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The Trouble with Boys: A Surprising Report Card on Our Sons, Their Problems at School, and What Parents and Educators Must Do
From the moment they step into the classroom, boys begin to struggle. They get expelled from preschool nearly five times more often than girls; in elementary school, they’re diagnosed with learning disorders four times as often. By eighth grade huge numbers are reading below basic level. And by high school, they’re heavily outnumbered in AP classes and, save for the realm of athletics, show indifference to most extracurricular activities. Perhaps most alarmingly, boys now account for less than 43 percent of those enrolled in college, and the gap widens every semester!
The imbalance in higher education isn’t just a “boy problem,” though. Boys’ decreasing college attendance is bad news for girls, too, because admissions officers seeking balanced student bodies pass over girls in favor of boys. The growing gender imbalance in education portends massive shifts for the next how much they make and whom they marry.
Interviewing hundreds of parents, kids, teachers, and experts, award-winning journalist Peg Tyre drills below the eye-catching statistics to examine how the educational system is failing our sons. She explores the convergence of culprits, from the emphasis on high-stress academics in preschool and kindergarten, when most boys just can’t tolerate sitting still, to the outright banning of recess, from the demands of No Child Left Behind, with its rigid emphasis on test-taking, to the boy-unfriendly modern curriculum with its focus on writing about “feelings” and its purging of “high-action” reading material, from the rise of video gaming and schools’ unease with technology to the lack of male teachers as role models.
But this passionate, clearheaded book isn’t an exercise in finger-pointing. Tyre, the mother of two sons, offers notes from the front lines—the testimony of teachers and other school officials who are trying new techniques to motivate boys to learn again, one classroom at a time. The Trouble with Boys gives parents, educators, and anyone concerned about the state of education a manifesto for change—one we must undertake right away lest school be-come, for millions of boys, unalterably a “girl thing.”
The imbalance in higher education isn’t just a “boy problem,” though. Boys’ decreasing college attendance is bad news for girls, too, because admissions officers seeking balanced student bodies pass over girls in favor of boys. The growing gender imbalance in education portends massive shifts for the next how much they make and whom they marry.
Interviewing hundreds of parents, kids, teachers, and experts, award-winning journalist Peg Tyre drills below the eye-catching statistics to examine how the educational system is failing our sons. She explores the convergence of culprits, from the emphasis on high-stress academics in preschool and kindergarten, when most boys just can’t tolerate sitting still, to the outright banning of recess, from the demands of No Child Left Behind, with its rigid emphasis on test-taking, to the boy-unfriendly modern curriculum with its focus on writing about “feelings” and its purging of “high-action” reading material, from the rise of video gaming and schools’ unease with technology to the lack of male teachers as role models.
But this passionate, clearheaded book isn’t an exercise in finger-pointing. Tyre, the mother of two sons, offers notes from the front lines—the testimony of teachers and other school officials who are trying new techniques to motivate boys to learn again, one classroom at a time. The Trouble with Boys gives parents, educators, and anyone concerned about the state of education a manifesto for change—one we must undertake right away lest school be-come, for millions of boys, unalterably a “girl thing.”
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
63 people are currently reading
830 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
December 6, 2011
I found this book thought provoking, but ultimately lacking. The book relies on an essentialist understanding of gender--you could structure a drinking game around the frequency of mention of how much boys love trucks, for example--that limits its claims. Every page, I asked WHY: why are boys less verbal entering school? why do boys require more physical activity to succeed in school? why do boys need "gross-out" humor to find discussion accessible?
In this orientation, Tyre misses a critical analytical step in my mind. Averages can mislead; not all boys are suffering. Who are the boys who are in trouble, and why? The answer may well be systemic practices that disadvantage boys (from which some high achievers are more immune). From her arguments, though, it's impossible to say.
Many of the conclusions she ultimately draws about how schools must change to accommodate boys are excellent, and would benefit students of all genders. It's also extremely sensitive to how charged the question of the "Boy Crisis" is from many angles. I came to this book as a feminist with a blind spot on this issue, and I appreciated the care Tyre took to articulate her argument in a way that respected the hard work of feminists to attain educational equity for girls, and the suspicion with which some feminists view claims of a "boy crisis."
In this orientation, Tyre misses a critical analytical step in my mind. Averages can mislead; not all boys are suffering. Who are the boys who are in trouble, and why? The answer may well be systemic practices that disadvantage boys (from which some high achievers are more immune). From her arguments, though, it's impossible to say.
Many of the conclusions she ultimately draws about how schools must change to accommodate boys are excellent, and would benefit students of all genders. It's also extremely sensitive to how charged the question of the "Boy Crisis" is from many angles. I came to this book as a feminist with a blind spot on this issue, and I appreciated the care Tyre took to articulate her argument in a way that respected the hard work of feminists to attain educational equity for girls, and the suspicion with which some feminists view claims of a "boy crisis."
September 14, 2010
"The longer boys stay in school, the farther they fall behind the girls." And we teachers and parents allow that to happen.
This book has rocked me to the foundation of my beliefs about education. Tyre's discussions of the research support what I 'felt' about education: we've rigged the system toward little girls, and our boys may NEVER, NEVER catch up. There are now universities that have to practice quiet 'affirmative action' to bring in more male students...so while males are not the beneficaries of quotas. How did it get to this? It starts the first time a preschool teacher complains that her little boys can't sit still for circle time. It continues with subtle and not-wo-subtle messages to boys, to girls, to boys' parents: school will not adapt to you; you must adapt to school.
The chapter on literacy both supported my Reading for Pleasure class and the philosophy of choice, of movement, of building stamina...but it also challenged me to go farther...to continue to look for appropriate books, to give boys a way to write about books that doesn't necessarily include writing about feelings...a boy just today told me he can't write about books because he doesn't like to write about his feelings. I can fix that with assignments...the fact boys don't talk to each other about books, I can fix that. Giving boys wider choices ...I can fix that!
I will certainly reread this one.
This book has rocked me to the foundation of my beliefs about education. Tyre's discussions of the research support what I 'felt' about education: we've rigged the system toward little girls, and our boys may NEVER, NEVER catch up. There are now universities that have to practice quiet 'affirmative action' to bring in more male students...so while males are not the beneficaries of quotas. How did it get to this? It starts the first time a preschool teacher complains that her little boys can't sit still for circle time. It continues with subtle and not-wo-subtle messages to boys, to girls, to boys' parents: school will not adapt to you; you must adapt to school.
The chapter on literacy both supported my Reading for Pleasure class and the philosophy of choice, of movement, of building stamina...but it also challenged me to go farther...to continue to look for appropriate books, to give boys a way to write about books that doesn't necessarily include writing about feelings...a boy just today told me he can't write about books because he doesn't like to write about his feelings. I can fix that with assignments...the fact boys don't talk to each other about books, I can fix that. Giving boys wider choices ...I can fix that!
I will certainly reread this one.
