Research
take some calculated risks such as by climbing
What grabs boys’ and
trees, we hope that they will be more comfort-
Brain maturation
girls’ attention?
able with taking some risks when they leave
school.’
He believes that the changes he has applied
GIRLS
l Boys are more interested in how
help in his long-term goal of implementing tai-
l The verbal area of the brain
things work, the mechanical world,
lored learning to Blackawton Primary, where
matures four to six years ahead of
sport and action-packed fiction.
both boys and girls are given choices on how
boys.
they tackle a problem or a project. ‘We would
l Girls love to learn about how peo-
like the children to recognise the differences
l The fine motor area matures four to
ple work, the emotional world and
between each individual, as well as the general
six years ahead of boys.
emotionally packed fiction.
differences between how boys and girls learn
l Emotional control matures three to
differently,’ he says. ‘We don’t want our pupils
six years ahead of boys.
thinking that there is only one right way to do
room so that they are closer to the teacher. things and that everyone should be able to do
BOYS
‘This is because boys’ hearing isn’t as finely things the same way.’
l That part of the brain controlling
tuned as girls, especially when it comes to hear- At Worle Community School in Weston-
abstract reasoning matures two to
ing softly-spoken women, who are most often super-Mare, Somerset, another mixed-sex
four years ahead of girls.
the teachers of young boys’, he says. ‘Many school, which teaches 11–16 year-olds,
teachers complain about boys not listening headteacher Trevor Bailey also feels that the
l Gross motor control matures two to
and about them being hyperactive, but as well teachers there have benefited from Anne Moir’s
four years ahead of girls.
as this being “boyish” behaviour, it might also seminars. ‘It was very powerful to learn about
be the case that they haven’t heard what the how brain differences can influence learn-
teacher said.’ ing, and some of us could see that we valued
In both sexes, it takes a long time for
While the main focus has been on undera- typical female behaviour, which is to sit quietly
the limbic, emotional-generating area
chieving boys, there are also benefits for girls and pay attention, more than male behaviour,
of the brain to become connected to
which sometimes is to disrupt the class and not
the planning and advice area of the
pay attention. Now we know that it is boys
brain. These connections develop
“… classes should be
being themselves, and we can’t expect them to
around age 16–17 in girls and 20–22
behave like girls.’
in boys.
organised on a child’s Trevor has a number of plans for introduc-
ing brain-based learning to Worle Community
brain-based needs”
School including carrying out a study with the learn about each other,’ she says. Instead, Anne
University of the West of England where classes would like to see classes organised on a child’s
in brain-based learning. For example, at are segregated by gender to measure the ben- brain-based needs, rather than a strict adher-
Blackawton Primary, Dave Strudwick encour- efits of different methods of learning for boys ence to treating boys and girls exactly the same.
ages girls to climb trees in the school grounds and girls. ‘Then we should discover that there would be a
as well as the boys. ‘Girls may do better than However, while single-sex schools tend preponderance of boys in the classroom requir-
boys at school, but when it comes to the world to get better examination results than mixed ing special verbal and language training, just as
of work, boys and men are more successful,’ schools, Anne Moir is against separate schools the girls would require more help in those areas
he adds. ‘This is because boys are naturally for boys and girls. ‘My view is that boys and of the curriculum involving spatial concepts,’
competitive and take more risks, whereas girls girls need to be together as one of the objec- she adds.
are more compliant. By encouraging girls to tives of education should be for the sexes to ‘It is time to employ the lessons learnt from
brain science to classrooms around the country.
Designing lessons for the male brain and the
female brain would give both boys and girls a
better chance at succeeding in life.’
Mary Salmon is a journalist specialising in
education. To contact her call 020 7978 8061;
mobile 07810 310 432; or email
mail@marysalmon.com
For more information on Anne Moir’s
Brainsex seminars for teachers, log on to
www.brainsexmatters.com
Dave Strudwick at Blackawton Primary
School in Devon is organising a Brainsex semi-
nar (with Anne Moir as guest speaker) on
2 June. If you are interested in attending,
please call Dave on 01803 712363 or email
davestrudwick@blackawton-primary.devon.
sch.uk. The seminar costs £95 for the day
Dave Strudwick: increased awareness of how boys and girls learn differently
including lunch.
Looking for a way to assess the whole child?
Track progress in key skills across the curriculum. Plan for personalised learning.
Used and recommended by primary schools across the country.
Tel.0845 257 8391 or visit www.firthwilliamseducation.co.uk Firth Williams Education Consultants Ltd
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