Boys and Girls Learn Differently! 1 Boys & Girls Learn Differently! Kelley King, Associate Director Gurian Institute 2008

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Boys and Girls Learn Differently!

Boys & Girls Learn Differently!Kelley King, Associate Director

Gurian Institute 2008

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Ratio of Boys:Girls• Excelling at geography 45:1• Discipline referrals 9:1• Learning disabled 2:1• Behaviorally disordered 9:1• ADHD 8:2• Substance abusers 7:3• Receiving Ds and Fs 7:3• Retained 2:1• High School Dropouts 8:2

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Root Cause Analysis

• Work with your table group.• Choose a statement.• Ask “Why?” Record.• Ask “Why?” Record.• Repeat.

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http://www.bbc.co.ukSearch: Sex ID

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Verbal - Spatial Differences

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Sensory &

Emotive Differen

ces

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Neural Rest States

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Cross-Talk

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Frontal

Lobe

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Chemical &

Hormonal Difference

s

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“Aggression Nurturance”

Involves physical

interaction, tough

talk, competitive

games, and

aggressive nonverbal

gestures.

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“Empathy Nurturance”

Understanding how

someone else is

feeling and really

identifying with that

person and those

feelings.

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Boys (and men!) establish pecking orders which are extremely important to them.

When they are low in the pecking order, stress hormones go up and learning goes down

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Classroom Strategies:

Closing the Gender Gaps

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Increase Movement• Less talking at them

• Brain Breaks

• Lessons with movement

• Social interaction

• Small motor stimulation

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General Movement Ideas

• Class set of clipboards

• Standing up while writing

• Standing up during discussions or lecture

• Stand up instead of raising hand

• Stretching exercises

• Get own supplies

• Stress balls, hand fidgets

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Content-Integrated Movement Ideas

• Ball Toss Review

• Continent Scramble

• Phonics Phitness

• Vote with Your Feet

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•Boys need more physical work space.

•Make sure desks can be moved aside.

•Create a variety of seating arrangements

•Take it outdoors

Creating space…

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www.songsthatteach.com

www.songsforteaching.com

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In your table group some up with:

• A lesson that could incorporate movement

• A great idea for a Brain Break

• A great movement song

Choose someone who will share your best idea with the whole group!

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Use Visual-Spatials

• Graphic Organizers

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• Learning Scrolls

• Word Walls

• Symbol Cards

♥ ☼ ♂ $

Use Visual-Spatials

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Incorporate Topics That Appeal To Boys

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“A good book for a boy is one he wants to read.”(Moloney, 2002)

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Topics that appeal to boys

• Aggression-themes, violent scenarios

• Action-oriented, competition

• Superheroes• Gross or slapstick humor• Stories reconstructed

from TV & video games

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Girls tend to favor:

•Relational-themes•Stories about feelings and memories•Stories about family, friends


Violence in boys’ writing•Where do you draw the line?•Have the boundaries changed in light of school shootings?•Are we shutting boys down?•What are ideas for managing what is written & shared?

•http://www.pbs.org/opb/raisingcain/

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Suggestions for Boys…

• Bring in boys’ outside interests

• Appreciate boy humor

• Be open to aggression themes in writing

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• Add “non-school” texts to classroom libraries.

• Check out www.guysread.com

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Use song lyrics as text

www.rockhall.com

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• Share books that appeal to boys / girls.

• What kinds of “non-school” texts can you add to your classroom?

• Where do you draw the line with violence in boys’ writing?

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Offer Single-Sex Groups

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Make Learning Real

• KIDS’ INTERESTS• REAL WORLD STUFF• COMPETITION• AUDIENCE

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What REAL ISSUES can kids work on?

How can you tap into their POP CULTURE?

How can you expand AUDIENCE opportunities in the school?Are there opportunities

for healthy competition?

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Mentors & Role Models


Boys are faced with many contradictions between school literacy practices and societal

expectations regarding masculinity.

From: Canadian Adolescent Boys and Literacy Study

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• Dads/men during literacy

• Vertical mentors

• Postcards to students

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• Share ideas for getting dads involved with literacy at school and at home.

• How might older students serve as mentors to younger students?


Action Plan• Jot down three things that you would like to

implement in your classroom.

•Share your plan with a partner.

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THANK YOU!

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Please complete the evaluation on the last page of your manual!

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Boys and Girls Learn Differently! 1 Boys & Girls Learn Differently! Kelley King, Associate Director Gurian Institute 2008