October 21, 2008
For all you that have boys out there, this is a must read. The book showcases the problems that boys are having in our school system and how we can help them succeed. I was amazed by statistics such as boys get diagnosed with ADHD over 5 times the amount of girls, boys are declining in subjects such as Math and Science, and the gender gap on college campuses between girls and boys are increasing. Very interesting. I will be more aware of how to make sure the schools are good for my boys.
January 16, 2018
I strongly feel every K-12 teacher should read this book. It offers different point of view than traditional opinion about school-aged, active, smart boys. It appears that schools have been making progress on helping boys succeed and thrive, but it has a long way to go. the book explains how schools and parents should have better understanding that boys have different ways to learn, play and socialize than girls, and how to monitor and modify learning environment and methods to help boys.
December 29, 2008
It was interesting to read this book as an elementary female teacher. As I read, I realized that many of my techniques in the classroom fit for boys- and not girls. Boys need to move and think differently than girls. You can either take this book completely to heart or pick and choose ideas.
June 11, 2010
The author argues that while boys have traditionally excelled in school, the feminist movement of the 1970s pushed teachers/ lawmakers/ society members to concentrate on girls' progress in school. Now the "new gender gap" has boys lagging further and further behind girls. In fact, boys start futher behind in reading and writing and never catch up.
All kids need physical activity, but boys especially are yelled at for their physical movements in the classroom. Recess time is either structured or taken away completely. Movement is vital because it actually helps kids focus (106).
Some solutions include: give kids books they like (action, non-fiction, male protagonists, irreverent humor) give kids books they like, movement every 15-20 minutes, allowing a louder noise level in the classroom, find uber-male role models and have them read to elementary school students....
"Three decades of research is unequivocal: The better a child reads, the greater is the probability that the child will succeed in school" (138).
"Reading and writing are make-or-break skills in today's economy. Males who fail to earn a high school diploma are less likely to have a stead job, less likely to get married, and more likely to get divorced if they do marry. They are more likely to have contact with prison and the welfare system and to live in poverty. Not suprisingly, those negative experiences undermine a person's health and longevity. Men who aren't well educated and are single are far more prone to chronic aliments such as health disease and cancer. Men who are unmarried high school dropouts don't live as long as educated married men" (140).
Writing: boys want to write about what they want/create a different world, writing makes hands hurt.
"Girls write for the teacher, boys write for each other. Boys use kid language not classroom language. Their stories are goofy, fanciful, sarcastic, funny and designed for the amusement of their peers" (157). This shows me that I need to do more Story Starters and encourage sharing in the class because this assists the boys with their voice. The book also talks about "be prepared for [boys:] to tackle dangerous topics replete with violence, mayhem, and gore: 'We need to redefine our goals in teaching reading so that we can champion the great energy boys can bring to a project and their willingness to take risks" (158).
One group asks boys, "Well, how are you going to attract and hold on to a well-spoken, well-dressed, educated woman if you yourself are not well spoken and well dressed and you don't even make it through high school?" (227).
Issues boys have in school: organization, writing neatly, colloborating instead of competing, and writing about feelings.
Teachers should: pay attention to males' progress in reading and writing, vary book choices and writing topics, help students discover the joys of reading.
All kids need physical activity, but boys especially are yelled at for their physical movements in the classroom. Recess time is either structured or taken away completely. Movement is vital because it actually helps kids focus (106).
Some solutions include: give kids books they like (action, non-fiction, male protagonists, irreverent humor) give kids books they like, movement every 15-20 minutes, allowing a louder noise level in the classroom, find uber-male role models and have them read to elementary school students....
"Three decades of research is unequivocal: The better a child reads, the greater is the probability that the child will succeed in school" (138).
"Reading and writing are make-or-break skills in today's economy. Males who fail to earn a high school diploma are less likely to have a stead job, less likely to get married, and more likely to get divorced if they do marry. They are more likely to have contact with prison and the welfare system and to live in poverty. Not suprisingly, those negative experiences undermine a person's health and longevity. Men who aren't well educated and are single are far more prone to chronic aliments such as health disease and cancer. Men who are unmarried high school dropouts don't live as long as educated married men" (140).
Writing: boys want to write about what they want/create a different world, writing makes hands hurt.
"Girls write for the teacher, boys write for each other. Boys use kid language not classroom language. Their stories are goofy, fanciful, sarcastic, funny and designed for the amusement of their peers" (157). This shows me that I need to do more Story Starters and encourage sharing in the class because this assists the boys with their voice. The book also talks about "be prepared for [boys:] to tackle dangerous topics replete with violence, mayhem, and gore: 'We need to redefine our goals in teaching reading so that we can champion the great energy boys can bring to a project and their willingness to take risks" (158).
One group asks boys, "Well, how are you going to attract and hold on to a well-spoken, well-dressed, educated woman if you yourself are not well spoken and well dressed and you don't even make it through high school?" (227).
Issues boys have in school: organization, writing neatly, colloborating instead of competing, and writing about feelings.
Teachers should: pay attention to males' progress in reading and writing, vary book choices and writing topics, help students discover the joys of reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2018
The Trouble with Boys by Peg Tyre is an interesting compilation of studies concerning outcomes for boys in reading and math in both public and private schools. As a retired teacher, I can validate much of the research which points to the idea that males and females learn differently. How to use that information to improve outcomes is a whole different matter. A very thought provoking book on an important matter.
Read
August 2, 2010The author seems to talk in circles. She shares a lot of conflicting research, many statistics, and few suggestions. She devotes a whole chapter to brain-based research only to conclude that “brain-based” learning is a fad and parents should “be wary” of it. Same-sex schools are touched on and Tyre advises parents to “proceed with caution.” This all being said after a whole chapter’s worth of research shows us that the only groups that benefit from this model of schooling are girls and poor African American boys. Maybe she should advise parents to only enroll students in same sex schools if they are within these two categories? Tyre wraps up her book with some particular ideas about how to conquer the “trouble with boys.” She suggests people lobby Congress to pass bills that authorize money to be spent on improving boys’ academic performance. She also says we need to stop “acting as if girls are still an underserved population.” (p. 281) With the massively harmful budget cuts we are currently experiencing, it hardly seems fair to spend money on boys alone. Also, what happens to girls when we start ignoring them and focusing on boys? I take issue with ignoring ANY one group. Another suggestion she offers up is creating more science and math camps and social organizations like Girl Scouts. Last time I checked, there are plenty of science and math camps for boys and a very largely respected and well-known organization for boys called Boy Scouts. She also offers her opinions on the problems with boys that teachers are responsible for. In fact, many times throughout the book, she can be found pointing the finger in the direction of teachers, new teachers especially. While she is careful to try and sugarcoat these accusations, it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
As a journalist, I expected Tyre to be more objective and provide research to support her suggestions. Overall, am I convinced that there is a problem with boys? I am really not sure. I plan on reading more on the topic because Tyre’s style does not sit right with me. Tyre’s research has too many holes in my opinion and because of this, I am not convinced of most of what she says. If there is in deed trouble with boys, I hope to find more realistic ways to combat it in another book. Richard Whitmire’s, Why Boys Fail, may be a better fit for me.
