A study conducted by Richard Hawley and Michael Reichert along with the International Boys’ Schools Coalition looked at how boys best learn in a school setting. The study (Teaching Boys: A Global Study of Effective Practices, 2009) looked at a variety of all boys' schools across several countries, including the United States. The idea was to find out from those teachers who teach only boys, what are the best teaching practices to enable boys to thrive in school.
What Works Best When Teaching Boys
Through the information gathered in the study, there are eight general categories that a successful lesson plan will fall into:
- Something that produces a product
- Learning games
- Rigorous motor activity
- Solving broad or open questions
- Lessons that include surprising elements
- Have the students be responsible for helping each other learn
- Competition and team play
- Focusing on masculinity and social roles
Additionally, many excellent lessons can fall into more than one category. One example of an effective activity mentioned in the study was teaching swordsmanship during a lesson on Shakespeare.
Much conversation surrounded the topic of engaging students. All activities and elements of any given effective lesson were designed to attract the students’ attention and teach at the same time. “Behavioral Feedback” is explained as the key guide for a teacher in rethinking lesson plans to be more effective at teaching boys.
Interpreting the Data for Effective Teaching of Boys
While data from other sources show that a high level of interest correlates with higher test scores, there is no discussion in this particular study as to how lesson plans were qualified as effective other than stating that they kept the boys’ interest. Through the in-depth discussion on student engagement, it is obvious that the researchers are using engagement or lack thereof, as the benchmark for effective teaching.
The study states that “effective adjustments will result in better engagement, sustained effort, and mastery on the boys’ part.” Even so, the only qualification for what makes a lesson plan adjustment effective is whether or not the boys are engaged in the lesson rather than testing data. Teachers are thus led to believe that student engagement should guide their assessment of the effectiveness of any given lesson.
It is important to note that there is raising concern as to the ability of the public school system in the United States to effectively teach and engage boys. This concern prompted this study, and as a result, teachers can look at their lessons to find ways to better reach the boys in their classrooms. Unfortunately this study does not provide any information on how this engagement impacts test scores, thus calling for further study.
Additional Information:
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Understanding Standardized Test Scores - a collection of information on how to raise math and reading scores in Elementary, Middle and High School.
Jennifer Wagaman - Jennifer is a mother of 2 and has both public, private and administrative experience in the education field.
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