Educational statistics and worldwide media have reported a gender gap in academic achievement, with boys falling behind girls with regard to grades, high school graduation, and college enrollment and retention. This mixed methods study involved interviews with educators and the examination of quantitative data to investigate this issue in a school district. Local results mirrored national statistics regarding gender differences in achievement and school success factors. Themes are explored and recommendations are made to enhance school success skills for male students.
Akos, P., Lambdie, G.W., Milsom, A., & Gilbert, K. (2007). Early adolescents' aspirations and academic tracking: An exploratory investigation. Professional School Counseling , 11(1), 57-64.
2.
American Council on Education, Center for Policy Analysis. (2003). Gender equity in higher education: Are male students at a disadvantage? Updated tables and figures, August, 2003 . Washington, DC: Author.
3.
Anderman, E., Anderman, L., & Griesinger, T. (1999). The relation of present and possible academic selves during early adolescence to grade point average and achievement goals. Elementary School Journal, 100(1), 3-17.
4.
Bailey, D.F. (2003). Preparing African-American males for postsecondary options. Journal of Men's Studies, 12(1), 10.
5.
Blackhurst, A.E., & Auger, R.W. (2008). Precursors to the gender gap in college enrollment: Children's aspirations and expectations for their futures. Professional School Counseling, 11(3), 149-158.
6.
Brigman, G., & Webb, L. (2004). Student success skills: Helping students develop the academic, social and self-management skills they need to succeed. Classroom guidance manual. Boca Raton, FL: Atlantic Education Consultants.
7.
Burns J., & Bracey, P. (2001) Boys' underachievement: Issues, challenges and possible ways forward. Westminister Studies in Education, 24(2), 155-166.
8.
Carey, J.C., & Martin, I. (2007). What are the implications of possible selves research for school counseling practice? (School Counseling Research Brief 5.2). Amherst, MA: Center for School Counseling Outcome Research .
9.
Carey, J.W. (1993). Linking qualitative and quantitative methods: Integrating cultural factors into public health. Qualitative Health Research, 3, 298-318.
10.
Christenson, S.L., & Anderson, A.R. (2002). Commentary: The centrality of the learning context for students' academic enabler skills. School Psychology Review, 31, 378-393.
11.
Clark, M.A., & Breman, J.C. (in press). School counselor inclusion: A collaborative model to provide academic and social-emotional support in the classroom setting. Journal of Counseling and Development.
12.
Clark, M.A., Flower, K., Walton, J., & Oakley, E. (in press). Tackling male underachievement: Enhancing a positive learning environment for middle school boys. Professional School Counseling .
13.
Clark, M.A., Oakley, E., & Adams, H. (2006). The gender achievement gap challenge. ASCA School Counselor, 43(3), 20-25.
14.
Clark, M.A., Shreve, K., & Stone, C. (2004). Taking stock in children: Collaborating to promote success for low income secondary students. NASSP Bulletin , 88(641), 61-73.
15.
Clark, M.A., Thompson, P., & Vialle, W. (2008). Examining the gender gap in educational outcomes in public education: Involving pre-service school counsellors and teachers in cross-cultural and interdisciplinary research. International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling, 30(1), 52-66.
16.
Cresswell, J. (2002). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. Columbus, OH: Merrill-Prentice Hall.
17.
Duckworth, A.L., & Seligman, M.E.P. (2006). Self-discipline gives girls the edge: Gender in self-discipline, grades, and achievement test scores . Journal of Educational Psychology, 98(1), 198-208.
18.
Frank, B., Kehler, M., Lovell, T., & Davison, K. (2003). A tangle of trouble: Boys, masculinity and schooling-future directions. Educational Review, 55, 119-133.
19.
Galassi, J.P., & Akos, P. (2007). Strengths-based school counseling: Promoting student development and achievement. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
20.
Goldin, C., Katz, L.F., & Kuziemko, I. (2006). The homecoming of American college women: The reversal of the college gender gap. Journal of Economic Perspectives , 20(4), 133-156. Retrieved May 16, 2008, from http://www.economics.harvard.edu/faculty/katz/files/gkk_jep.pdf
21.
