Following my previous post Fast kids in slow classrooms I came across this article from Parent Map where a parent's point of view is taken into account when her son bounds into school on his first day, only to encounter a telling off for running.
This innate boyness is often misunderstood by the predominantly female primary school teachers (yes I know this is a broad brush generalisation and no offence is intended) as deliberately naughty. Running, pushing, jibing, bundling, noise are all parts of them, what they are. Their essence. And it doesn't stop there. Adult males still have many of these traits.
So are they disadvantaged, dealt with unfairly or do we need to look at how we manage them and how we deliver the curriculum to them?
What are the changes we need to see in their contact with the school establishment that will enable them to still be boys, yet manage to be seen as acting appropriately and progressing their learning at the required rate?
What does the boy-friendly environment look and feel like. Does anyone out there have examples of great practice in the k-6, Junior environment, and ideas of what they do differently that makes their environment work?
Any comments, as usual, gratefully received
First published 30 Jan 2012
This innate boyness is often misunderstood by the predominantly female primary school teachers (yes I know this is a broad brush generalisation and no offence is intended) as deliberately naughty. Running, pushing, jibing, bundling, noise are all parts of them, what they are. Their essence. And it doesn't stop there. Adult males still have many of these traits.
So are they disadvantaged, dealt with unfairly or do we need to look at how we manage them and how we deliver the curriculum to them?
What are the changes we need to see in their contact with the school establishment that will enable them to still be boys, yet manage to be seen as acting appropriately and progressing their learning at the required rate?
What does the boy-friendly environment look and feel like. Does anyone out there have examples of great practice in the k-6, Junior environment, and ideas of what they do differently that makes their environment work?
Any comments, as usual, gratefully received
First published 30 Jan 2012