Boys and Schools BlogBoys and Schools BlogTrends and issues related to the health, education, and general welfare of boys. Official blog of the Boys and Schools program. Articles
Selective Toddler Hearing
2007-08-03 06:00:00 It's Friday afternoon, and the boys have gone down for a much-needed nap. (Much needed for me, at least. Though if they expend half the energy in playing as they require from me in supervising them, then the nap is pretty well needed for them as well.) One of my "favorite" gender differences that I've discovered in my research for Boys and Schools is the fact that young boys (especially toddlers) are much less likely to respond when they are being called by name--even when it's their parents doing the calling. I have yet to meet the mom of a boy who shows even the slightest surprise when I mention this. Usually, I get the wan, "no kidding" smile. I bring this up for the billionth time today because Mags, my near-two-year-old, has been having an especially severe attack of the "Mommy Ignores" right now. My husband, who nearly had to crawl into one of those fast food playgrounds yesterday to retrieve him, is of the opinion that Mags currently bel... More About: Toddler , Hearing , Select , Sele
Drop-Out Frustration
2007-08-02 06:00:00 I've just spent a good portion of my afternoon trying to locate reliable, gender-specific information on drop-out rates in the District of Columbia public school system. You wouldn't think that this would be such a difficult task, and I admit that when I started, I assumed this was just going to be a quick Google job. And yet, the uncertainty and obfuscation concerning measurements of graduation rates are so bad that what I could find very easily was article after article and study after study discussing how difficult it is to get reliable drop-out data. (At this point, I almost feel qualified to write one myself.) And let's not even get into the issue of finding that data broken down by gender, race, economic status, and so on. When you think about it, it's a little disturbing. The only thing that all the researchers agree on is that there are probably far more high school drop-outs than we know about. How many there are--well, that seems to b... More About: Frustration , Rust , Drop , Stration
The Need for Male Teachers
2007-08-01 06:00:00 Just a few weeks ago, I was criticizing a British study that claimed that more male teachers could be a bad thing for boys. Now, from yet another British newspaper, is an interview with a former teacher who talks about how male teachers can act as guides and role models for struggling boys. The article is full of worthy observations, but I’ll just highlight a few of them: Many former pupils have told me that I've been like a father to them. Some parents have low expectations for their children and that is another reason for failure. Boys in particular don't value education. They don't see men succeeding in the professional world so it doesn't occur to them that they could make something of themselves. Schools are at fault here, too. Due to the immense pressure on teachers to gain results, students are spoon-fed and trained to pass exams, rather than encouraged to think for themselves. Instead schools must help children learn to take ... More About: Male , Teachers , Teac
Preschool Worries
2007-07-30 06:00:00 So, where are you going to send Andy to pre-school? Talk about a question that haunts my days. My three-year-old is nearly ready to attend pre-school, and I'm torn about where to send him. Should it be the local parochial school? What about the Montessorri school nearby? How do I balance making sure he gets off to a positive start in school with finding a place that will understand his natural boyish interests, enthusiasms, and energy? Part of me resents that I'm so panicked about it to begin with. Our culture (or at least certain segments of it which happen to be very strong in my community) puts a great deal of emphasis on choosing the "right" school from the very start. And to some extent, I sympathize with that urge. My biggest fear on this issue is that I choose an especially poor match for my sons and end up turning them off of school from the start. But then I remember that in some countries, schooling doesn't start un...
