Dear Reader,
When I first entered teaching, the context of a classroom was very straight forward. Students sit in rows and are expected to quietly absorb information, complete assignments, and generally remain busy. If a student was disruptive, anxious, or obnoxious generally the behavior would be associated with the student's choice to be disruptive. The assumption is that remaining quiet and completing work is a reasonable expectation that all students should be able to model. I remember a number of students being asked to leave class when they were unable to maintain such simple expectations. I also remember on a number of occasions I would also be asked to leave class and spend some time in the principle's office for my own disruptive behavior. I also remember being sent to the school counselor for testing, and I vividly remember when my mother approached me several days later with a pill that had been prescribed to me called Ritalin. I was in fifth grade.
At the time I didn't think about it that much I would wake up, take a pill and every three hours go to the nurses office to continue to take the pills throughout the day. All of my teachers were aware that I was one of those ADHD students, and I would be seated in special locations and given "special" treatment. I would also be privy to teacher's opinions on the "disorder" as being a cop out or an excuse. Overtime, though, I was not so alone. I noticed that many of my friends - all boys - were also diagnosed and making regular trips to the nurses' office. We usually became close friends because we had a secret knowledge of how teachers treated students like us, and would often have similar stories and struggles.
This blog, however, is not about ADHD. It's about boys and the unique struggles that many boys may face when subjected to the oppressive silence and stillness of most learning labs or classrooms. This is not to say that girls do not suffer the same issues in these environments, because many do, it just that I wanted to focus on boys because I believe that there are many elements of "masculinity" that contrast greatly with the expectations of the classroom and I believe that many boys - as they are figuring out how to be men - are subjected to an environment that is not open to appreciating certain masculine qualities.
Before you explore the posts below I think it would be helpful to read some of the statistics about boys in our current education system. They have a higher drop out rate, suicide rate, and failure rate than their female peers. There is a wealth of evidence that shows that many boys do not fit into the mold of the "good student" that traditional classroom environments expect. I believe that this leaves many boys feeling out of place, undervalued, and under appreciated in their school system. But there is hope.
In the tab of "teaching strategies" I have created videos of teachers who have created lessons that are "boy friendly". These classrooms encorporate more movement, competition, and visual aids than would many traditional or verbally based classroom environments. While most classroom environments still demand a certain amount of silence and individual work, there are certain strategies that can harness some of the masculine energy that boys carry within them and use it in the lessons, without the need of labeling the energy as negative or a "disorder".
I am excited to read your bog. Having just begun teaching pre-school again and having an unusually "busy" bunch of 3 and 4 year old boys I am witnessing every-day that the learning style of boys and girls is different. I try to make my lessons really active, but I need to challenge myself to not just add movement, but add lessons where we can create and build and destroy-in essence work with our hands and get dirty. But this takes extra planning and a commitment to think about teaching in a different way. I am up for it-I hope.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your story Dave. The fact that you have experienced the ADHD label and meds associated with it makes this blog and the information you provide even more meaningful and bold. You are right, the classroom confines are not for every child and lessons/teaching should come with more action. As an educator, I don't think that Ritalin should be the first sought "solution" to a child's struggle with attention. There are often many more and glaring issues at hand that should be addressed before meds and labels ever play a role.
ReplyDeleteIn response to your blog page "Teaching Strategies":
ReplyDeleteI agree with bullet #3! Boys or girls should be engaged in reading materials that interest them. This quarter I took Literacy for Special Needs which discussed in-depth the issues that students have faced for decades in school which is a lack of ownership over their learning and a lack of connection to the material they are presented with. Reading, especially SSR, is often the one opportunity students have to choose their material (sadly). Students, boys and girls, should be presented with materials that lend themselves to a variety of interests!
In response to bullet #1, I tend to hold all the students to the same standard for returning homework. If you're suggesting making acceptions to this rule that is often in place in classrooms, how would you suggest doing so while still emphasizing fairness and the need to complete the work and on time?
I suppose that depends on one's focus. I tend to default that the goal of education is learning, and what ever I can do to increase the learning of each individual, i will do - even if others label such actions as unfair to them... I suppose I would say it is not unfair, because I would do the same for any student if it increased the chance that they would complete the learning task. What is fair any way? As a student labeled as ADHD I was given more time to take tests ... was that fair? and if so to whom... It's something to think about.
ReplyDeleteIn response to your blog page "Dropping Out":
ReplyDeleteYou noted the following facts - Once in college, males are more likely to withdraw from or leave school without completing their degree; For every 100 women in America who earn a bachelor's degree, only 73 men complete the same degree; Women who earn master's degrees outnumber men by more than 30%.
As a woman, I wonder whether these stats can be attributed to ADHD, lack of academic/classroom/school fulfillment for boys, or that Men are often paid more than women and can obtain jobs that pay more with less education? Case in point is my husband...he has a BA in Science/Finance and get paid 6 figures with just a few more years of work experience than myself. Also, in his line of work, women are rarely allowed into the "boys club" simply because they are women. He will never have to get a Master's degree or continuing education and will continue to be the bread winner and receive pay increases. I, on the other hand, must get my Master's to receive a pay increase and maintain my certification. Just some thoughts...
The focus of the differences between learning and the genders is an interesting subject. I would have to agree with all that you stated about classrooms being geared more for the stereotypical girl student. I say stereotypical because I myself being an individual with ADHD always fell into the category which you are labeling as boy. The classroom environment was difficult and generally I had minimal success and got into a lot of trouble.
ReplyDeleteAs a teacher I have been able to apply my personal experiences to my teachings and have found great success with the more active students. As an educator I think that it is important to constantly be reevaluating lessons from the perspective of the learner. I try to ask myself, if I was the student would I be engaged and at what point would I need movement etc... Thanks for the research and thoughts on the subject. i found your blog informative and interesting.