As a journalist, I expected Tyre to be more objective and provide research to support her suggestions. Overall, am I convinced that there is a problem with boys? I am really not sure. I plan on reading more on the topic because Tyre’s style does not sit right with me. Tyre’s research has too many holes in my opinion and because of this, I am not convinced of most of what she says. If there is in deed trouble with boys, I hope to find more realistic ways to combat it in another book. Richard Whitmire’s, Why Boys Fail, may be a better fit for me.
December 19, 2008
I'm absorbing as much as I can of this book but I think I'll buy it. I know our school system is great, our preschool is great, but I am going to try to make darn sure that my son isn't one of the tons of boys left behind in an increasingly test-oriented, sit-still-centric education system. It's not like Samantha's a sit still sort of kid anyway, so I might learn some valuable tips to help her even though she's not a boy :-)
So far I think this is one of the most important books I've read as a parent.
*****
I hated sending this back to the library! I love how one idea was to have cops in uniform, guns and all, in the classroom reading to students to make reading seem more manly. Then the newsletter for my local school district came and there was a sheriff in uniform reading to students at the local elementary school. I don't think I need to worry about them being sensitive to boys at our school - they're already on the ball. But I now have extra tips to make sure that I teach Tom a love of reading like we have Sam (who just turned 4 and already reading 3 and 4 letter words!)
**********
My awesome sister gave me a copy of this for my birthday. Whooo-hooo!! Now I own it and can review it whenever necessary. Just having the book in my house makes me feel smarter ;-)
So far I think this is one of the most important books I've read as a parent.
*****
I hated sending this back to the library! I love how one idea was to have cops in uniform, guns and all, in the classroom reading to students to make reading seem more manly. Then the newsletter for my local school district came and there was a sheriff in uniform reading to students at the local elementary school. I don't think I need to worry about them being sensitive to boys at our school - they're already on the ball. But I now have extra tips to make sure that I teach Tom a love of reading like we have Sam (who just turned 4 and already reading 3 and 4 letter words!)
**********
My awesome sister gave me a copy of this for my birthday. Whooo-hooo!! Now I own it and can review it whenever necessary. Just having the book in my house makes me feel smarter ;-)
March 11, 2009
Interesting summary and analysis of the research showing that boys and men lag well behind girls and women in school achievement. A lot of it is familiar ground (possible overdiagnosing and overmedicating of boys for ADHD, 57% of college undergraduates are women, boys would rather play video games than do homework.........) if you either work in education or know a lot of boys, but the author does a nice job of laying it out and of providing some historical context.
I also appreciated her empirical mindset. Some of the proposed solutions such as single-sex education in public schools or affirmative action for men in college admissions have not fared well in initial studies, and she describes this clearly. For example, a program set up by Towson State U. to admit some extra men by helping a small group of men with good test scores but poor high school GPA make the transition got cancelled after a few years because a high % of them were dropping out. Probably need to work at this earlier -- i.e., make elementary school and middle school environments boys can relate to, rather than wait till they've become disaffected and disengaged from school and then give them bonus points for college admission.
I also appreciated her empirical mindset. Some of the proposed solutions such as single-sex education in public schools or affirmative action for men in college admissions have not fared well in initial studies, and she describes this clearly. For example, a program set up by Towson State U. to admit some extra men by helping a small group of men with good test scores but poor high school GPA make the transition got cancelled after a few years because a high % of them were dropping out. Probably need to work at this earlier -- i.e., make elementary school and middle school environments boys can relate to, rather than wait till they've become disaffected and disengaged from school and then give them bonus points for college admission.
October 1, 2011
This is one of the most important and revelatory books I have ever read. Our boys are failing to achieve at the same rate as our girls in record numbers. Lest you believe this is just a problem for boys, it has an impact on our daughters, too. The book alternately moved me to tears of recognition at some of the struggles my son has to face, while simultaneously making me angry on my daughter's behalf at how gender inequity (on either side) benefits no one. With objectivity and a heck of a lot of source material to back her up, Peg Tyre lays out the problems facing our sons, and offers some interesting solutions. I will be talking to my son's teachers differently, have already brought the issue to the attention of the school board chairman, and have begun changing the way I parent my boy. For starters, we went through his Scholastic Book order, and enthusiastically picked out "boy books," and I didn't try to influence his choices. Whether you have sons or daughters, this is a vital book for parents who want the best for their kids.
January 14, 2018
Despite being nearly ten years out of date, The Trouble with Boys is, unfortunately, still relevant today. There are, however, better books on the topic for parents looking to help their sons and educators looking to help their male students. While Tyre does a good job of presenting the problems and potential solutions, she often fails to take a firm stance on the issues she researched, leaving the reader as confused at the end of the book as she was at the outset. For example, on the issue of whether single sex schools and classrooms are beneficial to boys, the verdict is: maybe, maybe not. Ultimately, Tyre decides that more research is needed. While that may be true, we don't have the luxury of maintaining the status quo while researchers attempt to come up with a one-size-fits-all solution.
September 22, 2008
Very interesting as my son is currently working through issues that were originally diagnosed as ADD. Very disappointing to know that the last 4 years of constant conflict may not have been his fault after all, but it's offering more insight as to what I can try to offer his teachers when the conference discussion inevitably turns to his attention problems.
June 26, 2009
I'm loving this so far. I'm hoping to read a lot more suggestions of what to do with my boy.
Read
June 22, 2020For the November book club, I read “The Trouble with Boys: a surprising report card on our sons, their problems at school, and what parents and educators must do” by Peg Tyre. I found this title in the education section of the library and thought I’d check it out since some of my most challenging students have been boys. My hope was that this book might shed some light on their struggles and successes in school environments.
This is a pretty controversial subject to take on, and Tyre repeatedly asks the feminists for a moment to make her point before they throw her book in the fire. The facts are that across the board, regardless of race or socio-economic status, starting in preschool, a gender gap exists between boys and girls as far as the tests, GPA, college admittance, and extracurricular activities (with the exception of sports) show.
The book discusses all the potential reasons that this gap might exist, from biological differences in brain development – a study once used to “prove” that women were closer in intellectual capacity to gorillas than to men because their brains were physically smaller, but now being used to show that boys process language in a different area than girls and are slower to develop cognitively (still dangerous territory for making any “downstream” diagnosis) – to lack of recess in Kindergarten.
This book left several impressions on me, and one is that since No Child Left Behind, we have become a nation obsessed with testing our children, and our schools, in an effort to raise test scores, have developed curriculum solely around these tests. In elementary school, this mostly involves reading and math, with some schools cutting out all other areas of study, including a break for recess. And it isn’t working. Boys especially are continuing to fail. We also expect kids to do so much more at a young age. What a kindergartener is expected to do now was considers appropriate for a 2nd or 3rd grader 30 years ago, and this acceleration of learning largely impacts boys who get held back in preschool more often than girls and by and large learn to read much later than girls.
