Teaching Boys Who Struggle in School

Teaching Boys Who Struggle in School: Strategies that Turn Underachievers into Successful LearnersBy: Kathleen Cleveland
ASCD, 2011

Teaching Boys Who Struggle in School (2011) seeks to “examine how the way we ‘do school’ might be interfering with an underachieving boy’s potential for achievement” (p. 8). Fear of failure is a reality as some boys prefer to “self-sabotage”. Cleveland describes the Boy Code as: “to behave like superheroes and hide their emotions, but they also do not want to be perceived as smart, always fight instead of talking through a conflict, and do not enjoy reading and writing...boys often purposely shun such tasks in order to avoid being associated with anything feminine or ‘girly,’ thereby stunting their ability to master the kind of skills necessary for success in school and, arguably, outside of school as well” (p. 40).

The book seeks 4 overarching goals: (1) Replace negative attitudes about learning with productive perspectives; (2) Reconnect with school, with learning, and belief as a competent learner; (3) Rebuild life skills and learning skills that lead to academic success and success in life; and (4) Reduce need to use unproductive and distracting behaviours as means of self-protection. The author describes 6 pathways to re-engagement:

(1) Support
• trusting student-teacher relationships
• nonthreatening learning environment
(2) Guide
• clear expectations (how and what teacher communicates)
• informational feedback (identify strengths [the medal], shortcomings, and
how to improve [the mission] – before summative assessment)
• positive reinforcement
(3) Reinforce
• tools for communication (physical domain – appropriate distance, maintain
eye contact, use facial expressions; verbal – voice modulation, taking
turns; cognitive – detect emotions in others, anticipate other’s reaction)
• tools for collaboration (cooperative learning)
(4) Adjust
• zones of comfort (adjust physical environment)
(5) Ignite
• active learning (“All genuine learning is active, not passive. It involves
the use of the mind, not just the memory. It is the process of discovery, in
which the student is the main agent, not the teacher” p. 175)
(6) Empower
• engaging literacy-building activities (“Reading is the key to academic
achievement” (p. 215); “If a boy cannot read, and if he cannot or will not
read, his ability to write is also diminished in nearly equal proportion”
(p. 189)

Reflections

During my 16 years as an educator, I have and continue to come across underachieving boys who are disengaged or disinterested in school. I am committed to never giving up on any child. Teaching is complex – that’s why there are no easy solutions and we must keep trying to see what works.

My board, York Region DSB, has made literacy central focus of all we do: “All teachers are teachers of literacy”. As a mathematics teacher, I have incorporated literacy and have published my action research study on “Using Journal Writing to Explore ‘They Communicate to Learn Mathematics and They Learn to Communicate Mathematically” in the Ontario Action Researcher journal (available on-line http://oar.nipissingu.ca/archive-Vol7No2-V722E.htm ). A similar, non-published study, was conducted on reading-to-learn mathematics. When I was mathematics head, I introduced ESL mathematics courses at the grades 9 and 10 academic levels. The intent was to use reading, writing, speaking, and listening as central to learning mathematics. In my current role as vice-principal, I diagnostically ask if student’s literacy skills are weak. I encourage them to read at home – whatever they are interested in and in whatever format (newspaper, magazine, book). It disheartens me to hear boys tell me they hate reading and thus do not do it. I have had an ELL boy read for 20 minutes in my office. Reading is a gift and opens doors to learning. One gets better at it through practice.

One group of students we do not do an effective job is supporting students identified with ADD/ADHD. Most often boys, they cannot focus, sit still, and are disorganized. Lost in School, by Ross Greene states we need to explicitly teach students the skills they lack. There is no point calling home to parents to tell them their child is disorganized – they know that. How do we help them become organized? We need to adapt our instruction and assessment practices to the needs of our learners. For instance, can we expect our ADD/ADHD students to concurrently listen to the teacher and copy notes? Whatever is written in the notes, does it get into the binder?

In my role as vice-principal, I monitor attendance and speak with students when I notice numerous absences and lates on the truancy list. For some students, truancy discontinues after an initial meeting with me. For others, truancy continues and I need to establish a working relationship with the student as I try to determine the reason for this behaviour. Often times, there are personal issues, other times students just don’t like school, or have gotten into a hole and they deal through avoidance. Being punitive is ineffective. Supporting students is vital as Cleveland reminds us: “The problem of underachievement didn’t happen overnight, and we need to recognize that finding solutions will take time too” (p. 218). There is never blame.