Gray, C., & Leith, H. (2004). Perpetuating gender stereotypes in the classroom . A teacher perspective. Educational Studies, 30, 3-17.
22.
Gray, J., Peng, W.J., Steward, S., & Thomas, S. (2004). Towards a new typology of gender-related school effects: Some new perspectives on a familiar problem. Oxford Review of Education, 30, 529-550.
23.
Gurian, M. (2005). The minds of boys: Saving our sons from falling behind in school and life. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
24.
Howe, K.R. (1988). Against the quantitative-qualitative incompatibility thesis or dogmas die hard. Educational Researcher, 17, 10-16.
25.
Howe, K.R. (1992). Getting over the quantitative-qualitative debate . American Journal of Education, 100, 236-257.
26.
Kafer, K. (2004). Girl power: Why girls don't need the Women's Educational Equity Act. School Reform News. Retrieved June 9, 2008, from http://www.heritage.org/Research/Education/wm563.cfm
27.
Lawrenz, F., & Huffman, D. (2002). The archipelago approach to mixed method evaluation . American Journal of Evaluation, 23, 331-338.
28.
Leondari, A., Syngollitou, E., & Kiosseoglou, G. (1998). Academic achievement, motivation and possible selves. Journal of Adolescence, 21, 219-222.
29.
Lincoln, Y., & Guba, E. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
30.
Meyer, J.P. (2007, September 18). School's new approach to discipline . The Denver Post. Retrieved September 27, 2007, from http://www.denverpost.com/ci_6922088
31.
Morgan, D.L. (1998). Practical strategies for combining qualitative and quantitative methods: Application to health research. Qualitative Health Research, 8, 362-376.
National Center for Educational Statistics. ( 2005). Student effort and educational progress. In The condition of education 2005. Retrieved November 11, 2006, from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2005094
34.
National Center for Educational Statistics. ( 2006). The condition of education. Retrieved December 5, 2006, from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2006071
35.
National Center for Educational Statistics. ( 2007). Student effort and educational progress. Retrieved October 9, 2007, from http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/2007/section3/indicator21.asp
36.
National Education Association. (2007). Wanted: More male teachers. Retrieved September 13, 2007, from http://www.nea.org/teachershortage/03malefactsheet.html
37.
Newman, E. (2005). Lads and English. English in Education , 39(1), 32-42.
38.
Oyserman, D., Bybee, D., & Terry, K. (2006). Possible selves and academic outcomes: How and when possible selves impel action. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91, 188-204.
39.
Oyserman, D., Gant, L., & Ager, J. (1995). A socially contextualized model of African American identity: Possible selves and school persistence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69(6), 1216-1232.
40.
Richman, J.M., Rosenfield, L.B., & Bowen, G.L. (1998). Social support for adolescents at risk of school failure. Social Work, 43, 309-323.
41.
Sax, L. (2007). Boys adrift: The five factors driving the growing epidemic of unmotivated boys and underachieving young men. New York: Basic Books (Perseus Books Group).
42.
The College Board. (2005). College Board seniors: A profile of SAT program test-takers. New York: Author.
43.
Tyre, P. (2006, January 30). The trouble with boys. Newsweek, 147(5), 44-52.
44.
Tyre, P. (in press). The trouble with boys: A surprising report card on our sons, their schools, and their futures. New York: Crown.
45.
U.S. Bureau of the Census. (2006, May 25). Families and living arrangements. Retrieved October 10, 2007, from http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www./releases/archives/families_households/006840.html
46.
U.S. Department of Education. (2004). Study shows educational achievement gender gap shrinking. Retrieved September 17, 2007, from http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2004/11/11192004b.html
47.
West, P. (1999). Boys' underachievement in school: Some persistent problems and some current research. Issues in Educational Research, 9(1), 33-54.
48.
Van Houtte, M. (2004). Why boys achieve less at school than girls: The difference between boys' and girls' academic culture. Educational Studies, 30, 159-173.
