Presenter: Cheryl WilliamsPrincipal

Fairhills PS

Based on the work of –

Ian Lillico (Churchill Fellowship report 2000)

Joseph Driessen – NZ educator, who now runs a consultancy that specialises in the education of boys

Children and teenagers todayAre less attentiveAre more attention seekingAre more impulsiveAre less compliant and more argumentativeAre more technically competentAre under more personal pressureAre more globally connectedHave higher IQ scoresAre more subject to adult turbulenceAre more rights oriented

Boys HearingBoys can’t hear as well as girlsA softly spoken woman cannot be heard by boys

at the back of the classBoys don’t process language as quickly as girlsBoys need to be near front of class if teacher is

softly spokenSpeak slowly and repeat instructionsMale teachers are often perceived to be yelling

by girls when they are speaking normally

Boys VisionBoys eyes are adapted for movementGirls eyes are adapted for texture and colourToo much disjointed detail can be confusingYoung boys draw verbs with little colourCartoons stimulate boys thinkingTry allowing boys to draw cartoon sketches

of the writings and then add details to their narratives, from their drawings

Boy Code

The stronger the Boy Code is in a school, and the younger it occurs, the less chance there is of success for boys, especially in literacy

Personal & Social adjustmentBoys fall into four groups –Top group - Well adjusted, thriving and

motivated to learn (15-20%)Middle group - Coping, ‘good’ but could

potentially do better (50-60%)Lower group – Difficult, rough diamonds,

often very lively (10-30%)Bottom group – Often damaged (1-5%)

Managing Boys as GroupsThriving boys as Leadership modelsCoping boys by increasing

expectationsDifficult boys by Affirmation &

DisciplineDamaged boys by Removal and

Integration

Managing Damaged BoysRemove them from peers and high stress,

competitive environmentPlace them with an adult/setting that gives

securityProvide learning with low key, informal

guidance to reduce their stress levelsKeep new processes in place for a length of

timeRe-integrate for short periods (look for child

wanting to return and refuse on first request)Have a step by step approach for new start

Activating Boys DevelopmentUse positive language – ‘What a fine

young man!’ ‘I know you can do it!’Articulate virtues – duty,

responsibility, persistenceFocus on achievement and the

future – ‘Do your very best’, ‘What are your plans for the future?’

Building Relationships with BoysThe relationships we build with boys is

what makes the difference to boys behaviour.

We need to break down the pack mentality of boys.

Boys react to who they’re with much more than girls

Boys respond to people who listen to themBoys need to connect with the teacher

before they will succeed (Ian Lillico)

7 Quick ways to foster relationships1. Be early for class and have a wonderfully set

out classroom2. Greet students by name as they enter and

leave especially the damaged ones3. Make time to sit next to students talking

about their work giving specific feedback4. From time to time ask small focus groups

how they think things are going

Classroom AmbienceUse of warm white fluorescent lights instead

of cool ones because the have red spectrum in them which better engages students

Fluorescent lights aren’t conducive to boys settling after being outside

Bean bags rather than chairs work well for boys

Nebula Balls are good for settling boysRaise the curiosity level in the classroom and

the boys will be eating out of your hand!

Gender in ClassroomsThe average boy is a doer first and a

thinker (sometimes!) second – the average girl is a thinker first and a doer second

In terms of effective practice in the classroom, we must centre around getting girls doing and boys thinking!

Cont.Compared to girls, the average boy –Has a shorter concentration spanIs more easily bored and hence more likely to

be disruptiveHas less developed verbal and literacy skillsHas fewer social and collaborative skillsHas poorer listening skills and reflective abilityIs poorly organised and lacks planning skills

Cont.Girls are reflective, step by step (sequential)

learnersBoys are speculative, trial and error/experiential

learnersA girl is a natural student – the boy is a boy first

and a student (sometimes a poor one!) secondGirls tend to balance school work with their social

needs whereas boys tend to do one or the other as they multi-task poorly in comparison to girls

Girls can defer gratification, boys seek short term and intermediate rewards and attention

Teaching Strategies for BoysBoys love to –Touch thingsBe part of the actionMove around as they learnHave learning choicesSolve problemsPositive ReinforcementKnow how things workHave lessons outsideLike to be trusted and given independence

Cont.Be involved in unusual, activity based

learning eg cooking, dramaReceive specific praise Have their efforts acknowledgedEncouragementRisk TakeBut most importantly – prefer to talk side by side rather than face

to face, especially if they have done the wrong thing!

Use boys as learning role modelsSenior boys reading to junior boysIT helpers/tutorsLibrarians – involving boys in the purchasing of

new booksClass/Assembly power point presentations of class

workHomework assistants on a cyclic basisAcademic Counsellor/LeaderMentoring junior studentsLeading assembliesClass visits to junior grades for a purpose

Use Boys’ Visual LearningPower point presentationsPractical demonstrationsVideo clipsDiagrams, handouts, mapsOverhead projectorCurrently 80% of all students (both girls &

boys) are visual or visual/kinesthetic learners

Set a fairly fast paceLinks to other work they may have already

doneExpectations – be specific about what you

expectStories – personal anecdotesTime Limits – use of egg timersQuizzes at the end of the lesson to reinforce

learningDeadlines (and stick to them)CompetitionsStandards – raise the bar!

Make the content relevantRelevantChallengingLogicalCoherentTied to the real world

Additional StrategiesBalance individual and group workBalance open/reflective/language centred

learning with closed/process/action-centred learning

Use a range of assessment methods and weight them evenly

Use a wide range of personal and public means to acknowledge and validate achievement

Reading strategies for boys15% of all classroom time should involve a variety

of reading approaches:Teacher reading to the classTeacher reading while students make notesStudents read in pairs to each otherStudents read in pairs while a listener takes

notesStudents read to one another (in turn) in

groups of fourStudents read individually

Behaviour Management TechniquesThe behaviour of boys should be modified

through praise – never through sanction or punishment

Punishment may contain a behaviour but not modify it

Punishment can be a reward for a boy as it can secure his prestige in the eyes of his peers

Boys need to be ‘caught’ doing things right and praised for it and (generally) ignored when he does things wrongly

Cont. A ‘broken record’ approach – ‘John, stop

that’ and keep repeating it‘Jack, why have I come over to you?’

‘Because I am talking.’ ‘Thank you’ (teacher)

When unable to establish what has happened, saying ‘On one hand .... And on the other hand ...’ This challenges lies.

‘You’re a great kid, what actions have got you up here in trouble?’

NEVER mix praise and reprimande.g. “An excellent piece of work – a

pity you couldn’t work like this all the time!”

This is crucial for managing the behaviour of boys!

In conclusion...

‘Boys learn teachers, and not subjects!’

Steve BiddulphCreating the first link where boys can

relate to their teacher is critical.

What will you change in your classroom ???

• Tomorrow?

• Next term?

Share your ideas with others at your table