Think back to Grade 7. Picture the most disengaged student in your class. What

is this person doing/not doing?

Why?

Boys Education:

Think WinWin

Boys Education:

Think WinWinWorking INteractively, Winning INdependently

Brent Galloway, Middle Years Program Coordinator, Red Deer CollegeBrent.galloway@rdc.ab.caMiddleYearsGuy@Twitter.comgallowayteacherconventionsessions.blogspot.com

Used with permission, Clive SchoolWinWin Program, 2002

Used with permission, Clive SchoolWinWin Program, 2002

Boys Education: The Galloway Vault

Dr. Michael Gurian, author of Boys and Girls Learn Differently, believes “that many poor learners can be turned around if we just acknowledge the differences between boys and girls and re-educate ourselves on how to help them thrive.”

Used with permission, Clive School, WinWin Program, 2002

• My personal experiences learning in the middle years (grades 6-8)

• The experiences of my sons as learners in the middle years (grades 6-8)

• My personal experiences as a classroom teacher and administrator

• Brain research on gender differences• Designing “WinWin” Program for unsuccessful

students (mainly boys)• Wolf Creek Administrators Book Study Group:

“Boys and Girls Learn Differently”• Current Teaching at UofA: EDES 340 – Active and

Interactive Curriculum and EDES 440 – Curriculum Integration (Middle Years Education Program at Red Deer College)

• Research on student engagement (as part of work as AISI coordinator for Wolf Creek Public School Division)

• Current doctoral research“’At risk’ students are those who leave school before or after graduation with little possibility of continuing learning”

…Roland Barth

Retrieved from http://www.michaelgurian.com/

My Background/Interests

Just the Facts about Boys: True or False

The male brain is 10-15% larger

Boys develop and mature later than girls, both physically , emotionally, and cognitively

Many boys are kinesthetic learners – they learn best by moving their bodies and doing things rather than sitting passively and listeningBoys tend to be deductive thinkers vs. inductive thinkers

(girls) Boys favour abstract or concrete reasoning (e.g. moral debates. arguments, problems)

The male brain secretes less serotonin than the female, making males more impulsive in general as well as fidgety

Boys get bored more easily than girls; this often requires more and varying stimulants to keep them attentiveBoys tend to use more space when they learn

Boys need to move more when they are learning; this helps them to stimulate their brains, and to manage and relieve impulsive behaviour

Boys tend use less sensory data than girls (smell, taste, hear); their visual sense is typically the best (e.g. tv and video games suit a male brain)

Frontal LobeMore active in females

Improved Verbal Communication

Males more impulsive

Occipital LobeFemales see better in low

light

Males see better in bright light

Parietal LobeIn females more data

moves through = more tactile sensitivity

In males less movement = better at “zoning out”

Left Hemisphere – More developed in female brain = females superior at listening, communicating, all language based learning

Right Hemisphere – More developed in males = males are superior at abstract thinking, spatial relationships, visual understanding

Temporal LobeFemales Stronger Neuron

Connections = Better Communication Skills

Males require more processing time

From the work of Dr. Abigail Norfleet Jones

Retrieved from “What did youdo in school today?”, CanadianEducation Association, 2009

What is happening here?

Used with permission, Speak Out, Wolf Creek Public School Division, 2010

AISI Student Engagement Surveys

Grade 1 to 6 Student Survey – May, 2011 – 2,759 students surveyedGrade 7 to 12 Student Survey – May, 2011 – 739 students surveyedTell Them From Me Survey – May, 2011 - # of students surveyed

AISI Instructional Design Teacher Survey – June, 2011 – 91 teachers surveyed (still in progress)

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

The Elementary Survey: A snapshot

Why are these rated as less effective?

Do we abandon these orjust do them better?

1st

2nd

3rd4th

5th

The Secondary Survey: A snapshot

Why are these rated as less effective?

Do we abandon these orjust do them better?

Inquiring Minds Want to Know

• The Candidates: Joe Student and Elijah Green

• The Big Question: How do boys experience learning in grade 7?

