Chapter 2: Today's Students

How does gender influence students?

This portion of the chapter concludes that male and female differences extend beyond the general physical characteristics. The differences in reasoning and brain function are a significant distinguishing feature. The text explains, "Boys are more likely to be deductive, thinking about the general and then moving to the details. Girls, on the other hand, are more likely to be inductive, beginning with the details to figure out the general."(68) Being sensitive to these thinking differences can improve the chances of influence on the students in the classroom. Stereotyping students by gender can create a negative environment in a classroom when teachers should be constantly respecting the concept of equality among all. Being aware of attributes that separate the sexes will make teachers more aware of their treatment of each individual student.