"Is 'Boys are Better at Science' a Fabricated Myth? Equal Before Admission, Fourfold Difference After Classes! The Shocking Gender Gap in Mathematics from France"

1. Introduction: Latest Evidence Challenging the "Innate" Theory

The cliché that "boys are good with numbers and girls excel in language" has long been entrenched in Japanese parenting and educational settings. However, recent research from France suggests that this stereotype may be "acquired" within just a few months of schooling. The study focused on approximately 2.7 million children who entered elementary school in France between 2018 and 2021. At the time of enrollment, there was no gender difference in math test scores, but after four months, boys scored an average of 0.07 SD higher, and after one year, this difference quadrupled to 0.29 SD tagesspiegel.de.

2. Overview of the Study

• Dataset: National standardized diagnostic tests (math and literacy) conducted by the Ministry of National Education every semester

• Methodology: Longitudinal design tracking score changes of the same children. Controlled for covariates such as income level, immigrant background, and school location.

• Key Findings

  1. Girls' Advantage in Language: Girls consistently outperformed boys in reading comprehension, though the gap was not as wide as in math.

  2. Amplification by SES: Gender gap was 0.37 SD among the top 25% income group and 0.13 SD among the bottom 25%.

  3. "Duration of Schooling" as a Decisive Factor over Age: The impact of being born early or late in the year was minimal, with months of schooling explaining the differences.
     These findings strongly suggest that "school experience" rather than "ability differences" creates the gap.stern.desueddeutsche.de

3. Expert Comments and Comparative Studies

Lena Keller, an educational psychologist at Kiel University, praised the study for specifically showing "when" gender differences arise, noting that teachers' expectations tend to solidify these differences tagesspiegel.de. In Germany's TIMSS 2023, boys had a slight advantage in fourth grade, and while the gap narrowed by age 15 in PISA 2022, it still persisted welt.deshinfdn.org.The data from Italy involving 13 million people and Japan's National Academic Achievement Survey both agree on the point that "the gap widens as students progress through grades" arxiv.org.

4. Why does the gap widen "when classes start"?

1. Teacher's unconscious bias

   • German study: Teachers of first and second graders overestimate boys' math abilities and underestimate girls' bild.de.

   • Evaluation bias creates an "expectation effect" that "boys have more potential," lowering girls' self-efficacy.

2. Lack of role models in the classroom

   • In math classes with a high ratio of male teachers, it is difficult to find a "same-gender model."

3. Gender differences in time investment at home

   • Supplementary analysis of this study shows that after enrollment, significantly more time is spent on "homework assistance" and "home drills" for boys.

4. Issues in curriculum design

   • Focus on abstract mental arithmetic → Girls, who tend to prefer episodic learning, self-categorize as "math is not for me."

5. Reactions on SNS—A Controversial "Flaming" Structure

5-1. German-speaking X (formerly Twitter)

• "This debunks the 'born this way theory.' Schools are inequality machines" (Education influencer @MatheFrei)

• "Stop using 'lack of effort' as an excuse for gender differences" (Conservative journalist @Faktenfreund)
  *Summary of posts on X public thread (as of 2025/6/12 9:00 CET).

5-2. Japanese Parenting Blogs and Forums

• Middle school entrance exam blogger: "The average math score in gender-segregated classes was so much higher for boys' classes, it was shocking" ameblo.jp

• On Yahoo! Chiebukuro, a question about "Is the reason girls only fall behind in math despite having higher overall grades a 'motivation' issue?" gained traction, with respondents pointing out "the difference in teacher encouragement."detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp

5-3. Discussions on Reddit r/de

• Criticism such as "Many children advance to middle school without even acquiring basic arithmetic skills. The curriculum is collapsing before considering gender issues." reddit.com.

The discussion is expanding from "ability or environment" to "flaws in the education system itself."

6. Implications for Japan—Top in PISA but Lowest in Advancement Rate

Japan ranks first in the world for mathematical literacy in PISA 2022, with one of the smallest gender gaps among OECD countries, yet the percentage of girls advancing to STEM fields is 10%, the lowest among 38 countries. awesome-stemwomen.org. The gap is more evident in "self-efficacy" and "career expectations" than in "scores," and there is a risk that France's "four months of fluctuation" could turn into a "significant loss" in secondary and higher education choices.

7. Proposals for Educational Settings and Policy

8. Conclusion—Don't Miss the "First Four Months"

The survey indicates the dual nature of education, where "significant disparities can arise in a very short period from a state where there are not even seeds of ability differences." Conversely, if a "gender-neutral" learning method can be designed in the short period right after enrollment, disparities can be minimized. The root cause of Japan's inability to fully leverage its top PISA performance lies in the gap between the design of initial grade experiences and career formation support.

“Love for math” is not innate—it is nurtured.
　
We must now redesign the curriculum to confront the biases lurking in the background and open the "future four months later" equally for both genders.

References & Links

Sources mentioned in the text are indicated with tags. Main articles: Tagesspiegel 12 Jun 2025, Süddeutsche Zeitung same day, Stern Online (11 Jun 2025).