• Open Ended Questions: • Additional Questions:• The Pre-interview Activity• Compare and Contrast “The average boy is quite different than the average

girl, and that’s due to nature, not nurture.”

– Gabrielle Bauer, “Boys Must be Boys” Canadian Living

Open Ended Questions• What is the best thing about being in grade 7? • What is the hardest thing about being in grade 7?• What are the challenges you find being a boy in grade 7?• How do you think learning is different for girls in your classroom?• If you had one idea to make your school better, what would you

do?• What do you look forward to the most when going to school?• If you could choose the topics to learn in school, what would you

choose?•  How would you describe the optimal learning environment

(classroom/school) for yourself?•  Describe a recent successful learning experience. What made

the experience successful for you? •  Besides school, describe other places where you learn about

topics of interest?“Schools …… have begun to focus on academics at too early an age, leaving boys hating education from their earliest days. Programs that focus more on fun and less on academics up to age seven or eight would reap educational dividends.” Leonard Sax, Boys Adrift

Additional Questions• Describe you favorite teacher. How did this teacher teach you?• Who have been your favorite teachers through the years and

what do they have in common?• How would you change your classroom if you could?• If you were principal for a day, what would you do to make your

school a better place for you as a learner?• What topics in school have you enjoyed learning about?• What additional topics in school would you like to learn more

about?• If you were an architect designing the future classroom of the

21st century, what would it look like?• If you went to school for only three days a week, what would you

do to fill your free time?• What would you like less of in school, and of what would you like

more?• Describe something that you have done in which you were very

proud?

“Schools …… have begun to focus on academics at too early an age, leaving boys hating education from their earliest days. Programs that focus more on fun and less on academics up to age seven or eight would reap educational dividends.” Leonard Sax, Boys Adrift

Pre-interview Activity• Make a two column chart with words/drawings/diagrams showing

school/class activities that you like and another column of those that you don’t like as a student in grade 7

• Make a schedule of a typical school week in your life. Use colors (to color code – e.g. one color could be for school, one could be for routines, one could be for “out-of-school” activities, etc. ) and a legend if you like (e.g. for things you like, for things you don’t like)

• Create a timeline of this current year (January to December) outlining three to five events that were most exciting to you (or that you are looking forward to). Your timeline could include words and/or pictures.

• Make 2 drawings: one of yourself in a classroom learning activity you enjoyed; and one in a classroom learning activity that you did not enjoy. Use little drawings/stick men to show me what is going on and/or use thought bubbles/words to tell your story.

“Educators often lack understanding of ‘typical boy’ traits such as physical aggression, verbal and emotional reticence, and interest in objects moving through space”. Michael Gurian , Boys and Girls Learn Differently,

Pre

-inte

rvie

w A

ctiv

ity:

Joe S

tudent

Pre-interview Activity:

Elijah Green

“The way North American schools teach boys puts them at risk of underachieving”

– Michael Gurian, author of Boys and Girls Learn Differently

The Top Hat: The Results

Summary/Analysis of Data:Reflections

…..These two grade 7 boys• like school as long as they are engaged• like to be active in schools and get bored easily from passive

activities like taking notes and reading• like technology• prefer learning later in the day• like to play and work with their hands (e.g. projects)• like teachers who “accept” them as male learners; most often

these are “male” teachers• like working collaboratively and like to have choice• perceive that the students who do not like learning and who get

“in trouble” are boys• like learning and want to be involved in school• have limited opportunities to express themselves artistically

(music/art/drama)“If we want to have engaged brains in the classroom, we have to have an interactive environment” … Spencer Kagan, Cooperative Learning Structures

My Interpretive Account:Expectations, Findings,

Reframing

“It takes a “whole global village” to raise a “whole” child21st century adaptation of African Proverb, Brent Galloway