School Discipline Run Amuck
2007-07-26 06:00:00 Ok, I will come right out and say that I have been smacked on the rear-end before, in what was intended to be a playful manner. After all, I did wait tables for quite a few years, including working as a waitress at a cocktail bar, that much is true (sorry, couldn’t resist). Anyway, the smacking thing. It was annoying, embarrassing, offensive, and I didn’t like it one bit. Under the circumstances, I dealt with it my own way (icy glares, minor drink “spills”, etc.), and might have considered going to the management if it became a serious problem. It never would have occurred to me, however, to have the offensive customer clapped in handcuffs, dragged off to jail, and charged as a sex offender. Talk about an overreaction. And yet, that is precisely the situation that two 13-year-old boys in Oregon recently found themselves after spanking girls in the hallway of their middle school (part of what had apparently been an ongoing game among the... More About: School , Discipline , Disc
Books For Boys--Behind the Harry Hype
2007-07-25 06:00:00 Having just finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the last of the Harry Potter books, I wanted to comment briefly on the story and the world that JK Rowling has created. (And yes, this might get slightly spoiler-ish, so please consider yourself warned.) Putting aside for the moment questions about the quality of the prose or whether there are better works of children’s literature, I think that Rowling deserves credit for the creation of an engrossing story and entertaining world, not to mention a coming-of-age story that grapples with the eternal themes of love, death, and courage. Not everyone is a huge fan of Harry, some thinking him spoiled and privileged, while others just wearied of the endless teen angst of the last few books. I would say, however, that with this last entry in the series, Rowling has allowed Harry to mature and that, to some extent, Deathly Hallows is the story of Harry putting aside childish things to become a young man. Coura... More About: Books , Hype , Boys
Catching-Up With the Boys
2007-07-24 06:00:00 I never know quite what to say about social trends that show girls catching up to boys in undesirable behaviors, such as in this UK study showing that British 14-15 year-old girls seem to engage in binge drinking more often than their male counterparts. (Incidentally, a recent survey of American high school students found that in the US, boys have the higher incidence of binge drinking.) The temptation is to start drawing broad conclusions about social trends or cultural shifts, and maybe that’s really what’s in play. But it can be hard to tell from just one survey. Moreover, since the British study (which has been making news around the web for a few days now) is, after all, measuring drinking habits in a different culture, with different influences and attitudes about alcohol, I’m not sure that it has a lot of relevance to teen drinking culture in the US, or what parents here should do. I wish that I could believe that when these “destructive beha... More About: Boys , The Boys
Brainy Stuff
2007-07-23 06:00:00 This is the kind of hot, tired, and humid July Monday that makes me wish I could spend the afternoon napping in a hammock, enjoying a cool breeze and some fresh, cold lemonade (brought to me in timely intervals by my wonderfully attentive sons). Unfortunately, I don’t have a hammock, I’m out of lemons, and watching my sons try to pour or carry liquids gives me a minor heart attack. So I’m trying to get the same effect by crouching over a laptop with my feet up on a chair. It’s not a particularly satisfying replacement. As for what’s going on out there in the world of boys’ issues? Well, the same controversies are still brewing over whether gender differences exist, and, if so, how they should be approached. There is, however, another effort in the works to try to quantify those differences. The National Institutes of Health is engaged in a massive research project this summer to study the neurobiology of youth in the effort to better understa... More About: Stuff
Harsh Words for a Study
2007-07-20 06:00:00 A recent study found that 84.7% of publically announced studies are meaningless attempts to shift public perception of an issue or craft political policy. Ok, I made that up. No such study exists (at least as far as I know). And goodness knows I cite plenty of research myself in this space (though I generally stick to research on children’s health or development). So it’s not as though I’m attempting to undermine scientific research. I do respect it greatly. However, things like this UK study (reported in the Telegraph) that announces that it has, “shattered the myth of male teachers,” get my goat a bit. According to the article, government research has found that the notion that male teachers might help boys is “simplistic,” and there is insufficient evidence that teacher’s gender or different teaching methods might impact students. I see. And from whence come these conclusions? Well, the article doesn’t really say, though it does reve... More About: Study , Words
Anticipatory Worry for My Girl
