The issue of boys falling behind in school is attracting attention on the other side of the pond as well. The Times Online yesterday published an article called, "All Work and No Play is Bad for Boys." In it, the author points out the academic achievement gap between boys and girls and concludes (based on the research of others) that the current school system is detrimental to boys in a number of ways.
The push toward earlier academic education, a lack of male teachers and increasing emphasis on theory, rather than immersion and experimentation, alienates many boys before they even reach middle school.
So I'd like to know: How has school affected your son, either positively or negatively? What changes do you think might make school a more boy-friendly place?
Also, be sure to head over to Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers today for an interview with the authors of Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys. They talk about education too!
Thanks for the shout out. I'll be interested in seeing the thoughts your readers have for making our educational settings more boy-friendly.
ReplyDeleteWe were driven out of public and then private school. My boys are great kids, with lots of energy and enthusiasm, and a curiosity that school squelched. I don't know how many years it is going to take to get them back to a good place. Young boys aren't meant to sit still and write. Young boys aren't mature enough to keep their hands to themselves; they learn about their world by touching it, rolling on it and climbing it! Workbooks have no place in K-3 as far as I can see, for most kids. Yes, some kids love them, but a lot more hate them. I should stop now!
ReplyDeleteA