The nderachievement of the male specie has caught the attention of those at the highest level, because of the negative consequences that flow from this status quo. The reasons given for the poor performance has been many. However the three main factors attributable to the underachievement of the males in schools are: the absence of male role models in the home and school, socioeconomic status and gender socialization. Underachievement can be defined as a child failing to attain a predicted level of achievement or does not do as well as expected. Webster, 2013) The high rate of bsenteeism of paternal fgures both in the homes and at schools has been suggested as a factor contributing to the underachievement of males. In every family each member is assigned a role, which he/she must play to ensure that the family effectively carries out its purpose. (Reid, 2011). In Jamaica, there''s is a large percentage of single parent households headed mostly by mothers. The low rate of matriculation of males into the tertiary and teachers college translate into very few male teachers in the classroom.
Sociologists have argued about the correlation etween the development of males and the presence of male role models during this process. It is argued that boys need paternal role models who they can observe, imitate and identify with, as they develop their identities (Hutchings, 2008). In the case of the single parent families headed by mothers, where the mother has to work to sustain the family, this reduces the contact time she may have to bond with her son. The absence of the father figure in the home and at school, opens the door for impressionable young males to be influenced by what is happening around them.
Whether this is through the influence of music or by their peers, there is a dearth of positive messages which can contribute to the lives of males. The cumulative effect is that young males become disillusioned about the priorities of life and view education more as a liability rather than as an asset. Educators and social scientists have argued persuasively that there is a link between the formation of a masculine identity and educational performance. (Clarke, 2011).
It is for this reason why it is believed that the presence of male role models in the classrooms can lead to an improvement in academic achievement and a reduction in nti-learning and antisocial behaviour. However, as mentioned before, very few are inundated by female teachers. The lack of male representatives at home and at school means that young males are missing out on that critical component of their development. Research has shown that children of involved fathers are more likely to enjoy school, have positive attitudes toward school, participate in extracurricular activities, and graduate.
They are also less likely to fail a grade, have poor attendance, be suspended or expelled, or have behaviour problems at school. (Allen & Daly, 2007) Gender socialization is the process by which people learn to behave in a certain way, as dictated by societal beliefs, values, attitudes and examples. (UNICEF, Gender Socialization, 2007) Gender socialization occurs through such diverse means as parental attitudes, schools, how peers interact with each other, and mass media.
In Jamaica, particularly in the lower-economic strata of the society, it is felt that males are not being socialized to value the importance of education. This is evident in the high rate of male drop-out in schools and the frequency of young males among the homeless. There is a proliferation of messages that promote a "get rich mentality'' and which is attractive to many young males. So instead of pursuing a path of education, many males it would seem, prefer to pursue a path that would lead them to easier financial gain.
In the case of females, there has been a greater push towards empowerment and therefore it is for this reason why more females are staying in school and outperforming their male counterparts. It has been argued that there is a correlation between the socioeconomic status of a child''s parent and the overall environment in which the child is raised and the esulting academic performance of the said child. Aikens & Barbarin (2008) argued that parents socioeconomic status can be considered an important factor which affects not only cognitive function which refers to their reasoning ability, but also academic performance. Based on a study of a cohort of Jamaican preschool children, Samms-Vaughan (2004) posited that "four socioeconomic factors were shown to be strongly associated with academic outcome at the pre-school level". These included "crowding, modern facilities, number of possessions and occupation of the head of the household". She noted that males of families with higher socioeconomic status'' had higher academic and cognitive scores than those of their counterparts from families with lower socioeconomic status''.
She observed that males from wealthy households tend to be more exposed to higher quality education as they are able to pay for extra tutoring. Subsequent to this, they tend to do better in examinations than their lower male counterparts and are placed in the best high schools. Even though she posits that socioeconomic status'' impact the lives of males at the early-childhood level. Parents'' educational tatus and expectation impacts students'' intrinsic desire to learn . When students develop a personal desire to learn, they usually do well and this, in turn, mitigates the devastating effects of poverty.
The exposure to a quality-learning environment at home and school also contributes to the development of a positive disposition to lifelong learning. Research conducted on youth behaviour and its causes in schools reinforced by positive home and community support. Additionally, the study revealed that the youth''s school attendance and learning outcomes depended, to a great xtent, on their parents'' interest and monitoring Based on the study, it was noted that the students who performed well in school felt good about themselves and their future and would not want to Jeopardize it through risky behaviour.
Poor students, therefore, are faced with many disadvantages, as they are often from unstable home environments. The situation is exacerbated by migration and the high incidence of households headed by single females. (Reid, Reid Examines Jamaica Poor CSEC Results, 2011) In concluding male underachievement is a result of the absence of male role models n our homes and schools, gender socialization and socioeconomic status. Our male role models need to be present so as to efficiently carry out their parental roles so that males can observe, initiate, identify with to develop their identities.
Males need to be properly socialized in order to understand their societal beliefs, moral values and the role they play in the society. Every child can learn, every child must learn, therefore no child should be deprived of an education in spite of the socioeconomic background. Reference Allen, S. , & Daly, K. (2007). The Effects of Father Involvement: An Updted Research Summry of Evidence . Father Involvement Research Alliance , 2. Clarke, D. C. (2011, April 12). Education Performance and Masculinity: Engaging boys in the Classroom. ttp://Jamaica. kdid. org/node/106 Hutchings, M. C. (2008). Male and Female Teachers. In B. Hall, Do primary children see them as role models (p. 135). United Kingdom: Oxford Review of Education . N. p. (2012, April 28). Possible reasons for boys underachievement at school. Retrieved March 24, 2013, from Marked by Teachers: http://www. markedbyteachers. com Reid, R. (2011, February 23). Reid Examines Jamaica Poor CSEC Results. Retrieved March 24, 2013, from The Gleaner: http:// www. ]amaicagleaner. com Reid, R. 2011, May 1). Winning Back Our Boys (PT 2) - Rasing Achievement, Closing Gaps. Retrieved March 15, 2013, from The Gleaner : http://Jamaica-gleaner. com/gleaner/20110501/cleisure/cleisure2. html UNICEF. (2007). Gender Socialization. Washington D. C: UNICEF and the United Nations . UNICEF. (2004). UNICEF 20004 Report. Retrieved March 13, 2013, from Unicef. org: http:// www. unicef. org/publications/files/UNlCEFAnnualReport2004_eng. pdf Webster, M. (2013, April 4). Webster encyclopedia . Washington D. C , USA.
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