2007-07-19 06:00:00 Usually, when I worry about the fate of boys' education in the US, I tend to think in terms of my own little guys and what the future holds for them. But a few weeks ago, I learned that the new baby our family is expecting this fall will be a girl, and it has given me a new perspective on the boy crisis. (It is also the source of a continual impasse between my husband and I on girls’ names, but that’s neither here nor there.) My biggest worry is really about how the problems affecting boys might limit my daughter’s own options and future. I know that sounds counter-intuitive, since girls have been doing better in school and college while boys slip behind, but these things don’t happen in a vacuum, and the boy crisis will certainly affect the world she grows up in. For example, do the stagnating numbers of boys attending (and completing) college indicate that there will be fewer guys out there to meet, date, and marry? (Two things I have to acknowledge ... More About: Girl , Worry , Tory , Pato
Don't Over-Search Your Feelings, Luke
2007-07-18 06:00:00 I wanted to draw attention to the results of this study, published in the July issue of Developmental Psychology, as a caution to those who think that boys' ways of expressing their feelings are in some way inferior to the approach that girls use: According to a study in the July issue of Developmental Psychology, girls who constantly rehash their problems with friends develop higher levels of depression and anxiety over the course of a school year. "With this focused insistence on talking about their problems, they don't get a chance to do other things that might take their mind off it," said Amanda Rose, the study's author and a professor at the University of Missouri. "They keep getting reminded about what they're upset about, so it's harder for them to move on." Dr. Rose made her discovery after spending eight months studying a group of 813 students in grades 3 through 9. Both boys and girls were found to co-ruminate - or talk to one another about their problems - but only... More About: Search , Feeling , Feel , Feelings , Luke
Achievement in Free-Fall
2007-07-17 06:00:00 When we talk about the boy crisis, and boys' academic woes, we have a tendency to focus on general data like graduation rates, overall performance on standardized tests, etc. But if you really want to worry—that is, if you really need a big neon sign that something big is going wrong, take a look at the ratio of boys to girls among top student achievers in high school. Chances are the great majority of them are girls. One reporter at the Toledo Blade did just this, and found that in that region: • In Toledo, Scott High School’s top 10 students were all females. Woodward, Waite, and Bowsher each had eight girls among the top 10. In the top 10 percent of students: • Perrysburg High School had 29 females and six males. • Springfield High School had 23 females and 3 males. • Bowling Green High School had 20 females and nine males. • Ottawa Hills High School had six females and two males. That split was closer to 50/50 as recently as my high school years, but girls no... More About: Free , Achievement , Fall , Free Fall
Exploring Boy Bias
2007-07-16 06:00:00 Having had the opportunity to attend and speak at the conference on "Boys and the Boy Crisis" this weekend, I just wanted to thank the presenters and attendees for a great experience, and one which offered much food for thought. One of the issues that came up quite a few times was the question of to what extent there is a bias against men and boys in our culture. I’m not even going to pretend to have an answer to this one, as it’s pretty darned complex. To some extent, I’ll offer what some might perceive as a cop-out and say that I think that there are any number of biases operating in our society—some based on gender, others on race, class, etc. And that, of course, bias against men and boys would be included there. However, to what extent we’re looking at actual hostility as opposed to a general unconcern or war-of-the-sexes-style misunderstanding is more difficult to discern. Certainly, there are times when you can easily see plain old hostility against me... More About: Bias , Exploring
Game Fatigue
2007-07-13 06:00:00 Video games. Talk about a subject that can unite women in frustration when it comes to the men and boys in their lives. Whether we're talking about wives, moms, or girlfriends, it's not hard to find someone who is concerned about how much gaming goes on with their guys. There are message boards where girlfriends and wives lament becoming "widows" to various online games (World of Warcraft is a frequent offender). And there are studies showing that not only do boys spend more time playing computer games than girls, but that their time for homework and studying is likely to suffer as a result. (I know, I know—it’s one of those things where you ask, “they needed a study to learn that? I could have saved them the trouble.”) I should make it clear that I am absolutely not anti-video game. I don’t have any objection to my husband or children playing games for recreation, and I even occasionally join in, despite my truly pathetic lack of abi... More About: Game
Not Enough Smart Boys?
