Boys Will Be Boys

Lori Elliott

Little Boy by Alison McGhee

Let Me Hold You a Little Longer

• Karen Kingsbury

Boys

• Boys earn 70 percent of Ds and Fs and fewer than half of the As.

• Boys account for two-thirds of learning disability diagnoses.

• Boys represent 90 percent of discipline referrals.

• Boys dominate such brain-related learning disorders as ADD/ADHD, with millions now medicated in schools.

• 80 percent of high school dropouts are male.

• Males make up fewer than 40 percent of college students (Gurian, 2001).

Boys

• Cheetos + Box Fan + Empty Room = ??

• WHY???

Boy Energy

• Boys tend to have more dopamine in their bloodstream- which can increase impulsive risk behavior

• Boys are more likely to attach their learning to movement.

Did You Know?

• Girls’ brains are more equipped to multitask, than boys?

• Boys pick up less of what is said in words. They need more sensory-tactile experiences in order to pick up learning.

Quit Talking

• After about a minute of words, boys tune out. Instead of using more words, use visuals.

Classroom Tip

• Use photos or diagrams of things they need to do or remember.

• Have the boys repeat the directions back to you.

• Try Army Cadence.

Attention Tip #2

• Boys are less responsive to soft touches.

• You may need to touch an arm lightly, make eye contact, and speak the words.

• Three in One!

Brain Breaks

• Freeze Game• Silent Ball• Keep the order going-

ball game• Music

Transitions

• Boys do not transition quickly from one thing to the next.

• Try to give boys at least 60 seconds to transition.

Lighting

• Boys see better in bright light, lots of light.

Visuals

• Boys need visual and spatial media.

• Movies• TV Clips• PowerPoint• Use with instruction

and as student product

Notetaking

• The use of computers for note taking and writing is more beneficial than paper-pencil tasks for boys.

Reality Check

• Boys tend to view their accomplishments, no matter how small, as huge. For example if they received a B, they may see themselves as the smartest kid ever. Make sure to have reality checks to help boys understand their successes in perspective.

Move It, Move It

• Boys are more impulsive and need to move. Provide opportunities during instruction for movement.

• Provide outdoor activity as much as possible.

• www.originsonline.org

It is all a Game

• Boys love to compete and win.

• Provide instruction in game format often. If boys see things as a game, they will participate.

• Be prepared to set up the nature of the game and rules.

• Boys are all about it being fair.

Favorite Games

• Crows and Cranes: Tag Game

• Titanic

• Coseeki: Follow the Leader

• I Sit in the Grass

Titanic

• “All hands on deck!” Everyone walks around individually.

• “Person Overboard!” Find a partner. One player kneels and the other pretends to look overboard.

• “Battlestations!” Make a group of three. One player in the middle holds arms up. The player in front points forward. The player in the back points back. This configuration resembles the three parts of the ship.

• “Lifeboat!” Find a group of four. Players simulate a lifeboat by placing their hands on each other’s shoulders.

I Sit in the Grass

• 1st student: “I sit” (moves)2nd student: “In the grass” (moves)3rd Student: "With my friend ____.” (name person across the circle to come and take the empty chair next to them)

• Decide which way to go, but it always starts with the person by the empty chair, either left or right.

Even when reading and writing?

• Yes, boys need to move to think.

• Teach boys the proper way to move around the room while thinking and and accomplishing their literacy tasks.

• Teach them to be self-disciplined while moving.

Stress Balls

• How about providing Nerf or stress balls for those boys that need to squeeze one with one hand while writing.

• They got to move it , move it.

Drawing

• Boys may do better when given the opportunity to draw their subject before and after doing the written work.

• Use drawing instead of words in brainstorming before writing.

Writing

• Allow boys to follow their drawings into making booklets and comic strips.

• These shorter pieces of writing build up a boy as a writer.

Loud and Proud

• Boys have a different level of hearing than girls. What may be a normal tone of voice for a girl, will simply not be heard by boys. They tune it out.

• Boys are loud and like things loud. Sit them at the front of the room to help with this.

Hit the Target

• Boys operate on the idea of hitting a target. They don’t just comply with assignments or learning unless they see a purpose.

• Use learning targets to help them see why they need to know something.

Don’t Talk Feelings

• Boys don’t operate on feelings. They are driven by facts.

• Refrain from asking boys how something made them feel. It immediately makes them uncomfortable.

• Try walking with the student while discussing behavior issues.

• Address things the way they are with facts.

Challenge instead of Completion

• Boys aren’t very motivated to complete assignments just for the sake of doing them. Present tasks as a challenge or competition and they will buy in.

Inspire Boys to Write

• Have boys work in teams to write an essay or other writing assignment.

• Have a competition with the other groups of boys.

Nonfiction Rules

• Boys are more interested in nonfiction texts for reading and writing.

• Provide lots of nonfiction text in your classroom.

• Provide lots of opportunity to write in nonfiction ways.

Young Learners

• Boys need books with lots of pictures. Things they can take apart and figure out.

Pop’s Bridge by Eve Bunting

Mike Reiss

http://www.doreencronin.com/

by Frieda Wishinsky

Relationships are Key

• Boys have feelings too.

• They respond best to adults that genuinely care about them and accept them for who they are.

• Build relationships with boys and learn to build on their impulsivity.

Energy and Activity are not Evil

• Understand that the energy and activity boys exhibit are positive features to their learning and personality.

• Go with the flow and provide a classroom environment that enhances those characteristics.

Room To Grow

• Boys need space.

• They like to spread things out when working.

• Provide tables and other room arrangements to help them.

Color Code

• Boys tend to be a little disorganized.

• Use color coding with folders and materials to help them keep things together.

Math and Boys

• Use manipulatives. • Use play.• Use teams. • Use humor. Funny Math QuestionsI had 37 ants. I put 9 in my sister’s bed,

dropped 14 in my mom’s pancake batter, and fed 3 to my pet frog. How many do I have left?

Make the Learning Real

• Boys will jump into learning that interests them.

• Find high interest topics and tie your learning objectives to these topics.

• Watch the magic!

Ways to Help the Struggler by Michael Gurian

• Check in with boy everyday on a personal level.

• Get them engaged with other students.

• Sit them up front.

• Less verbal, more computer usage.

• Let them move when reading, writing and learning.

• Give stress objects to squeeze.

• Make physical education essential.

• Use brain breaks that include physical movement.

• Use mentors.

The Ultimate Boy Movie