One academic study concluded that teachers tend to favor boys because they call on boys more often to answer questions. In actuality, they probably called on boys more often because they have to work harder to get boys to pay attention, says Pribram. One reason for that is that the current system is not designed for boys. Boys like to move, take things apart and put them back together again, says Pribram. I remember when my son was very young, he took apart the workings of our refrigerator and put them back together again, except for one part.
Boys like to learn through action, through bumping into their world and seeing what happens.
A misdirected tendency toward action may be one reason why boys are more likely to commit violent crimes or be sent to jail. A recent study examined the effect of same-gender schools on females. The best question is not whether same-sex schools can help girls academically, but whether we can help both boys and girls by expanding our approach to education. Language-dominant education, which requires students to sit still, is also disadvantageous to girls because it plays on their strengths without encouraging them to develop the spatial skills that can eventually help with abstract mathematics, says Pribram. Boys would benefit because they would enjoy school more, and girls would benefit because education that involves action helps stimulate the part of the brain involved in developing mathematical skills.