2007-07-12 06:00:00 There's a fascinating blog about the scientist shortage over at Nine Shift. I'm going to quote liberally, on the assumption that many people are like me and don't like following links, but believe me when I say that it's really worth checking out. In short, there is a highly-debated shortage of scientists coming out of the US and Britain. (Some question whether the shortage really exists, and the issue is complicated by the use of talent from other countries. However, it is certain that there isn't a surfeit of scientists available.) The question is why that shortage exists. Below are a few observations on the issue from the Nine Shift blog (the blog is run by William Draves and Julie Coates of the Learning Resources Network). On why the shortage exists: The answer is that there are not enough boys in the pipeline. That is, there are not enough smart boys entering and graduating from higher education at the undergraduate level to provide a s... More About: Smart , Boys
Boys and Schools Appearance this Weekend
2007-07-11 06:00:00 If you're interested in issues related to the boy crisis, and you're convenient to the Washington DC area, I highly recommend that you check out the conference on "Boys and the Boy Crisis" this weekend (July 13th and 14th) at the Washington Court Hotel. The conference, sponsored by the National Men's Equality Congress, will feature a number of prominent speakers on boys' issues, including Christina Hoff Sommers, Glenn Sacks, and Warren Farrell. I will also be there on Saturday the 14th, as part of a panel on boys issues, where I will be going over strategies and tools for parents and teachers on how to help boys do better in school. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the issues and network with others who are concerned about helping boys. I'd love to see you there. To learn more about the Boy and the Boy Crisis Conference, check out their website at www.trueequality.com. More About: Schools , Weekend , Appearance
Healthy Dads, Healthy Sons
2007-07-10 06:00:00 The Men's Heal th Network has made it a mission to raise awareness of issues related to men’s health and to improve men's health and wellness. Part of this mission includes encouraging men to seek care--whether it be via regular check-ups and preventive care or catching possible problems as early as possible. For a variety of reasons (some personal, some cultural), men are often reluctant to go to the doctor, and it is a crucial part of improving men's health to overcome those obstacles. And, if you’re a father, you have an extra reason to make good health decisions. No, I’m not talking about being able to stay healthy and provide for your family (though those are both very important). I’m speaking of the fact that fathers often set the example for their sons when it comes to making decisions about their health. A recent article from the Dallas Morning News describes this effect: Sometimes a boy won't speak up when he's in pain because he... More About: Healthy , Sons
Rating the Games
2007-07-09 06:00:00 I notice that I write a lot about video games--call it my pragmatic side. I admit the possibility of boys who are not particularly interested in video games (whose friends don't play either), and whose parents therefore have other concerns. I also admit the possibility that I will wake up tomorrow 30 pounds skinnier and with bright green hair—it’s just hard to imagine, that’s all. Anyway, I try to walk a line on the video game issue. That’s because I do enjoy games and think they have their place as entertainment, but (like so many things) they do require some level of moderation and adult supervision. Which brings us to the issue of video game ratings. As anyone who has experienced the confusion of the MPAA’s movie rating system can tell you, there’s a certain amount of complexity to rating the audience “appropriateness” of entertainment media. But the effort has been made for video games, and it often even makes sense. You can read a deta... More About: Games , Ames , The G
Ave Atque Vale
2007-07-06 06:00:00 Boys and Schools lost a good friend this week--Jim Young, a Director of the Men's Health Network and one of the founding supporters of the Boys and Schools project, succumbed to illness early on the morning of July 4th. Jim was one-of-a-kind—a brilliant legal mind who specialized in litigation and telecommunications, a generous philanthropist whose compassion for others and commitment to making a change in the lives of men and boys helped MHN and Boys and Schools immensely, and a man of warmth, humor, and integrity, who will be sorely missed by all who were fortunate enough to know him. Some time ago, in honor of his commitment and contributions to Boys and Schools, we decided to create the Jim Young Award, honoring the innovators and forward-thinkers who were out there helping boys. As someone who recognized the importance of the issue early-on, Jim was exactly the kind of innovator that deserves all the honor, respect, and accolades that could be placed before him.&nb... More About: Vale
Musings on "Centric"-ness
