Christopher Schroeder, an entrepreneur, investor, and father of two boys, shared with me how his views on childhood education changed after a conversation with the head of the National Cathedral Elementary School. His son Jack had been accepted to the school, but it was recommended that he wait a year to become emotionally and socially prepared for the school environment. Schroeder initially believed that smart children should be pushed forward as fast as possible, but the head of the school responded with a question that transformed his perspective: “What’s your rush?”
After Jack started a year later, he flourished, and his younger brother, Ben, also started a year later at his parents’ insistence. The idea of delayed school entry, known as “redshirting”, gained popularity in 2008 when Malcolm Gladwell presented evidence in his book Outliers that children older than their classmates perform better academically and in life in general.
Delayed entry is now more common in elite circles, given the benefit of giving boys “the gift of time”. However, boys from poorer backgrounds, who would benefit most from this approach, are least likely to receive it. Public schools should offer the same opportunities to children, regardless of their background. Public school officials should engage in meaningful conversations with parents to determine school readiness, and all states and school districts should enroll boys a year later than girls.
Boys and young men are lagging behind their female counterparts in almost every educational aspect, from pre-K to postgrad. Giving boys more time to mature emotionally and socially can aid them in reaching academic success, strengthening their partnerships and becoming better providers for their children. Educational policies should also focus on promoting gender equality in education, as girls and women have outperformed boys and men in the classroom, especially in noncognitive skills like social and emotional factors.
Factors like the feminization of the teaching profession, the rigidity of the school day, and a focus on narrow academics rather than vocational learning put many boys at a disadvantage. To create a better society not only for men, but for women and children too, boys should be given the gift of time to mature before starting school, and policies should focus on gender equality in education.
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