NYT: Education system unfair to boys

greenbutton · 07-09-2012, 08:16 AM

David Brooks | America’s education system does a disservice to boys | Opinion | CentreDaily.com

MizzBee · 07-09-2012, 10:40 AM

I do believe that the single most destructive thing that we did in elementary education was eliminate recess. If you go back and look at classroom theories from the 80s, it was about getting young girls to find their voices, and how to get teachers to encourage dialogue etc (reviving Ophelia, etc). I certainly didn't feel the young men in classrooms were overlooked or judged, but rather coddled and allowed to run the show when growing up. So I find it difficult to see this change happen within one generation. I do think that the lack of physical outlets causes more problems among males than females, but having exercise helps them both. Perhaps that is the cause that we should be stressing in school reform.

weatherga · 07-09-2012, 10:54 AM

Couldn't agree more, MizzBee. We were appalled on moving from a Canadian elementary school where there was a morning recess (15-20 minutes?) plus a one-hour lunch break, over half of which was more recess time, to an American school where there was no recess, and lunch was 20 minutes in the cafeteria, in a class group.

Bay · 07-09-2012, 11:04 AM

As a first grader, my son did not enjoy ball sports but loved fantasy games. He and his friend would play "Star Wars" on the playground during break time. This was his gen's version of cops-n-robbers, with no physical contact or props involved, just hand motions and sound effects. The Principal called me and said this was not allowed because 'weapons play' is prohibited at the school. When I asked what she would suggest he do since he did not like ball sports, she suggested he go to the library instead. [Huge eye roll here].

stressedouttt · 07-09-2012, 11:05 AM

Quote:

The education system has become culturally cohesive, rewarding and encouraging a certain sort of person: one who is nurturing, collaborative, disciplined, neat, studious, industrious and ambitious.

um.... is this supposed to be surprising?

I understand what the article is trying to say, but there's nothing that can be done, frankly. Of course more mature, less impulsive students will do better in school. It's the same way they do better in life. What are we meant to do, just let people do whatever they feel like?

I'm also failing to realize the correlation between this "problem" and the duration of recess.

cobrat · 07-09-2012, 11:27 AM

Quote:

one who is nurturing, collaborative, disciplined, neat, studious, industrious and ambitious.

Sounds like your stereotypical Catholic school....with the exception of less emphasis on nurturing and collaboration.

More importantly, with the exception of the first two....the rest sounds like non-negotiable traits an elementary school classmate's Vietnam Vet/former Marine drill sergeant expected from his son back then.

It got to the point all books and other items must be arranged exactly in some order mandated by his father or else. He wouldn't accept any excuses such as "boys can't do it" considering he trained hundreds of Marine recruits and expects no less from his sons.

If his son had gone to a military academy or basic training, he'd be well ahead of the curve when it came time to learning how to make a bed or arrange a room that would pass inspection with flying colors.

emeraldkity4 · 07-09-2012, 11:30 AM

I agree that schools need to address different levels of preparedness and learning styles.

Quote:

The basic problem is that schools praise diversity but have become culturally homogeneous. The education world has become a distinct subculture, with a distinct ethos and attracting a distinct sort of employee. Students who don’t fit the ethos get left out.

I thought that was the sort of problem that charter schools were created to address?
Isn't that working?

parent15 · 07-09-2012, 11:43 AM

I understand the positives of recess, but almost all of my school's bullying issues happen during lunch and recess. There has got to be a better way to meet the needs of boys.

MD Mom · 07-09-2012, 11:44 AM

My kids had recess (one is 21 and the other 18). Is this a new development? I agree that both of my kids needed to get outside, but it was especially important for my son. Still is. He had a teacher as a HS senior who did not like boys and in particular did not like athletes. Many teachers do not do well with the energy level of boys. I got a few notes in pre-school and kindergarten about my little angel. I finally had to tell the pre- school teacher to just stop with the daily reports: "Son was too active during play time" etc. it was not helpful.

The next year he had a teacher who loved boys. It was a different experience.

Hanna · 07-09-2012, 02:14 PM

"I'm also failing to realize the correlation between this "problem" and the duration of recess."

Some kids have a lot of trouble sitting still no matter what. But some kids can sit still and focus as long as they get to run around and exercise for 2 hours a day.

Things like this made me grateful that I went to a Montessori elementary school. Group programs where we had to sit and listen to the teacher were never more than about a hour per day. Most of the time, if a kid wanted to do his work while standing up in the corner or lying down on the carpet or even jumping up and down, that was fine.

Emaheevul07 · 07-09-2012, 02:21 PM

Are elementary schools without recess really the norm now? That's news to me! I see kids out on the playground every day around here.

MizzBee · 07-09-2012, 02:32 PM

They have shortened the length or eliminated at least one recess in many places. In our area, they cut a recess but added 5 minutes to lunch, so afternoons are LONG for active boys. What's worse is that a lot of states don't have PE as often, so that was another opportunity to get kids moving.

BCEagle91 · 07-09-2012, 02:40 PM

> I understand what the article is trying to say, but there's nothing that can be done,
> frankly. Of course more mature, less impulsive students will do better in school. It's the
> same way they do better in life. What are we meant to do, just let people do whatever
> they feel like?

Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Larry Ellison, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, John McEnroe, Andre Agassi.

> What are we meant to do, just let people do whatever they feel like?

Unschooling is a range of educational philosophies and practices centered on allowing children to learn through their natural life experiences, including play, game play, household responsibilities, work experience, and social interaction, rather than through a more traditional school curriculum. Unschooling is controversial.[1] Unschooling encourages exploration of activities, often initiated by the children themselves, facilitated by the adults. Unschooling differs from conventional schooling principally in the thesis that standard curricula and conventional grading methods, as well as other features of traditional schooling, are counterproductive to the goal of maximizing the education of each child

-- Wikipedia

romanigypsyeyes · 07-09-2012, 02:57 PM

My k-8 Catholic school had 15 minutes for lunch, 15 for recess. That's it. Terrible.

The elementary school I worked at was always much much easier on everyone if they had more than one recess. I hated coming in on bad weather days because the kids wouldn't get recess and everyone would pay for it.

kathiep · 07-09-2012, 03:54 PM

Many of us still have recess in our schools. I never understand when people post on a national bulletin board like this one, why they think that all schools are the same. Our school district has recess or gym in grades K-12. Are the boys still falling behind here? Yes.

I think everyone needs a break to get up and move around. This is not unique to boys or even to children, and I think the absence of a recess or gym is too simplistic an answer to the problem with boys.