This book really highlights the failures of our educational system to reach a specific population, but it also offers anecdotal evidence backed by the existing research for how to engage boys again. This book also offers a good history of our educational system and the different trends and fads it’s dealt with. Tyre’s ultimate idea is that every child should have the opportunity to succeed in school, and that we don’t need to pit one group against the next or treat academic achievement like a seesaw battle between the sexes.
This is a pretty controversial subject to take on, and Tyre repeatedly asks the feminists for a moment to make her point before they throw her book in the fire. The facts are that across the board, regardless of race or socio-economic status, starting in preschool, a gender gap exists between boys and girls as far as the tests, GPA, college admittance, and extracurricular activities (with the exception of sports) show.
The book discusses all the potential reasons that this gap might exist, from biological differences in brain development – a study once used to “prove” that women were closer in intellectual capacity to gorillas than to men because their brains were physically smaller, but now being used to show that boys process language in a different area than girls and are slower to develop cognitively (still dangerous territory for making any “downstream” diagnosis) – to lack of recess in Kindergarten.
This book left several impressions on me, and one is that since No Child Left Behind, we have become a nation obsessed with testing our children, and our schools, in an effort to raise test scores, have developed curriculum solely around these tests. In elementary school, this mostly involves reading and math, with some schools cutting out all other areas of study, including a break for recess. And it isn’t working. Boys especially are continuing to fail. We also expect kids to do so much more at a young age. What a kindergartener is expected to do now was considers appropriate for a 2nd or 3rd grader 30 years ago, and this acceleration of learning largely impacts boys who get held back in preschool more often than girls and by and large learn to read much later than girls.
This book really highlights the failures of our educational system to reach a specific population, but it also offers anecdotal evidence backed by the existing research for how to engage boys again. This book also offers a good history of our educational system and the different trends and fads it’s dealt with. Tyre’s ultimate idea is that every child should have the opportunity to succeed in school, and that we don’t need to pit one group against the next or treat academic achievement like a seesaw battle between the sexes.
December 5, 2018
I read this book because, this year, my six-year old grandson said to me about school: "They always say how good girls are, but they never say anything about boys." I have to admit that I was a little horrified by his statement and concerned. Of course, I couldn't go to his teachers because, as a grandparent, I don't have any standing. Fortunately, he's smart, reads really well, spells really well, and is a vital, busy, affectionate kid whose seems to enjoy his school day and the company of his buddies.
So much for background. The issue of boys and learning has been around for a while. Unfortunately, the issue, in my view, has gotten mixed up with issues of gender equity or equality or whatever. What I mean is that a lot of emphasis is placed on girls now and their success. This is fine, but we also need to think about boys. As the author of this book points out, the success of boys is part of the success of girls in terms of the success of our society.
The author goes through a number of theories and practices about educating children and about the behavior differences between boys and girls. She talks about how more male teachers are needed, how biases against boy-behavior lead to the emotional oppression of boys, how medication is used for normal boy-behavior, and so forth. She also talks about false theories that are stylish or were stylish when the book was written in 2007: that boys and girls have different brains. She talks about single-sex schools, single-sex classrooms, charter schools, recruitment of boys for college, and so forth. She covers a lot of ground.
The author is an investigative journalist and she seems dispassionate. That is, she does not appear motivated by an agenda or by biases. This is what makes this book so valuable. It sensitizes one to the debate and the educational environment. It makes us fear for the diminishment of education for any child -- boys mainly, as this is her topic, but also for girls and the less advantaged and the advantaged who are under-achieving. It made me realize that this is a big problem in our country where education of the young does not seem generally our active priority while we continue to believe that schools should and, in fact, do work as they did when we were children.
So much for background. The issue of boys and learning has been around for a while. Unfortunately, the issue, in my view, has gotten mixed up with issues of gender equity or equality or whatever. What I mean is that a lot of emphasis is placed on girls now and their success. This is fine, but we also need to think about boys. As the author of this book points out, the success of boys is part of the success of girls in terms of the success of our society.
The author goes through a number of theories and practices about educating children and about the behavior differences between boys and girls. She talks about how more male teachers are needed, how biases against boy-behavior lead to the emotional oppression of boys, how medication is used for normal boy-behavior, and so forth. She also talks about false theories that are stylish or were stylish when the book was written in 2007: that boys and girls have different brains. She talks about single-sex schools, single-sex classrooms, charter schools, recruitment of boys for college, and so forth. She covers a lot of ground.
The author is an investigative journalist and she seems dispassionate. That is, she does not appear motivated by an agenda or by biases. This is what makes this book so valuable. It sensitizes one to the debate and the educational environment. It makes us fear for the diminishment of education for any child -- boys mainly, as this is her topic, but also for girls and the less advantaged and the advantaged who are under-achieving. It made me realize that this is a big problem in our country where education of the young does not seem generally our active priority while we continue to believe that schools should and, in fact, do work as they did when we were children.
January 11, 2025
This book manages to say everything and nothing all at once
I picked up this book because it tackles an underexplored but increasingly relevant issue about the declining performance of young boys from early school up to college. It’s a topic that has been overlooked in research and societal discussion, even as it becomes ever more relevant.
The book delves into the idea that boys are falling behind in school early on, often struggling to catch up later in life. It highlights how the current education system, with its structure and expectations, doesn’t align well with the natural developmental curve of young boys. While this issue undeniably affects boys more, it’s fundamentally a systemic problem that impacts children across the board, regardless of gender. The book, however, leans too heavily into the narrative that the system is somehow inherently designed to favor girls, which feels overly simplistic and, frankly, misleading.
A significant portion of the book is spent reiterating the same points: boys lag behind girls in areas like reading and writing. It bombards the reader with studies and statements that reinforce this observation, but without offering any new insights or actionable solutions. The data itself often feels questionable—there were moments when I found myself skeptical of the claims being presented.
What the book ultimately lacks is a sense of resolution. It teases the reader with the promise of enlightenment, only to retreat into vague generalities about how “it’s complicated” and “there are multiple factors at play.” Yes, the education system needs reform, and yes, educators should be more attentive to boys’ cognitive development. No shit, but you don’t need 200+ pages to make such an obvious point.
While the subject matter is important, the execution leaves much to be desired. The book raises an essential question but fails to provide the depth or clarity needed to truly engage with the topic. Instead, it settles for surface-level observations, leaving the reader unsatisfied and no closer to understanding the problem or its potential solutions.
I picked up this book because it tackles an underexplored but increasingly relevant issue about the declining performance of young boys from early school up to college. It’s a topic that has been overlooked in research and societal discussion, even as it becomes ever more relevant.
The book delves into the idea that boys are falling behind in school early on, often struggling to catch up later in life. It highlights how the current education system, with its structure and expectations, doesn’t align well with the natural developmental curve of young boys. While this issue undeniably affects boys more, it’s fundamentally a systemic problem that impacts children across the board, regardless of gender. The book, however, leans too heavily into the narrative that the system is somehow inherently designed to favor girls, which feels overly simplistic and, frankly, misleading.
