Making Sense of BoysMaking Sense of Boys

Anita HairstonAssistant PrincipalGovernor Thomas Johnson Middle School

Patrick MorganTeacher SpecialistCurriculum and Professional Development

Jason RubelingTeacher SpecialistCurriculum and Professional Development

Standards-Based Lesson Standards-Based Lesson PlanningPlanning Pair up with your colleaguePair up with your colleague

Discuss each component of the lesson planDiscuss each component of the lesson plan

Discuss how you addressed the idea of “engagement is Discuss how you addressed the idea of “engagement is not an event”, as well as how emotional needs of not an event”, as well as how emotional needs of students were metstudents were met

Reflection on the lessonReflection on the lesson Successes/challenges/what you’d do differentlySuccesses/challenges/what you’d do differently

DiscussionDiscussion

Engagement is not an event…

Objectives

Examine the concept of transitivity and its implications for boys.

Explore current brain research concerning how boys and girls learn and process information.

Explore a variety of transitive strategies.

In terms of brain-friendly In terms of brain-friendly instructional strategies……instructional strategies……what works for girls? Boys?what works for girls? Boys?

Share…

The Transitive Factor in Effective Lessons

“As many of the teacher narratives make clear, diversion and easy engagement are far from the aim

—or the result—of their effective efforts. There is, instead, a quality of transitivity running through the

effective practices reported. That is, the motor activity or the adrenal boost of competing or the

power of an unexpected surprise in the classroom does not merely engage or delight” it is transitive to highly specific learning outcomes. Transitivity is the ability to hold ones attention all the way to mastery.

Out of This UniverseOut of This Universe

You have been given two red and two You have been given two red and two black cardsblack cards

On the red….On the red…. Write down a Write down a prime number on one cardprime number on one card and a and a

composite number on the othercomposite number on the other On the black….On the black….

On one card, write down a number greater On one card, write down a number greater than 70 that is divisible by 6than 70 that is divisible by 6

On the other, write down a number, greater On the other, write down a number, greater than 100, that is divisible by 9than 100, that is divisible by 9

Now……Now……

Form teams of 3…….Form teams of 3……. Each team will be given some red and black cardsEach team will be given some red and black cards Determine if the red cards you have been given Determine if the red cards you have been given

are prime or compositeare prime or composite Determine if the black cards you have been given Determine if the black cards you have been given

are divisible by 6 or 9are divisible by 6 or 9 Discussion……..Discussion…….. Take your red cards that are composite, evaluate Take your red cards that are composite, evaluate

which cards are divisible by 6 or 9which cards are divisible by 6 or 9 ONE MORE TIME….but now….use what you ONE MORE TIME….but now….use what you

know…..know…..

Out of This UniverseOut of This Universe

How was transitivity addressed?How was transitivity addressed?

What the boys wantWhat the boys want

Playfulness in lessonsPlayfulness in lessons

Fun, play, gaming, surprise, role play, Fun, play, gaming, surprise, role play, “screen time”“screen time”

Adventure and discoveryAdventure and discovery

Being “free”Being “free”

Being “outside”Being “outside”

What boys wantWhat boys want

Centering opportunitiesCentering opportunities

Reaching in, drawing out, mobilizing, Reaching in, drawing out, mobilizing, being physical, visual illustrations, being physical, visual illustrations, “hands-on” and making things. “hands-on” and making things.

Social ValidationSocial Validation

Performance and Display, debate, Performance and Display, debate, competition, teamwork, peer learningcompetition, teamwork, peer learning

What boys wantWhat boys want

Self-Completion-Self-Completion-

Lifted to success, meeting the Lifted to success, meeting the challenge on one’s own, personal challenge on one’s own, personal realization realization

Goal SettingGoal Setting

The Transitive factors in effective The Transitive factors in effective lesson planning will give boys lesson planning will give boys

what they want and need.what they want and need. Create productCreate product Use gamingUse gaming Encourage motor activityEncourage motor activity Role Play/PerformRole Play/Perform Let them openly inquireLet them openly inquire Teamwork and competitionTeamwork and competition Reflection for personal realization Reflection for personal realization

There is a great deal of There is a great deal of research…research…

Here are a few interesting Here are a few interesting thoughts…thoughts…

A BOY’S BRAIN

•Right hemisphere develops earlier than in females = discipline & sports

•Testosterone levels aid in abstract manipulation, spatial, math, and so on

•More compartmentalized brain use, narrower corpus collosum = “Narrow lane in the woods and wins on Jeopardy!”…overload = nag, nag, nag…

•Less Serotonin = impulsive (quick hands up!), suicide, rage, suicide…

•Boys move emotive material down from limbic to brain stem (fight or flight!)…

•Resting brain less active than female brain

•Hormones Rule: Males receive seven spikes of hormone a day on average making their mood vacillate…testosterone level vary…

•Boys can take hours to process emotion – crisis at home in the AM could mean little learning all day!

