Ils font moins les devoirs

Data taken from international tests and questionnaires given to students in developed nations by the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development found that on average, Canadian boys spend 4.6 hours a week on homework, and girls 6.4. The OECD average was 4.2 for boys and 5.5 hours for girls.

Boys are also less likely than girls to spend time reading or say they enjoy school — or even arrive at school on time — leaving some “(feeling) disaffected and not motivated,” it found.

Girls, however, are more likely to suffer from math anxiety — even those who do well in the subject.

Indigo Esmonde, a professor at the University of Toronto’s faculty of education, said anxiety can be a real issue for high achievers because “being good at math is a bigger part of their identities” and, for girls, they “face stereotypes about not being mathematically smart, and often have to work harder to be respected. So, there are higher stakes for girls.”

At Roberta Bondar Public School in Brampton, the needs of both boys and girls are taken into account in the school’s senior single-sex classrooms, which are offered as an option alongside co-ed programs for Grades 7 and 8.

Grade 7 boys’ teacher David Tran said homework is not an issue in his class — he assigns it every day and the boys complete it — and he knows, because he checks it every day.

“I also provide feedback and have a reward system” where students can earn a free period or treats, he said. “… I think the consistency is helping because they know clearly that every day I check their homework. I don’t skip.”

He and teacher-librarian Marla Cook also work together to choose non-fiction for the boys, which they prefer, and run small-group book talks where boys feel more comfortable speaking out, to help boost their interest in reading.

Grade 7 girls’ teacher Jenna Zack builds a “strong sense of community” in her class so her students feel safe doing things like putting up their hands to answer math questions or accept constructive feedback from her and classmates.

Her math instruction includes lots of group work and problems that have connections to everyday life, such as using cooking examples for units on measurement.

And, she notes, she never has any issues with homework.

“They actually love homework,” she added. “They want more homework than I give them, and I give them homework every day. They’ve been asking me since Monday if I can give them homework during the March Break.”

Findings from the OECD report on the gender gap in education:

• Boys are more likely than girls to play video games.

• Boys are more likely than girls to spend time on computers and the Internet.

• Boys are less likely than girls to read outside of school for enjoyment.

• Boys are less likely than girls to enjoy activities connected with reading.

• Boys are more likely than girls to play chess and program computers.

• Boys are less likely than girls to do homework.

• Boys are more likely than girls to have negative attitudes towards school.

• Boys are more likely than girls to arrive late for school.

• Boys are less likely than girls to engage in school-related work out of intrinsic motivation.

Source: OECD

Récapitulatif en français :

Around the globe, boys spend less time on homework than girls — almost a two-hour difference a week here in Canada — which may in part explain why they are more likely to struggle academically, says a new report on the gender gap in education.