A significant portion of the book is spent reiterating the same points: boys lag behind girls in areas like reading and writing. It bombards the reader with studies and statements that reinforce this observation, but without offering any new insights or actionable solutions. The data itself often feels questionable—there were moments when I found myself skeptical of the claims being presented.
What the book ultimately lacks is a sense of resolution. It teases the reader with the promise of enlightenment, only to retreat into vague generalities about how “it’s complicated” and “there are multiple factors at play.” Yes, the education system needs reform, and yes, educators should be more attentive to boys’ cognitive development. No shit, but you don’t need 200+ pages to make such an obvious point.
While the subject matter is important, the execution leaves much to be desired. The book raises an essential question but fails to provide the depth or clarity needed to truly engage with the topic. Instead, it settles for surface-level observations, leaving the reader unsatisfied and no closer to understanding the problem or its potential solutions.
November 3, 2014
In preschool, boys are expelled almost five times as often as girls, and are four times as likely as girls to be diagnosed with an attention or learning problem (5). Only sixty-five percent of males graduate from high school, as opposed to seventy two percent of females (26). 57.2 percent of students enrolled in undergraduate college in 2005 in the United States were female (6). Many of these statistics may be surprising as they go against our preconceived notions that girls are the ones who require the most assistance in school. Peg Tyre’s The Trouble With Boys: A surprising Report Card on Our Sons, Their Problems at School, and What Parents and Educators Must Do confronts the common notion that girls are still trailing behind boys in academics and argues that our schools are too girl-friendly and are actually hurting the boys. Although Tyre is able to raise awareness for the issue of male underachievement and point to issues including a widening gap in performance, her data, solutions, and formatting are inadequate and only detract from her message.
Through her book, Tyre is able to put the issue of male underachievement up for discussion. In the beginning of this book, Tyre states that she wants to “look at the boy problem fairly, clearly, and compassionately” (13). Tyre’s goal of approaching this problem could be very beneficial, especially since many people today are unwilling to even bring up the issue of boys performing worse than girls in school since girls have historically been given fewer opportunities than boys were. By bringing up the issue of male performance in school, Tyre helps the reader to understand and be more aware of the underlying biases in our society and sets up the grounds from which we can proceed to work against our society’s predispositions and prejudices.
Tyre is also able to address some of the major inadequacies in our educational system and shows that our problems are deep rooted and begin very early on. Tyre includes a study published by the United States Department of Education which compares the average reading scores of kids aged nine, thirteen, and seventeen on a standardized reading test. Although nine-year-old males only trailed females by five points (out of 500), thirteen-year-old males trailed by ten points, and seventeen-year-old males were behind by fourteen points (27). Although many believe that kids only begin to fall behind in middle school or high school, Tyre argues that this gap may begin to develop as early as Preschool, and that the problem may be deeper engrained than many may have thought. For example, one of the reason that boys are believed to not read as much as girls is because they perceive reading to be a “feminine activity” (143), and therefore tend to stay away from it. If this idea could eliminated from our society, it is possible that boys’ reading and writing would improve. Tyre also maintains that we must begin by reforming our preschools and elementary schools instead of only focusing on secondary education. This novel addresses the issue that an achievement gap develops early on and worsens as the years go by, and calls for reforms in early education.
Tyre, however, does not provide the reader with sufficient solutions to the issue of male underachievement. Although Tyre offers some ideas such as increasing recess time, reading books that are more interesting for boys, and promoting reading time at home, many of these solutions are only relevant for teachers or parents who had not previously realized that boys learn differently than girls. Additionally, Tyre tends to overgeneralize her solutions. For instance, Tyre claims that adding more recess time would be beneficial for boys, and while this is true, Tyre never mentions that recess is also beneficial to girls. Many of Tyre’s solutions could help for both genders, and yet Tyre presents them as beneficial for only boys. Moreover, Tyre never addressed class size as an issue. Most of the solutions proposed in this book call for change in the teachers and parents rather than with the school system. Although many teachers can improve their classes by being more boy-friendly, class sizes are not within their control, and classes that are too large can often be unmanageable and can leave kids with less attention and support. Tyre does not provide enough solutions and does not address other issues such as class size, which makes it more difficult for the reader to realize how to instigate change.
The Trouble With Boys also lacks clear organization and sufficient concrete evidence. This book often jumps around, at one point going from brain imaging to video games to single sex education, and does not have a clear flow or organization, which can confuse the reader and detract from the book’s message. Tyre also often uses profiles and anecdotes instead of hard data to make generalizations. For example, Tyre concludes that boys tend to more active than girls solely based on one study (68). Although it is possible that boys truly are more energetic and move more, it is not enough to only include one study or story. The organization and some of the evidence in Tyre’s book does not help to explain Tyre’s argument.
Although lacking in organization and sufficient, actionable solutions, The Trouble With Boys conveys an important message and brings a pressing issue to light. We often ignore the troubles that boys may face in schools due to our tendencies to claim that boy and girls are equal and our efforts to allow girls to catch up to boys after years of unequal opportunities. In order to create a truly equal education system, we must cater to both girls and boys. It is also important for all of us to consider both sides of every story and not get caught up in our prejudices. ~ Student: Katherine D.
Through her book, Tyre is able to put the issue of male underachievement up for discussion. In the beginning of this book, Tyre states that she wants to “look at the boy problem fairly, clearly, and compassionately” (13). Tyre’s goal of approaching this problem could be very beneficial, especially since many people today are unwilling to even bring up the issue of boys performing worse than girls in school since girls have historically been given fewer opportunities than boys were. By bringing up the issue of male performance in school, Tyre helps the reader to understand and be more aware of the underlying biases in our society and sets up the grounds from which we can proceed to work against our society’s predispositions and prejudices.
Tyre is also able to address some of the major inadequacies in our educational system and shows that our problems are deep rooted and begin very early on. Tyre includes a study published by the United States Department of Education which compares the average reading scores of kids aged nine, thirteen, and seventeen on a standardized reading test. Although nine-year-old males only trailed females by five points (out of 500), thirteen-year-old males trailed by ten points, and seventeen-year-old males were behind by fourteen points (27). Although many believe that kids only begin to fall behind in middle school or high school, Tyre argues that this gap may begin to develop as early as Preschool, and that the problem may be deeper engrained than many may have thought. For example, one of the reason that boys are believed to not read as much as girls is because they perceive reading to be a “feminine activity” (143), and therefore tend to stay away from it. If this idea could eliminated from our society, it is possible that boys’ reading and writing would improve. Tyre also maintains that we must begin by reforming our preschools and elementary schools instead of only focusing on secondary education. This novel addresses the issue that an achievement gap develops early on and worsens as the years go by, and calls for reforms in early education.