•Speaks 2000 words on average a day…

FEMALE BRAIN FACTS

•Develops earlier: Myelination/insulation

•Left hemisphere develops earlier and is larger than the right

•Larger Corpus Collosum & Cerebellum: Highway between the spheres, take in more sensory data, decision-making…

•Spreads thinking function over wider area of the brain = greater coping = fewer learning disabilities

•20 to 30% more serotonin = shyness, low self confidence…

•Hormones Rule: fluctuations = differing academic abilities…

•Uses higher level brain structures to solve issues…

•Speaks roughly 8000 words a day…

Jack’s Brain…Jack’s Brain…

Has less “cross-talk” between the two sides of theHas less “cross-talk” between the two sides of the brain…this makes multi-tasking far more difficult brain…this makes multi-tasking far more difficult for them than girls.for them than girls.

Is more stimulated by diagrams, pictures, and Is more stimulated by diagrams, pictures, and objects moving through space.objects moving through space.

Remembers information more easily when it is in Remembers information more easily when it is in list formatlist format

Takes up to five hours longer to process emotive Takes up to five hours longer to process emotive data… girls deal with such data almost data… girls deal with such data almost immediately.immediately.

Has a “lack of language” when compared to girls; Has a “lack of language” when compared to girls; double whammy if the boy comes from poverty.double whammy if the boy comes from poverty.

Boys don’t hear as well as girls, especially soft or high frequency sounds.

Where are boys seated? Is teacher aware of their volume?

Boys’ gaze is attracted by motion.

Get kinesthetic! Movement, manipulatives, sorts, etc.

Boys learn best when instruction involves hands-on activities.

Teacher movement…

The male brain has to recharge and renew by going into a “rest state” far more easily and more frequently than the female brain.

Boys may unconsciously attempt to keep their brains awake by… now taking bets…

This does not excuse unacceptable behavior; it does help us make sense of the “why” and

serve as an indicator that the brain is engaging in a rest period. It’s the “fidget before the storm!”

What Can Teachers Do?What Can Teachers Do?Boy Brain tendency…Boy Brain tendency… StrategiesStrategies

The “rest state”The “rest state”

Less “cross talk”Less “cross talk”

Respond to charts and Respond to charts and picturespictures

Slow emotive responseSlow emotive response

Tend to use more space Tend to use more space when workingwhen working

Lack of languageLack of language

Purposeful movement, “stress balls,” allow Purposeful movement, “stress balls,” allow to stand up, ask yourself – “Is being seated to stand up, ask yourself – “Is being seated absolutely necessary?”absolutely necessary?”

Chunk directions; one thing at a timeChunk directions; one thing at a time

Create these types of visuals when Create these types of visuals when possiblepossibleGive processing time; draw it; write it Give processing time; draw it; write it downdown

Be patient, look for intent not always Be patient, look for intent not always words alone, help develop emotive words alone, help develop emotive language, make it ok to talk about language, make it ok to talk about feelingsfeelings

If possible, have areas of the room for boys to spread out their materials (floor space, work desks, etc.

Think this doesn’t matter?Think this doesn’t matter?

Data from the Department of Education and the State Department confirm this Data from the Department of Education and the State Department confirm this trend:trend:

Boys receive 70% of D and F gradesBoys receive 70% of D and F grades

Boys account for 80% of high school dropoutsBoys account for 80% of high school dropouts

Boys cause 80% of classroom behavioral problemsBoys cause 80% of classroom behavioral problems

Boys represent up to 70% of children diagnosed with learning disabilitiesBoys represent up to 70% of children diagnosed with learning disabilities

Boys represent 80% of children diagnosed with behavioral problemsBoys represent 80% of children diagnosed with behavioral problems

Boys average a year to a year and a half lag behind girls in reading and Boys average a year to a year and a half lag behind girls in reading and writing skillswriting skills

Boys represent up to 80% of children on Ritalin and other medicine used to Boys represent up to 80% of children on Ritalin and other medicine used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disordertreat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Boys represent less than 44% of America's college studentsBoys represent less than 44% of America's college students

http://www.schoolsforboys.com/boys-at-risk.html

Reflection…Reflection…1. What concept has the most significant impact

in your classroom?

