Boys!

Home

Chat

Blogs

Collection

Directory

Home : 2003 : January : 15

Boys!
By Grace

Hi CPC,
I teach the same age group as you in an inner city school. I know exactly what you mean with the boys. I believe that there are different ways of teaching boys and girls sometimes, so check if the methods you are
using are boy friendly. Many boys will be kinesthetic learners. They will not be listeners like girls.
They need as much hands on learning as possible. I do lots of practical maths. I have also encouraged the boys who don't particularly enjoy reading to practise a big book and then read it to a younger class. They also enjoy factual work and factual books. Yes they will enjoy listening

to stories, but when given the choice, they will most often pick non fiction books. I did a survey a few years ago and all boys except one chose mostly non fiction books. Let them look up encyclopedias or the internet for information.
If you are already doing all these things then perhaps you need to look at the way the class is made up. I have found that often one boy will be the leader and many others will follow. If there is more than one who is trying to be the leader, then this often causes big problems.
Just try to remember to tell the child that is in trouble, it is the behaviour you dislike and not him( even though you do have to struggle with that one sometimes). If they are blamed for something that is not their fault jump in and defend them in front of the class. This can have an amazing effect because maybe they always get the blame for things at home and suddenly someone is on their side.
How about putting them into groups for a reward system and make sure you split the girls around the groups.
Last of all, I have found over the years that using humour in a situation can often defuse things. They expect you to explode and you don't do it. With kids of this age you can do something silly like not letting them go out to play until they have shaken hands over and over and chanted Hullo friend, hullo friend. They have to laugh eventually!!!
Having so many boys in the class is tough, but if girls are nasty I think they are worse, so hang in there and I hope things improve for you.
Grace