Post on 17-Jan-2016
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Boys & Girls Learn Differently!Kelley King, Associate Director
Gurian Institute 2008
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Ratio of Boys:Girls• Excelling at geography 45:1• Discipline referrals 9:1• Learning disabled 2:1• Behaviorally disordered 9:1• ADHD 8:2• Substance abusers 7:3• Receiving Ds and Fs 7:3• Retained 2:1• High School Dropouts 8:2
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Root Cause Analysis
• Work with your table group.• Choose a statement.• Ask “Why?” Record.• Ask “Why?” Record.• Repeat.
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
http://www.bbc.co.ukSearch: Sex ID
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Verbal - Spatial Differences
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Sensory &
Emotive Differen
ces
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Neural Rest States
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Cross-Talk
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Frontal
Lobe
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Chemical &
Hormonal Difference
s
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
“Aggression Nurturance”
Involves physical
interaction, tough
talk, competitive
games, and
aggressive nonverbal
gestures.
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
“Empathy Nurturance”
Understanding how
someone else is
feeling and really
identifying with that
person and those
feelings.
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Boys (and men!) establish pecking orders which are extremely important to them.
When they are low in the pecking order, stress hormones go up and learning goes down
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Classroom Strategies:
Closing the Gender Gaps
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Increase Movement• Less talking at them
• Brain Breaks
• Lessons with movement
• Social interaction
• Small motor stimulation
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
General Movement Ideas
• Class set of clipboards
• Standing up while writing
• Standing up during discussions or lecture
• Stand up instead of raising hand
• Stretching exercises
• Get own supplies
• Stress balls, hand fidgets
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Content-Integrated Movement Ideas
• Ball Toss Review
• Continent Scramble
• Phonics Phitness
• Vote with Your Feet
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
•Boys need more physical work space.
•Make sure desks can be moved aside.
•Create a variety of seating arrangements
•Take it outdoors
Creating space…
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
www.songsthatteach.com
www.songsforteaching.com
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
In your table group some up with:
• A lesson that could incorporate movement
• A great idea for a Brain Break
• A great movement song
Choose someone who will share your best idea with the whole group!
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Use Visual-Spatials
• Graphic Organizers
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
• Learning Scrolls
• Word Walls
• Symbol Cards
♥ ☼ ♂ $
Use Visual-Spatials
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Incorporate Topics That Appeal To Boys
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
“A good book for a boy is one he wants to read.”(Moloney, 2002)
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Topics that appeal to boys
• Aggression-themes, violent scenarios
• Action-oriented, competition
• Superheroes• Gross or slapstick humor• Stories reconstructed
from TV & video games
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Girls tend to favor:
•Relational-themes•Stories about feelings and memories•Stories about family, friends
Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Violence in boys’ writing•Where do you draw the line?•Have the boundaries changed in light of school shootings?•Are we shutting boys down?•What are ideas for managing what is written & shared?
•http://www.pbs.org/opb/raisingcain/
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Suggestions for Boys…
• Bring in boys’ outside interests
• Appreciate boy humor
• Be open to aggression themes in writing
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
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• Add “non-school” texts to classroom libraries.
• Check out www.guysread.com
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Use song lyrics as text
www.rockhall.com
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
• Share books that appeal to boys / girls.
• What kinds of “non-school” texts can you add to your classroom?
• Where do you draw the line with violence in boys’ writing?
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Offer Single-Sex Groups
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Make Learning Real
• KIDS’ INTERESTS• REAL WORLD STUFF• COMPETITION• AUDIENCE
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
What REAL ISSUES can kids work on?
How can you tap into their POP CULTURE?
How can you expand AUDIENCE opportunities in the school?Are there opportunities
for healthy competition?
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Mentors & Role Models
Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Boys are faced with many contradictions between school literacy practices and societal
expectations regarding masculinity.
From: Canadian Adolescent Boys and Literacy Study
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
• Dads/men during literacy
• Vertical mentors
• Postcards to students
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
• Share ideas for getting dads involved with literacy at school and at home.
• How might older students serve as mentors to younger students?
Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
Action Plan• Jot down three things that you would like to
implement in your classroom.
•Share your plan with a partner.
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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!
THANK YOU!
kelley@gurianinstitute.comwww.gurianinstitute.com
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