2. What surprised you or what did you find the most interesting or useful?

Write it…

Two lines facing each other…

Throw your reflection to a colleague to share!

For our next session….For our next session….

List the fidgety boys in your List the fidgety boys in your classroom……..classroom……..

Create a 4 step, standards-based Create a 4 step, standards-based lesson with a focus on those lesson with a focus on those “fidgety” boys in your room. “fidgety” boys in your room.

Reflection on the lessonReflection on the lesson

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

We’re just wired differently!We’re just wired differently!

Translations for Women…..Translations for Women…..

““Maybe”Maybe”Translation: NoTranslation: No

““Are you listening to me?”Are you listening to me?”

Translation: Too late, your dead.Translation: Too late, your dead.

““Was that the baby?”Was that the baby?”

Translation: Why don’t you get out of bed and walk him until he goes to sleep.Translation: Why don’t you get out of bed and walk him until he goes to sleep.

““Nothing”Nothing”

TranslationTranslation: Everything: Everything

““No, nothing…really”No, nothing…really”

TranslationTranslation: It’s just that you’re such an idiot.: It’s just that you’re such an idiot.

Translations for Men…..Translations for Men…..

““It’s a guy thing”It’s a guy thing”

TranslationTranslation: There is no rational thought pattern connected : There is no rational thought pattern connected with it, and you have no chance at all of making it logical.with it, and you have no chance at all of making it logical.

““That’s interesting dear”That’s interesting dear”

TranslationTranslation: Are you still talking?: Are you still talking?

““Oh, don’t fuss, I just cut myself a little…it’s no big thing”Oh, don’t fuss, I just cut myself a little…it’s no big thing”

TranslationTranslation: I have actually severed a limb but will bleed to : I have actually severed a limb but will bleed to death before I admit that I’m hurt.death before I admit that I’m hurt.

Strategies for Girls….Strategies for Girls….

Smile and make eye contactSmile and make eye contact Sit in the back of the room, Sit in the back of the room,

lower tonelower tone Add more role playsAdd more role plays Use inductive reasoning, Use inductive reasoning,

teach deductive reasoning teach deductive reasoning (general to specific)(general to specific)

Group it, try same sex Group it, try same sex grouping when the boys are grouping when the boys are aroundaround

Use manipulatives to teach Use manipulatives to teach math/spatial skillsmath/spatial skills

Create group problem-Create group problem-solving activitiessolving activities

Integrate “hands-on” Integrate “hands-on” experiences and experiences and journalingjournaling

Avoid confrontational Avoid confrontational stylestyle

Increase “face” timeIncrease “face” time Use cooperative Use cooperative

learning frequentlylearning frequently Focus girls thinking on Focus girls thinking on

the big picturethe big picture When providing When providing

feedback, be discreet feedback, be discreet and specificand specific

Strategies for Boys….Strategies for Boys….

Use “shoulder to shoulder” Use “shoulder to shoulder” approach when possibleapproach when possible

Do not confront boys directly…Do not confront boys directly…walk with OR approach slowly and walk with OR approach slowly and sit or stand slightly to the side.sit or stand slightly to the side.

Sit closer to the front of the room Sit closer to the front of the room and youand you

Competitions and games with time Competitions and games with time constraints are greatconstraints are great

Use illustrations, graphs, pictures, Use illustrations, graphs, pictures, and symbols to highlight contentand symbols to highlight content

Encourage debate about abstract Encourage debate about abstract ideas- especially moralideas- especially moral

Use manipulatives when possibleUse manipulatives when possible Wait-time, wait-time, wait-time….Wait-time, wait-time, wait-time….

Plan movement into Plan movement into activity/lesson (1 min X age)activity/lesson (1 min X age)

Lists, codes, and jargon is coolLists, codes, and jargon is cool Have lots of things for boys to Have lots of things for boys to

touch, listen to and smell when touch, listen to and smell when reading and writing are being reading and writing are being taughttaught

Use boy only groups when Use boy only groups when neededneeded

Allow physical movement in the Allow physical movement in the classroomclassroom

Make available lots of space for Make available lots of space for learninglearning

Offer opportunities for Offer opportunities for storytelling and other activities storytelling and other activities that develop imaginative and that develop imaginative and verbal skillsverbal skills