jameswang.net

I really enjoyed this talk. She dives into the educational experience of boys in our world today and how there’s a big disconnect. Some of the things she points out are at

1) Zero tolerance policies on things that are just boy things – Examples being limiting writing topics a boy can write about to the point where they hate writing, not because they wouldn’t be good at it but because of the topics they are allowed to pursue.
2) The percentage of male teachers in schools has gone down from 14% to 7% in the last 10 years. Lack of male role models and male thinking in classrooms has really made boys feel like the classroom is not really a place for them. It sends a message that the classroom is a place for girls, not a place for boys.
3) Kindergarten is the old second grade – She states that we are expecting a lot from kids now in kindergarten. There’s a lot of pressure on teachers, many of them female, with compressed curriculum, to get all the kids through the class. The message is, “Focus, manage your time, pay attention, don’t talk. Act more like a girl.”

What can be done?
Change teacher attitudes about boy culture and speaking more their language.
Invest and innovate in ways to bring game theory into classrooms

This is a very very light summary of what she says, but check it out for yourself.

Check it out.

If you aren’t on jameswang.net, check out the original post here for the video:
http://jameswang.net/2011/04/22/ted-thursdays-ali-carr-chellman-gaming-to-re-engage-boys-in-learning/

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