Describe the influence of gender and parenting practices on the academic achievements of children.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Girls tend to do better in school than boys. They receive higher marks, on average, in every subject, are less likely to repeat grades, have fewer school problems, outperform boys in national reading and writing assessments, and tend to do better than boys on timed tests. On the other hand, boys do significantly better than girls on science and math tests that are not closely related to the material taught in school, and they tend to perform better on spatial tasks. Gender differences tend to become more prominent in high school. A combination of several factors, including early experience, biological differences, and cultural expectations, may help explain these differences.

Parents of high-achieving children create an environment for learning. They provide a place to study and to keep books and supplies; they set times for meals, sleep, and homework; they monitor how much television their children watch and what their children do after school; and they show interest in their children's lives by talking with them about school and being involved in school activities. Children whose parents are involved in their school events and activities do better in school.