Week 4 Discussion - Change Our Boys or Change the System?

Gurian and Stevens ask if we should "keep trying to change our boys" or should we instead "change the educational system in which they are now taught." How do they address this question?

Gurian and Stevens share research about the differences between how boys and girls learn based on genetics, hormones, social forces, and the ways their brains are wired. They note that differences in behaviors between boys and girls start just days after birth. Gurian and Stevens propose that instead of trying to get boys to change the way that they learn to fit schools, school should strive to more fully meet the needs of boys and capitalize on their strengths.

 

Do you agree or disagree with their position?

While I think there are some things about schooling that must remain the same, I do agree that schools, professional learning teams, and individual teachers can reflect on the way they are meeting the needs of their boys and implement changes to better accommodate their learning styles. We often talk in schools about differentiating to meet the needs of students, but, in my experience, this is typically focused on students with disabilities, students identified as academically gifted, and English language learners. Additionally, teachers all have different teaching and management styles. I can remember a specific student that I taught in both second and fourth grade who had to work very hard in school to master grade level material, but as a kinesthetic learner, he really shined when participating in hands on classroom activities and in our STEM elective. I was shocked to find out from his father at the beginning of fourth grade that his third-grade teacher had expressed concerns about his focus and suggested medication may benefit him. The father opted to wait, and he had a successful year in fourth grade (and is still doing very well now in high school) without medication or any diagnoses related to attention difficulties. This makes me reflect upon how this teacher’s perception may have been due to a mismatch between her teaching style and the learning style of this student, not an issue with his ability to focus. I do think that there are some aspects of education that must remain consistent and cannot be modified to perfectly meet the interest and learning style of all individuals, as this is not feasible and there is content that must be mastered to prepare students for their futures. However, I do think that there are ways that schools and teachers can account for the needs of boys from thinking about classroom furniture (flexible seating options, standing desks, etc.) to crafting learning activities that capitalize on the strengths of boys.