.
Excellent resources are critical to the success of young boys, and independent schools that charge tuition fees are often able to provide superior facilities: state-of-the-art libraries, advanced gyms and physical education grounds, and world-class computer labs, for example.
10. Boys need strong role models.
Male students tend to learn by example, so it’s important for young school boys to have access to senior students as well as kids in their own age group. Schools for boys that include a junior, middle, and upper school (grades 1 to 12) are best placed to expose students to a range of peers.
This is a sponsored post, which means it was paid for by our advertising partners. Learn more about Crescent School at crescentschool.org.