2007-07-03 06:00:00 If you haven't already checked it out, I urge you to read the Boys and Schools Q&A with Michael Gurian. It's an interesting discussion of his new book, Nurture the Nature, which is a valuable resource for parents looking for a new perspective on all of the advice that seems to bombard us on a regular basis. One of the things that I found particularly intriguing in the Q&A was Mr. Gurian’s response to my question as to whether he thought that we lived in a very child-centric culture. This is a complaint I’ve heard fairly often, commonly by those who are annoyed by increasing efforts to make certain venues more “kid-friendly.” But, at the same time, if I were to poll some of my fellow moms, I’m not sure that they’d agree that this is an overly-child-friendly culture. Obviously, we’re looking at a huge difference in perspective here, but I found that very dissonance interesting and Mr. Gurian’s response that while our culture may be child-centri... More About: Musings , Ness , Sings
Pressure to Fail
2007-07-02 06:00:00 When it comes to being frustrated by a prevailing cultural attitude, I have so many to choose from. And that's without even getting into My Super Sweet Sixteen or the reasons why the Paris Hilton story has become the crabgrass of television news coverage (ugly, ubiquitous, and impossible to eradicate). But one of the things that leaves me and many parents shaking their heads in bewildered frustration is the anti-academic/anti-achievement attitude. Don’t get me wrong—I’m not imagining a fictional “good old days” when nerds were revered and discussing advanced math and Shakespearean sonnets was the epitome of cool. A certain devil-may-care attitude about one’s studies has always been in style, and probably always will be. The difference here is that I’m not speaking of the cache of being intelligent without apparent effort, but rather the actual fear of appearing intelligent and successful in school. And make no mistake about it, it’s an attitude t... More About: Sure
Differently Depressed
2007-06-29 06:00:00 Yesterday, I spent the morning talking to a group of educators about boys' developmental differences and the Boys and Schools strategies for helping boys do better in school. (This is one of our programs, and if you are interested in bringing us to your school, community, or parents’ group, please don’t hesitate to contact us.) I always enjoy the discussion sessions during these talks, as it's my opportunity to learn a little more about the different experiences and responses that others have, and hopefully draw inspiration and ideas from it. There were several interesting stories and observations that came out of this session, but I was particularly struck by the experiences of one of the school counselors who attended. The counselor wanted to stress to her fellow teachers the importance of realizing how differently boys process stress, shame, and emotion in general. In her experience, she saw far too many boys experiencing severe emotional difficulties (i... More About: Rent , Depressed , Diff
The Motivational Power of Chocolate and Games
2007-06-27 06:00:00 Ask a boy what it takes to get him motivated about school, and you just might get a very direct answe--like chocolate, computer games and music. Which is exactly what a group of Australian boys told education researchers seeking more input and ideas on how to get boys motivated about their schoolwork: Listening to music in class, playing computer games at school and being rewarded with chocolate treats would help keep boys interested in learning, a group of schoolboys has told some of Sydney's top academics and educators. Less paperwork and more lively debate would be other key features of keeping them engaged in school, particularly when studying English, the year 8 students from Balgowlah Boys High School said. The wish lists and presentations were prepared as part of a project by Sydney University's faculty of education and social work which asked high school students to outline their plans for a perfect school. Other popular requests included enthusiastic teachers,... More About: Power , Games , Chocolate , Late , Motiva
Lifting Literacy Skills
2007-06-26 06:00:00 While Boys and Schools is concerned with all aspects of boys' education, the most disturbing indications that something is wrong concern boys' literacy skills, where boys lag an average of 10 points behind girls on reading skills tests and 24 points behind in writing. And, while the size of the gap can narrow or widen slightly when race or socioeconomic factors are considered, the fact is that the gap exists among all boys, no matter what their background. It’s the literacy gap that I believe will be the wake-up call to school systems and politicians that something needs to be done to help boys. In the meantime, in individual schools around the country, teachers are doing their best to respond to boys’ needs according to their own experience and the existing research on boys’ and girls’ learning styles. I especially like the approach taken by this Washington State elementary school, which introduced separate gender classes as a way to specifically addr... More About: Literacy , Skills , Kill , Lift , Tera
Strange Surgical Trends
2007-06-25 06:00:00 I’m not sure that I ever expected to be drawing attention to an article about gynecomastia (more commonly known as enlarged male breasts, along with a host of much less polite terms). But the news that a growing number of adolescent boys have sought breast-reduction surgery to treat gynecomastia was both strange and startling to me. Apparently, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons has reported that approximately 14,000 boys, aged 14 to 19, had breast-reduction surgery in 2006—accounting for 70% of all males undergoing the procedure and showing a 21% increase over the previous year. Experts attribute the increase to a combination of rising childhood obesity rates and a more body-conscious adolescent population (coupled with an impatience to allow a natural change to resolve itself in time and more doctors who are willing to turn to surgery as the answer). My incredible sympathy for boys, and for gawky adolescence in general (as my own adolescence was painfully a... More About: Trends , Strange , Ends , Trend , Range
Help Is Out There
2007-06-21 06:00:00 I know that with the school year just concluded, it seems extremely premature to start worrying about next semester's classes. But, the truth is that if you're concerned about how boys are performing in your area, this is one of the best times to start raising those concerns. Use the summer to network with other parents and contact school administrators or teachers about the issues. See about organizing speakers or workshops that can address boys' learning styles and developmental differences while everyone is still preparing for the new year. (And before they get too caught up in the hectic schedule that accompanies the start of school.) And don't forget that Boys and Schools is here to help. Click on the "Help and Action" tab to get some ideas or contact us to find out what we can do to help the effort in your community. The help is out there--you just need to ask. More About: There
Swede and Sour
2007-06-20 06:00:00 In an interesting example of how social theory and government involvement can restrict educational options, a private Jewish school in Sweden has had its license revoked because it teaches boys and girls separately. In this case, the gender division exists for religious reasons, but the Swedish National Agency for Education has determined that teaching boys and girls separately (aside from sexual education classes) violates Swedish law: "The Swedish curriculum talks about girls and boys living together and learning together," [Gerhard] Eriksson told The Local. "We permit separate classes for sexual education, but not the whole time," he said. Alexander Namder, administrator at the school, said the ruling was not based on sound educational thinking: "I think this decision is due to leftist political ideals and not based on pedagogical reasons." "There are religious schools in England and other normal countries where boys and girls are taught separately," he continued. The...
Disciplined for a Hug
2007-06-19 06:00:00 There are certain kinds of news articles that make you want to sigh heavily, and this one, about a middle school in Fairfax County, Virginia, is one of them. In summary, the powers-that-be at Kilmer Middle School in Vienna have declared a ban on all physical contact between students—that means no hugs, high-fives, handshakes, and so on. One student, a seventh-grade boy was recently disciplined for putting his arm around his girlfriend. The school’s rationale is that the rule against physical contact helps maintain order and discipline while respecting student boundaries: A Fairfax schools spokesman said there is no countywide ban like the one at Kilmer, but many middle schools and some elementary schools have similar "keep your hands to yourself" rules. Officials in Arlington, Loudoun and Prince George's counties said schools in those systems prohibit inappropriate touching and disruptive behavior but don't forbid all contact. Deborah Hernandez, Kilmer's principal, s... More About: Line , Disc
Dads and Cowboys
2007-06-18 06:00:00 The Wall Street Journal's online editorial page, OpinionJournal, had a very nice article this weekend by the father of three boys, on how raising sons has helped him to appreciate manliness. Truth be told, I almost hesitated to write the word "manliness" there, as I know that it’s one of those terms that instantly turns off certain people. I'm not sure why. It’s not as though anyone feels the need to run from "femininity" or avoid mentioning it in relation to daughters. We accept that there are feminine virtues and that they’re a good thing to have. But, even as someone who appreciates masculine virtues and loves to see their formation in young boys (I couldn’t have been prouder when my toddler son rushed to defend me from perceived threats, no matter how absurd the situation may have been), I know that people are uncomfortable discussing—much less promoting—manliness. A shame really, since I think it’s something well worth exploring. ... More About: Cowboys , Boys
For All the Dads Out There
More articles from this author:2007-06-15 06:00:00 I will admit that as a new mom, it took me a little while to get used to the way my husband interacted with his sons. The first time I actually watched him wrestle with the toddlers, tickling them and generally roughhousing, it took a great deal of restraint for me not to rush in and implore everyone to be more careful. And I’m not even going to get into my pet peeve regarding the way that both little boys are a lot quicker to respond to daddy discipline than mommy discipline. (I have a bunch of theories as to why this is, but that’s neither here nor there when you’re faced with a one-year-old terror who has just gotten into your spice cabinet, removed a jar of chili powder, and managed to cover both himself and the floor of the laundry room in spicy red dust.) But the truth is that those differences between mom and dad interaction are a key part in raising healthy children. Daddy’s different style plays a valuable role in a child’s life, helping them in a wi... More About: There , The D 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
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