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This story on the Today show this morning really hit on many conversations that were had in the lunch room at school last year. The latest edition of Time has a story called The Myth About Boys. Frankly, I don’t completely agree with what is has to say. I wish I did. While acknowledging the “boy crisis,” the story paints a different picture than I see in my own classroom and hear from other teachers.
Interestingly, Dr. Leonard Sax, the author who was interviewed on the Today Show, had a different perspective. His perspective is very similar to what I have seen and many teachers were reporting occurring in their classrooms and with their own sons. Make sure you watch the entire Today video clip. While I am not endorsing everything he has to say (I am not convinced single sex schools are the way to go) his comments were thought provoking.
In terms how this relates to technology, one of my coworkers has expressed some concerns about bringing technology into the classroom. While very impressed by the blogs, wikis, and podcasts my students are creating she worries that technology might become too addictive. She has seen her own son struggle into independent adulthood while being heavily distracted by video games and wonders if the next generation will have even more of those struggles.
Joe
Photo: Boys on Bikes by yuan2003
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{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
I do think that boys and girls sometimes will achieve more in single sex classes. I feel this is especially true in math and reading/LA. In reading the teacher’s book choices might be very different for each class. Also teaching modalities in math would differ for each class.
As far as the computer compulsion goes, I think the computer games appeal to the male sense of adventure, action and immediate results. I know some people will say that girls like these things too so we go to the truth in Yin/Yang!
JM