Tyre, however, does not provide the reader with sufficient solutions to the issue of male underachievement. Although Tyre offers some ideas such as increasing recess time, reading books that are more interesting for boys, and promoting reading time at home, many of these solutions are only relevant for teachers or parents who had not previously realized that boys learn differently than girls. Additionally, Tyre tends to overgeneralize her solutions. For instance, Tyre claims that adding more recess time would be beneficial for boys, and while this is true, Tyre never mentions that recess is also beneficial to girls. Many of Tyre’s solutions could help for both genders, and yet Tyre presents them as beneficial for only boys. Moreover, Tyre never addressed class size as an issue. Most of the solutions proposed in this book call for change in the teachers and parents rather than with the school system. Although many teachers can improve their classes by being more boy-friendly, class sizes are not within their control, and classes that are too large can often be unmanageable and can leave kids with less attention and support. Tyre does not provide enough solutions and does not address other issues such as class size, which makes it more difficult for the reader to realize how to instigate change.
The Trouble With Boys also lacks clear organization and sufficient concrete evidence. This book often jumps around, at one point going from brain imaging to video games to single sex education, and does not have a clear flow or organization, which can confuse the reader and detract from the book’s message. Tyre also often uses profiles and anecdotes instead of hard data to make generalizations. For example, Tyre concludes that boys tend to more active than girls solely based on one study (68). Although it is possible that boys truly are more energetic and move more, it is not enough to only include one study or story. The organization and some of the evidence in Tyre’s book does not help to explain Tyre’s argument.
Although lacking in organization and sufficient, actionable solutions, The Trouble With Boys conveys an important message and brings a pressing issue to light. We often ignore the troubles that boys may face in schools due to our tendencies to claim that boy and girls are equal and our efforts to allow girls to catch up to boys after years of unequal opportunities. In order to create a truly equal education system, we must cater to both girls and boys. It is also important for all of us to consider both sides of every story and not get caught up in our prejudices. ~ Student: Katherine D.
March 27, 2023
Honestly I think this would be a 5 star book if I was a teacher or a parent lmao
Lots of statistics and data and was engaged at some parts and not engaged at other parts
Would definitely recommend to anyone who feels that there is a learning gap in between boys and girls in schools
Talked to one of my teachers about it and she said she agrees with the author whole heartedly so take what you would with that
Also written in 2006 so I was scared for the majority of the book that it was outdated data
Lots of statistics and data and was engaged at some parts and not engaged at other parts
Would definitely recommend to anyone who feels that there is a learning gap in between boys and girls in schools
Talked to one of my teachers about it and she said she agrees with the author whole heartedly so take what you would with that
Also written in 2006 so I was scared for the majority of the book that it was outdated data
January 25, 2025
Published in 2008, I found the content and perspective of this book to be highly relevant as I (31F) look around the workplace and the dating pool and ask myself “what’s going on with all these underachieving men?” This book details what was happening in education when men my age would have been in school. Surprisingly, I couldn’t put this book down. If you like more recent titles like “The Anxious Generation” you will like this book. Recommend to anyone who likes facts and figures on gender disparities.
November 17, 2021
Even though it's been about ten years since it was written, this book is still timely and filled with good information. And I would argue that not much appears to have changed. We aren't heeding the warnings that Tyre covers. Our schools are continuing to fail our boys at all different points. It made me glad that we homeschool my son and he can just be a boy.
January 21, 2020
Really enjoyed this, but didn't much agree with the automatic assumption that educations=better paycheck. In Alberta, you can just have high school and make bank working for the oil companies, while people with multiple degrees are making the same take home money as fast food managers...
September 30, 2013
I also did a review of a similar book called Why Boys Fail. This book was more engaging than that one and a bit more fleshy, though they both used the same interviewees, studies, and case schools. This book had a bit wider range of source material and interview subjects. It largely reached the same recommendations that Why Boys Fail did (in particular, failures to support literacy for boys, intolerance of the temperament of young boys, uninteresting reading materials, etc.) This book is less dismissive of influences such as video games, but the similarities are so overwhelming that the differences feel negligible.
This book was funnier and perhaps more readable, and it addressed an issue that the other book didn't (and which I mentioned in my review of Why Boys Fail). The issue is that in many schools, girls are grade-advantaged by extra-credit and grading policies that favor girls, such as decorating notebooks, redoing exam questions, etc.)
But with all that said, I recommend the other book. This author has a hard time restraining herself from viewing this issue as really a girls' issue in disguise, though at times she says that's not her direct concern. She also, for all her sympathy in theory, does not seem to have a profound sympathy for the male mindsets in fact. I'll substantiate both points as well I can.
First, the author is constantly defending her thesis against feminists who have already published defensive literature trying to ignore the facts of male academic deficiencies. I'm certainly glad that the author is ready to answer these vocal opponents. However, at the end of pretty much every chapter, and at the beginning of the concluding chapter, the author explains how raising achievement of males is really good for girls as well. I understand--it's good for both boys and girls. Do we need to keep talking about girls then every few paragraphs in a book about boys? Often the book feels like its true agenda is hidden--like the concern for boys is a dense smoke screen for making sure women are treated fairly in college admissions. I don't believe the author is truly trying to sneak in a feminist agenda, but the theme is pervasive and distracting.
Second, the author, while holding certain education demagogues to close scrutiny, puts forward considerably less thought into certain claims that are flattering to women but could lead to a dramatic misunderstanding of men. In particular, the author accepts at face-value the conventional wisdom that men mature more slowly than women, and uses this assumption as a foundation for some of her conclusions.
What she actually has is some evidence and testimony that shows that men don't begin seriously accumulating language skills as early as girls do. She also has some evidence that men are organizationally-challenged at the same time that girls have become organizationally-gifted. Taken together, she interprets these results as proof that men mature more slowly than women.
This is a widespread and wrong conclusion that stems from a third, unspoken assumption that says that men and women mature into similar people, but reach the state of unisexual maturity at different times. This is wrong, and is a huge flaw in this book and everywhere it is presented.
Men, in their mental lives, are not women minus two years. Mature men are not like mature women. That much is easy to see. The mature man will still probably prefer The Stand to Peace Like a River. An immature man can't remember when his homework is due. A mature man can't remember his wife's birthday. Even a man 30 years older will probably have more organizational difficulties than the woman 30 years his junior. Does that mean she's more mature than he is?
Obviously not. The fact that we continually make this assumption is proof that certain institutions (particularly those led by women) see their own particular kind of maturity as the maturity. Boys are then treated as regressive girls.
Wrong, wrong, wrong. Men don't have the same values that women do. Women see their own values as practical, but they're biased. Men don't care so much about trivialities like homework. What does homework mean, anyway?
And I defy women to answer why homework matters more than test scores, which men generally prefer to focus on. The only answer given in this book is that grades in high school (largely based on homework scores) are more important than test scores in predicting college achievement (which is also largely based on homework scores). I'm not sure which is a better predictor of workplace performance. That would be interesting information.
I'm sure homework is important somewhat, but the fact that boys are loathe to do it is not a maturity issue, it's a skills issue, and conflating the two issues is bad news. If you teach boys how to handle organizing challenges, they might seem just as "mature" as girls.
