According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, “boys are 30 percent more likely than girls to flunk or drop out of school,” and researchers are trying to figure out why. They also make up two-thirds of the students in special education classes.
Although there are more boy geniuses than girl geniuses and boys on a higher scale have greater IQ’s than girls, they are still not faring well in a public school setting.
American psychologist and co-author of the book, Raising Cain, Michael Thompson, Ph.D., told PBSparents.org that “the average American boy is struggling in school.” He further states, “For the average boy, school is not as good a fit as it is for the average girl. More boys have problems with attention and focus than girls.
He further states that boys are more likely to get into more trouble than girls because they have a higher activity level. They are five times more likely to be classified as hyperactive. Boys often soar when they are doing a physical activity than sitting in one space for a long period of time.
Here are some other alarming statistics from the National Center for Educational Statistics:
Parents shouldn’t be alarmed by this news because there is help. PBSparents.org gives the following helpful strategies that would help boys adjust better at school: