Presenters:

Terry Neu, Assistant Professor of Education at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT

Rich Weinfeld, coordinator of the programs for twice-exceptional students in Montgomery County Public Schools, MD

Some books the presenters recommend for additional information:

• Reading Writing, and Gender, by Goldberg and Roswell, 2002

• Real Boys: Rescuing Our Sons from the Myths of Boyhood, by Pollock, 1999

• Connect: 12 Vital Ties That Open Your Heart, Lengthen Your Life, and Deepen Your Soul, by Hallowell, 2001

• Great Books for Boys, by Odean, 1998

• A to Zoo (a subject index to picture books, fiction, and nonfiction for pre- school through grade two), by Lima and Lima, 2001, 6^th edition 

Also, visit the website Guys Read, which lists books that are "boy friendly."

Summary:

Some facts about boys, taken from A Fine Young Man: What Parents, Mentors, and Educators Can Do to Shape Adolescent Boys in Exceptional Men, by Michael Gurian, (J. P. Tarcher, 1999):

• Make up the majority of GT/LD kids (90 percent in the experience of presenter Rich Weinfeld)

• Score lower than girls on national reading and writing tests

•  Account for more than 2/3 of special education students

• Are less likely than girls to go to college and four time more likely to drop out of high school

• Are five times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD.

Is it biology or environment? According to the presenters, it's probably both. 

Biology

• The female brain has more language development areas, and instruction today is more language based.

• Boys have a greater need for movement, which is not a part of most school time. 

Environment

• We socialize boys and girls differently, teaching males the “boy code” from an early age. 

• Men account for only 16 percent of teachers.

• School is not receptive to boys’ need for movement and hands-on experiential learning.

What can we do?

• Educate teachers about the differences and the need to approach students in different ways.

• Make sure boys have connections at school and home: adults, advisory groups, a role model or mentor, or a chance to be a role model.

• Create a shame-free environment.

• Find ways to communicate with boys, even when they don’t openly respond. Action talk is one way – doing something that involves movement and then starting a discussion. Give them space and time to open up.

• Allow boys to work in their areas of strength and incorporate movement, hands-on activities, alternate ways to demonstrate knowledge, and assistive technology.

• Start with boys’ interests and build on them. Make room for “obsession,” their passion for a certain topic.

• Broaden the circle of topics that are acceptable for reading and writing in school to include action, violence, and sports.

• Remember that boys like to start with generalization and then prove or disprove rather than build [an argument] step by step. Also, boys tend to like to criticize a book rather than say what they like.

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