In conclusion, I prefer the book Why Boys Fail because I think it takes fewer wrong diversions from the issue, even though I don't think it's as well written.
This book was funnier and perhaps more readable, and it addressed an issue that the other book didn't (and which I mentioned in my review of Why Boys Fail). The issue is that in many schools, girls are grade-advantaged by extra-credit and grading policies that favor girls, such as decorating notebooks, redoing exam questions, etc.)
But with all that said, I recommend the other book. This author has a hard time restraining herself from viewing this issue as really a girls' issue in disguise, though at times she says that's not her direct concern. She also, for all her sympathy in theory, does not seem to have a profound sympathy for the male mindsets in fact. I'll substantiate both points as well I can.
First, the author is constantly defending her thesis against feminists who have already published defensive literature trying to ignore the facts of male academic deficiencies. I'm certainly glad that the author is ready to answer these vocal opponents. However, at the end of pretty much every chapter, and at the beginning of the concluding chapter, the author explains how raising achievement of males is really good for girls as well. I understand--it's good for both boys and girls. Do we need to keep talking about girls then every few paragraphs in a book about boys? Often the book feels like its true agenda is hidden--like the concern for boys is a dense smoke screen for making sure women are treated fairly in college admissions. I don't believe the author is truly trying to sneak in a feminist agenda, but the theme is pervasive and distracting.
Second, the author, while holding certain education demagogues to close scrutiny, puts forward considerably less thought into certain claims that are flattering to women but could lead to a dramatic misunderstanding of men. In particular, the author accepts at face-value the conventional wisdom that men mature more slowly than women, and uses this assumption as a foundation for some of her conclusions.
What she actually has is some evidence and testimony that shows that men don't begin seriously accumulating language skills as early as girls do. She also has some evidence that men are organizationally-challenged at the same time that girls have become organizationally-gifted. Taken together, she interprets these results as proof that men mature more slowly than women.
This is a widespread and wrong conclusion that stems from a third, unspoken assumption that says that men and women mature into similar people, but reach the state of unisexual maturity at different times. This is wrong, and is a huge flaw in this book and everywhere it is presented.
Men, in their mental lives, are not women minus two years. Mature men are not like mature women. That much is easy to see. The mature man will still probably prefer The Stand to Peace Like a River. An immature man can't remember when his homework is due. A mature man can't remember his wife's birthday. Even a man 30 years older will probably have more organizational difficulties than the woman 30 years his junior. Does that mean she's more mature than he is?
Obviously not. The fact that we continually make this assumption is proof that certain institutions (particularly those led by women) see their own particular kind of maturity as the maturity. Boys are then treated as regressive girls.
Wrong, wrong, wrong. Men don't have the same values that women do. Women see their own values as practical, but they're biased. Men don't care so much about trivialities like homework. What does homework mean, anyway?
And I defy women to answer why homework matters more than test scores, which men generally prefer to focus on. The only answer given in this book is that grades in high school (largely based on homework scores) are more important than test scores in predicting college achievement (which is also largely based on homework scores). I'm not sure which is a better predictor of workplace performance. That would be interesting information.
I'm sure homework is important somewhat, but the fact that boys are loathe to do it is not a maturity issue, it's a skills issue, and conflating the two issues is bad news. If you teach boys how to handle organizing challenges, they might seem just as "mature" as girls.
In conclusion, I prefer the book Why Boys Fail because I think it takes fewer wrong diversions from the issue, even though I don't think it's as well written.
February 26, 2018
review to come
July 29, 2018
Illuminating, fascinating, terrifying! Definitely some things to consider about making sure I'm doing right by my son!
January 5, 2023
For this boy moms out there. This book helps you understand the challenges our boys face at school. If only more could be done to help them like longer recess time or PE more than just 1x a week.
April 11, 2024
Don’t think we’ve changed anything systemically since this book came out in 2008…sigh.
February 17, 2010
I dog eared so many pages in this book, I need to buy the library a new one. I want to compile a list of the things I found interesting/useful, so this review is my own cliff notes.
Preschool Blues-the average boy moves around a little more than the typical girl, however the most active ones are MOST likely to be boys. The most profound difference in movement grows pronounced at age two and peaks when boys are seven or eight. The demand of an academic preschool classroom can outpace a boy's natural development. A boy's natural inclination for violent play is more about courage, loyalty, and risking all to save friends in the face of a powerful foe. Little boys are playing at being the best, most compassionate, most heroic kind of men imaginable. Boys are 4.5 times more likely to be expelled from preschool.
Ch 5 Notes from the front- It is developmentally inappropriate to expect a four yr old boy to wait in line patiently. Boy friendly school activities at this age are a large area for blocks, balls, opportunities for building, lots of free play, use swimming noodles for sword fights, rough and tumble play, room to play with cars, sensory opportunities like mud, silly putty, clay. Have rituals to mark the transition to a new activity.
Kindergarten-with kindergartens being geared more towards academics, it may be useful to "redshirt" a boy, or keep him out of school until he is 6. Be open to alternative ways of developing skills: a boy might improve his fine motor skill by holding a paintbrush, a struggling to make sense of a narrative on a printed page may learn how to organize a story by learning to sing a simple ballad. Building with blocks teaches rudiments of fractions, geometry, physics, art, it is cognitive development.
Requiem for recess- recess should not be optional, given or taken away as reward or punishment
Pay attention- on ADHD one psychologist says about medicating active children "...produces MEDICALLY ENHANCED COMPLIANCE in those boys by providing them with attention-enhancing drugs". Other alternatives to drugging kids: let a child stand instead of sit while he wrote, if wiggly during circle time give him something to lean on, use a fat pencil instead of a thin one to help one with poor fine motor control, let them work outside instead of at a desk, send him out to run for a break in the work.
Goodbye Mr. Chips- male teachers are vanishing. Though its less about the teacher's gender, its more about if a boy feels engaged by his teacher, whether the teacher makes an effort to understand who he is as a boy.
Boys and Literacy- learning phonics, a few letters at a time, while providing magnetic letters so a child can create different words with the letters whose sound they have learned. For boys the letters are like legos, and they are BUILDING words. For encouraging reading boys like stories with lots of action,factual books, sports books, or comic books. They like funny books, esp irreverent books about bodily functions. Let boys read what interests them. They aren't as interested in romance or relationships. And no passing judgment if they choose to read these kinds of things instead of the "classics". Boys can be poor judges of their own abilities, choosing reading material either to hard or too easy. Reading needs to be seen as something we all do, not just women. Uncles, fathers, grandfathers, brothers need to engage boys in discussions about things that adults read.
When writing, many boys are disengaged. Let a boy use a keyboard if he has poor handwriting. Allow boys to plenty of choices when it comes to what they write. Allow students to use visual cues-arrows, drawings, signs- when making the transition from drawing to prose. Develop an appreciation of the way boys write. They may be writing wacky(or battle) stories, with less detail, but they do write for other boys, know who their audience is, and play to that audience.
