Did anyone catch this March 27 Op-Ed piece in the NY Times: "The Boys Have Fallen Behind?" I've been talking about this phenomenon since I started teaching. It just seems to me like the girls I teach try harder in school - almost as if they are better wired for it. The author also says that "Boys still beat out girls at the very top of the curve, especially in math." I have seen this too. When reflecting on all of my truly gifted students over the years, it has been the boys at the very top who blow the girls out of the water. But when looking at my average to above-average students, girls almost always out-perform boys.
I took the author's recommendation and went to the Guys Read Blog... would be curious what you all think about it. Could it be used to help my middle school boys pick out books?In this new "verbal world" girls have an advantage. Many more girls than boys enjoy reading and writing on their own. My female students LOVE writing workshop, and they love reading for pleasure just as much. (Tyler always point out that it's women who maintain blogs, not males. I rebut that claim by showing him my friend Dave's blog.)
Anyway, check out the blog and let me know what you think! (I love the categories: "Cars, Trucks, etc.," "people being turned into animals," "War.")
Did you ever read/study "Failing at Fairness: How Our Schools Cheat Girls"??? The author, David Sadker, was my prof when I did my MAT at AU in DC. Certainly stuff to get you thinking, and questioning, as a woman, and as a teacher.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I wonder if it's possible to "teach" a love for reading. IMO, the earlier kids can learn to enjoy it, the more established habits they'll have later in life. I feel for you trying to extol its virtues to a bunch of hormone-fueled pre-teen boys. More power to you.
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