What I expected to find?• Boys who did not like school and were withdrawn

from learning (“intellectual disengagement”)• Boys who only liked school because of the friends

and the activities• Boys whose needs were not being met accurately• Boys who were not being successful in school• Boys who liked “hands on/active” learning• Boys who liked using technology as a learning

tool

My Interpretive Account:Expectations, Findings,

Reframing

“We have school-induced ADHD because schools aren’t brain compatible with the brains of today’s children …Dr. David Sousa

What I found that was expected?• Boys like to be active as learners• Boys like to use technology as learning tools• Boys like authentic learning opportunities (field

trips, projects, etc.)• Boys like to have fun in school (e.g. games, sports,

etc.)• Boys get distracted when they are not engaged • There are less opportunities for boys in larger

schools• Boys do not like “passive” activities (e.g. notes,

worksheets, teacher talk, lecture, etc.)

My Interpretive Account:Expectations, Findings,

Reframing

“Assessment is about being fair, not equal”, Rick Wormeli

What I found that was surprising? These boys really enjoy school and like talking about

it These boys like learning but did not care for the

“topics” that were being studied (e.g. First Nations) These boys did not have opportunities to express

themselves artistically (e.g. music, art, drama, etc.) These boys like to express themselves physically/

socially through sports These boys were eager to be involved in their school Boys do not “get lost” in larger schools Teachers still engage in many “traditional” practices There was almost no evidence of curriculum

integration

Boys Education: Think WinWin

Boys Education: Think WinWin

How can we, as educators, use integrated and interactive curricular approaches to better meet

the needs of male adolescent learners in our middle years classroom of the 21st century?

“Fairness is everyone getting what they need in school” …Martha Kaufeldt,”Begin with the Brain in Mind”

Reframing my question

FemaleMaleSeeing the World Differently

• Objects (nouns)• Warm Colors (red, yellow,

green, orange)• Descriptive• More cones (colors) to P cells

(description)• Active in class through writing,

discussion• Illustrations are highly colored• Female teachers do not move

around a lot• Female teachers have rich,

colourful classrooms• Use 3000K lights

• Objects in motion (verbs)• Cool Colors (silver, blue, black,

grey, brown)• Inventive• More Rods (black/white) to M

cells (motion)• Active in class through moving

and hands on• Coloured illustrations not

important• Male teachers move around a

lot• Male teachers see opportunity

in energy• Use 4000K lights

FemaleMaleHearing the World

Differently

• Hear better than males• Interprets loud/deep voices

as yelling• Teachers need to be calm

and patient when talking to girls

• Keep noise distraction to a minimum

• Sit girls in the middle or back of the room

• Variety of volume to help boys focus

• Loud talk is not uncommon• Teachers need to vary their

volume when talking to boys

• Accept tapping (use squish toys)

• Sit boys front and center of the room

FemaleMaleEngaging the World

Differently

• Brain remains alert while seated• Brain focuses on verbal activities• Engage girls in discovery where

they can discover and process with peers

• Provide extended periods of time to complete tasks (lots ot time to answer questions)

• Give full directions and answer questions before working

• Female students sit and work with others

• Prefer warmer rooms (75 degrees)• Give females break time for

activity and socializing• Encourage risk taking with girls• Seat girls face to face• Stress decreases blood flow to

brain

• Brain needs movement to stay alert

• Brain focuses on kinesthetic activities

• Engage boys energy rather than trying to control it (toss ball to answer questions)

• Boys respond better to time pressures and competition (less wait time for boys)

• Give brief directions and have students start working immediately

• Allow standing when taking notes• Prefer cooler rooms (69 degrees)• Give males break time for sports

and activity• Boys love choice• Sit boys side by side (less conflicts)• Stress increases blood flow to brain

Good Ole Boys – Advantages for Boys in

Schools The majority of sports funding and

community support goes to male athletes e.g. 73% of high school athletes are boys

Boys tend to be louder, more physically aggressive and more prone to attention getting devices in the classroom, thus more attention from the teacher

Boys are approximately 2 to 4 points ahead of girls in math and science scores

Boys score slightly higher on SAT and college entrance exams

Boys have less psychological disorders than girls (e.g. bulimia, suicide, depression)

Some school networks and work settings still have the “good ole boys” network leading to more privileges for boys

Boys are 5 times more likely to have learning disabilities and 3 times more likely to require speech pathology.