Thinking with a boy brain- the male brain is not at full size until approx. age 30. Be patient with your son, his maturation may take longer than you expect.
Preschool Blues-the average boy moves around a little more than the typical girl, however the most active ones are MOST likely to be boys. The most profound difference in movement grows pronounced at age two and peaks when boys are seven or eight. The demand of an academic preschool classroom can outpace a boy's natural development. A boy's natural inclination for violent play is more about courage, loyalty, and risking all to save friends in the face of a powerful foe. Little boys are playing at being the best, most compassionate, most heroic kind of men imaginable. Boys are 4.5 times more likely to be expelled from preschool.
Ch 5 Notes from the front- It is developmentally inappropriate to expect a four yr old boy to wait in line patiently. Boy friendly school activities at this age are a large area for blocks, balls, opportunities for building, lots of free play, use swimming noodles for sword fights, rough and tumble play, room to play with cars, sensory opportunities like mud, silly putty, clay. Have rituals to mark the transition to a new activity.
Kindergarten-with kindergartens being geared more towards academics, it may be useful to "redshirt" a boy, or keep him out of school until he is 6. Be open to alternative ways of developing skills: a boy might improve his fine motor skill by holding a paintbrush, a struggling to make sense of a narrative on a printed page may learn how to organize a story by learning to sing a simple ballad. Building with blocks teaches rudiments of fractions, geometry, physics, art, it is cognitive development.
Requiem for recess- recess should not be optional, given or taken away as reward or punishment
Pay attention- on ADHD one psychologist says about medicating active children "...produces MEDICALLY ENHANCED COMPLIANCE in those boys by providing them with attention-enhancing drugs". Other alternatives to drugging kids: let a child stand instead of sit while he wrote, if wiggly during circle time give him something to lean on, use a fat pencil instead of a thin one to help one with poor fine motor control, let them work outside instead of at a desk, send him out to run for a break in the work.
Goodbye Mr. Chips- male teachers are vanishing. Though its less about the teacher's gender, its more about if a boy feels engaged by his teacher, whether the teacher makes an effort to understand who he is as a boy.
Boys and Literacy- learning phonics, a few letters at a time, while providing magnetic letters so a child can create different words with the letters whose sound they have learned. For boys the letters are like legos, and they are BUILDING words. For encouraging reading boys like stories with lots of action,factual books, sports books, or comic books. They like funny books, esp irreverent books about bodily functions. Let boys read what interests them. They aren't as interested in romance or relationships. And no passing judgment if they choose to read these kinds of things instead of the "classics". Boys can be poor judges of their own abilities, choosing reading material either to hard or too easy. Reading needs to be seen as something we all do, not just women. Uncles, fathers, grandfathers, brothers need to engage boys in discussions about things that adults read.
When writing, many boys are disengaged. Let a boy use a keyboard if he has poor handwriting. Allow boys to plenty of choices when it comes to what they write. Allow students to use visual cues-arrows, drawings, signs- when making the transition from drawing to prose. Develop an appreciation of the way boys write. They may be writing wacky(or battle) stories, with less detail, but they do write for other boys, know who their audience is, and play to that audience.
Thinking with a boy brain- the male brain is not at full size until approx. age 30. Be patient with your son, his maturation may take longer than you expect.
February 5, 2017
An interesting read....didn't agree with everything, but learned a lot. I went in expecting more tips or strategies I could use as a teacher.
January 26, 2013
I heard Peg Tyre speak at the Conference on English Leadership in Las Vegas this past November, and she spoke passionately and articulately about the ways that our education system can fail boys and young men, particularly those who are already at a disadvantage. The book was equally interesting--especially the sections on preschool and early elementary. I wanted the same sort of depth in the discussion of middle and high school, but it's just not there. There's a brief look at a few of the problems boys encounter (having to be neat & organized; having to sit still for too long), and a fairly vague indictment of asking boys to write about feelings, and then she moves on to discuss higher education.
In many ways, the book re-affirmed my own practice. I like middle school kids. Boys require a different kind of management, and classes that are boy-heavy are often more tiring to teach--but boys like to talk about gross stuff and zombies and I like that stuff too. :) Also, I do better than fine in making sure that I offer (and know well enough to recommend) books that boys like, both in the classroom library and in book club selections.
The book did make me decide to reconsider avoiding co-ed groups when possible. I generally handle the fact that boys often don't mind letting girls do all the work (and girls don't trust boys to do anything) by watching like a hawk and assigning/ rotating jobs when necessary. Time to give the boys a chance to get things done on their own.
It also reaffirmed a decision I made at NCTE/ CEL this year: to explicitly start the year with informational writing. We have a lot of genre choice (since we follow Nancie Atwell's workshop model), and I introduce/ review book review, memoir, and free verse poetry right away. The rationale is a good one: these are genres the students have written before, and it's easier to write from your own experience. True! But it's not always easier to find meaning in your own experience, which is what is required in FVP and memoir. However, they are all experts on something, and writing advice pieces ("How to Be a Great Football Player") is right up many boys' alley. If we segue from that right into research & other expository writing, then argumentation, then analysis, we'll have built the level of trust & background to tackle the personal essays.
And finally, this book joins others I've read as the reason I should probably apologize in advance to my son's teachers. I'm perfectly happy with his daycare/ preschool experience, but I am worried about kindergarten...my son is such a boy. I want to make sure he has a kindergarten teacher who likes and appreciates little boys--just the way I like and appreciate middle school boys.
In many ways, the book re-affirmed my own practice. I like middle school kids. Boys require a different kind of management, and classes that are boy-heavy are often more tiring to teach--but boys like to talk about gross stuff and zombies and I like that stuff too. :) Also, I do better than fine in making sure that I offer (and know well enough to recommend) books that boys like, both in the classroom library and in book club selections.
The book did make me decide to reconsider avoiding co-ed groups when possible. I generally handle the fact that boys often don't mind letting girls do all the work (and girls don't trust boys to do anything) by watching like a hawk and assigning/ rotating jobs when necessary. Time to give the boys a chance to get things done on their own.
It also reaffirmed a decision I made at NCTE/ CEL this year: to explicitly start the year with informational writing. We have a lot of genre choice (since we follow Nancie Atwell's workshop model), and I introduce/ review book review, memoir, and free verse poetry right away. The rationale is a good one: these are genres the students have written before, and it's easier to write from your own experience. True! But it's not always easier to find meaning in your own experience, which is what is required in FVP and memoir. However, they are all experts on something, and writing advice pieces ("How to Be a Great Football Player") is right up many boys' alley. If we segue from that right into research & other expository writing, then argumentation, then analysis, we'll have built the level of trust & background to tackle the personal essays.
And finally, this book joins others I've read as the reason I should probably apologize in advance to my son's teachers. I'm perfectly happy with his daycare/ preschool experience, but I am worried about kindergarten...my son is such a boy. I want to make sure he has a kindergarten teacher who likes and appreciates little boys--just the way I like and appreciate middle school boys.
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