By Jo McKinnon
Do boys respond to school and teachers in a different way to girls? How can you help boys enjoy school? We consult the experts...
Boys, it seems, are sensitive guys when it comes to school. They crave good teachers who know their subject and treat them like people. They like learning things that connect with their real world. And, importantly, they respond more negatively than girls to what they see as indifferent or unsatisfactory teaching.
Dr Geoff Munns, associate professor at the School of Education in University of Western Sydney, has spent 20 years researching what connects boys to education, from pre-school through to high school.
"What appears to be the case with boys is, number one: boys are more reliant on good teaching than girls appear to be. Good teaching is critical for boys," he says.
That relationship between teacher and student is pivotal, especially for boys who through their background and other factors may not think school is important. Losing that close connection when they go to high school creates problems for some boys.
"I think the big advantage of the primary school environment is you have one person who looks out for you; who knows you really well. Who understands when things aren't going really right for you, who looks out for you in the playground," says Dr Munns.
"As kids move into secondary school you kind of lose some of that, and some of the kids do fine. But certainly some of the schools that we've worked with who've had disengaged boys have looked to try and make a home room environment which more resembles a primary school set-up... you know, let's have fewer teachers and try to develop a model of a closer relationship between the teacher and the kids."
Mentoring, either by an older student or someone else from the community, can also be successful. This can be particularly important when boys are from a single-parent family headed by their mum. Having a good male role model appears to make a difference.
Other things keep boys ticking at school, too. In 2006, the Motivation and Engagement of Boys report looked at 15 co-educational schools in poorer areas of Australia that were successfully producing good outcomes for their boys.
It found that boys enjoyed and engaged in school more if they had some say in what they were doing in their classroom. Opportunities to work in groups, doing projects and problem-based learning kept the students more interested. Access to computers and information technology also helped, but it had to be used well. "Not old-hat type of stuff but advanced stuff like getting the kids to do a website design; working with computers at a high level," Dr Munns explains.
Literacy, often fingered as the culprit in learning problems, didn't need to be taught as something on its own. Reading could flow from following a manual for building a bike or putting together a website.
Victoria Clay, the team leader for teaching and learning at the University of Newcastle's Family Action Centre, says asking boys what they want can make a huge difference to their classroom experience.
"They're not often asked what do you think about our school, how can we improve in the classroom. And they often want very straightforward things. They want teachers who know their subject really well and can teach it really well. Teachers who take a personal interest in them and show them some respect. And teachers who are capable of having a good relationship with them as well.
"And in turn they will listen and they will do their best. And they will be prepared to do the 'boring work', so long as it's not the same every lesson."
Parents also have a role in a boy's experience of school. Taking an interest in their schoolwork and what's happened during the day sends a message that school matters. So does being involved with the school — and that goes for dads as well as mums.
Asking boys questions — such as, What did you learn?, What did you find interesting at school today?, Did something funny happen at school today? — can start a conversation. Often that's the best way to find out if your child is enjoying school or striking problems.
You don't have to be a rocket scientist to help your son get the most from school, but who knows? With a bit of encouragement you could see him become one.