Boys receive a majority of all school suspensions

Boys are 4 times more likely to “complete” suicides

85% of homeless people are males. Boys are diagnosed with Attention

Deficit Disorder almost 10 times as often as girls

Most people with drug addictions are male (70% of serious drug/alcohol problems)

Twice as many boys as girls are kept behind a year at some point in their education

Boys make up 2/3rds of the learning disabled and 90% of the behaviourally disabled; they number 100% of the most seriously disabled.

Boys are four times more likely than girls to be prescribed Ritalin, commonly used to treat hyperactivity and attention-deficit disorders

Boys achieve 10% less than girls on the highest levels in standardized reading and writing tests in grades 3 and 6

Boys are disciplined 5 to 10 times more often than girls in elementary and middle school.

Boys are 90% of the discipline problems in High School and 80% of the dropouts

Fewer boys than girls go on to college, and the number of boys seeking higher education degrees has dropped drastically

In the past four years, the unemployment rate for young men has risen more than women

Boys are more likely victims of violence on school property by a 3 to 1 margin.

Gender Issues in Education

Male

Instructional Strategies for Boys

• Cooperative Learning (Stand up, Sit Down, Round Robin, Numbered Heads, etc.)

• Games (Jeopardy, Hollywood Squares, The Puzzler, Front Page Challenge, Spelling Baseball/ Hockey, Pictionary, Cherades, Slap Happy)

• Team-building energizers• Debates• Field Trips, Festivals, Fairs• Simulations• Storybook Theatre/Reader’s Theatre/Role

play/Skits/Drama• Technology Integration (e.g. Web Quests)• Service Learning• So many others

The WinWin Program is based on the following 10

Beliefs:• Students learn better when class

sizes are smaller. • Students learn better with fewer

transitions. • Students learn better with an

integrated and interactive curriculum based around the students’ needs and interests.

• Students learn better when their learning styles are addressed..

• Students learn best when they have the help that they need.

• Students learn best when they are empowered to be the best that they can be.

• Students learn best when there are fair and logical consequences for inappropriate behavior, and when there is recognition for positive behavior.

• Students learn best when the physical space accommodates their needs.

• Students learn best when there is a “team” approach to teaching and learning.

• Students learn best when they are given opportunities to help others.

The ResultsYear 1

(Grade 9):• Best Practices• Mission Statements• Report Card Results• Parent Survey

Results• Student Survey

Results• Discipline Referrals

Year 2 (Grade 7/8):

• Report Card Results• Parent Survey Results• Student

Survey/Interview Results

• Reading Results (CTBS)• School wide

Satisfaction Survey Results

Boys Education: Think WinWin

Boys Education: Think WinWin

What “WinWin” idea will you take with you today to help better meet the needs of your male

learners?

Wise Words

“If we want to have engaged brains in the classroom, we have to have an interactive environment” … Spencer Kagan

“Fairness is everyone getting what they need in school”

…Martha Kaufeldt

“All kids in our society are at risk…Dr. Richard Brokenleg

“We have school-induced ADHD because schools aren’t brain compatible with the brains of today’s children” …Dr. David Sousa

“Educators often lack understanding of ‘typical boy’ traits such as physical aggression, verbal and emotional reticence, and interest in objects moving through space”. – Michael Gurian

“Are we training kids to write tests for life, or are we training kids for the tests of life”

….Art Costa

“’At risk’ students are those who leave school before or after graduation with little possibility of continuing learning”

…Roland Barth

“The way North American schools teach boys puts them at risk of underachieving”

– Michael Gurian, author of Boys and Girls Learn Differently

“The average boy is quite different than the average girl, and that’s due to nature, not nurture.”

– Gabrielle Bauer, “Boys Must be Boys” Canadian Living

There are no ‘bad’ kids, just kids with ‘bad’ problems”

…Harold Brathwaite