1. Making Sense of Boys Anita Hairston Assistant Principal Governor Thomas Johnson Middle School Patrick Morgan Teacher Specialist Curriculum and Professional Development Jason Rubeling Teacher Specialist Curriculum and Professional Development

2. Standards-Based Lesson Planning Pair up with your colleague Pair up with your colleague Discuss each component of the lesson plan Discuss each component of the lesson plan Discuss how you addressed the idea of “engagement is not an event”, as well as how emotional needs of students were met Discuss how you addressed the idea of “engagement is not an event”, as well as how emotional needs of students were met Reflection on the lesson Reflection on the lesson Successes/challenges/what you’d do differently Successes/challenges/what you’d do differently Discussion Discussion Engagement is not an event…

3. Objectives Examine the concept of transitivity and its implications for boys. Explore current brain research concerning how boys and girls learn and process information. Explore a variety of transitive strategies.

4. In terms of brain-friendly instructional strategies……what works for girls? Boys?

5. Share…

6. The Transitive Factor in Effective Lessons “As many of the teacher narratives make clear, diversion and easy engagement are far from the aim—or the result—of their effective efforts. There is, instead, a quality of transitivity running through the effective practices reported. That is, the motor activity or the adrenal boost of competing or the power of an unexpected surprise in the classroom does not merely engage or delight” it is transitive to highly specific learning outcomes. Transitivity is the ability to hold ones attention all the way to mastery.

7. Out of This Universe You have been given two red and two black cards You have been given two red and two black cards On the red…. On the red…. Write down a prime number on one card and a composite number on the other Write down a prime number on one card and a composite number on the other On the black…. On the black…. On one card, write down a number greater than 70 that is divisible by 6 On one card, write down a number greater than 70 that is divisible by 6 On the other, write down a number, greater than 100, that is divisible by 9 On the other, write down a number, greater than 100, that is divisible by 9

8. Now…… Form teams of 3……. Each team will be given some red and black cards Determine if the red cards you have been given are prime or composite Determine if the black cards you have been given are divisible by 6 or 9 Discussion…….. Take your red cards that are composite, evaluate which cards are divisible by 6 or 9 ONE MORE TIME….but now….use what you know…..

9. Out of This Universe How was transitivity addressed? How was transitivity addressed?

10. What the boys want Playfulness in lessons Playfulness in lessons Fun, play, gaming, surprise, role play, “screen time” Adventure and discovery Adventure and discovery Being “free” Being “outside”

11. What boys want Centering opportunities Centering opportunities Reaching in, drawing out, mobilizing, being physical, visual illustrations, “hands-on” and making things. Social Validation Social Validation Performance and Display, debate, competition, teamwork, peer learning

12. What boys want Self-Completion- Self-Completion- Lifted to success, meeting the challenge on one’s own, personal realization Goal Setting Goal Setting

13. The Transitive factors in effective lesson planning will give boys what they want and need. Create product Create product Use gaming Use gaming Encourage motor activity Encourage motor activity Role Play/Perform Role Play/Perform Let them openly inquire Let them openly inquire Teamwork and competition Teamwork and competition Reflection for personal realization Reflection for personal realization

16. There is a great deal of research… Here are a few interesting thoughts…

17. A BOY’S BRAIN Right hemisphere develops earlier than in females = discipline & sports Testosterone levels aid in abstract manipulation, spatial, math, and so on More compartmentalized brain use, narrower corpus collosum = “Narrow lane in the woods and wins on Jeopardy!”…overload = nag, nag, nag… Less Serotonin = impulsive (quick hands up!), suicide, rage, suicide… Boys move emotive material down from limbic to brain stem (fight or flight!)… Resting brain less active than female brain Hormones Rule: Males receive seven spikes of hormone a day on average making their mood vacillate…testosterone level vary… Boys can take hours to process emotion – crisis at home in the AM could mean little learning all day! Speaks 2000 words on average a day…

18. FEMALE BRAIN FACTS Develops earlier: Myelination/insulation Left hemisphere develops earlier and is larger than the right Larger Corpus Collosum & Cerebellum: Highway between the spheres, take in more sensory data, decision-making… Spreads thinking function over wider area of the brain = greater coping = fewer learning disabilities 20 to 30% more serotonin = shyness, low self confidence… Hormones Rule: fluctuations = differing academic abilities… Uses higher level brain structures to solve issues… Speaks roughly 8000 words a day…

19. Jack’s Brain… Has less “cross-talk” between the two sides of the brain…this makes multi-tasking far more difficult for them than girls. Has less “cross-talk” between the two sides of the brain…this makes multi-tasking far more difficult for them than girls. Has less “cross-talk” between the two sides of the brain…this makes multi-tasking far more difficult for them than girls. Has less “cross-talk” between the two sides of the brain…this makes multi-tasking far more difficult for them than girls. Is more stimulated by diagrams, pictures, and objects moving through space. Is more stimulated by diagrams, pictures, and objects moving through space. Remembers information more easily when it is in list format Remembers information more easily when it is in list format Takes up to five hours longer to process emotive data… girls deal with such data almost immediately. Takes up to five hours longer to process emotive data… girls deal with such data almost immediately. Has a “lack of language” when compared to girls; double whammy if the boy comes from poverty. Has a “lack of language” when compared to girls; double whammy if the boy comes from poverty.

20. Boys don’t hear as well as girls, especially soft or high frequency sounds. Where are boys seated? Is teacher aware of their volume? Boys’ gaze is attracted by motion. Get kinesthetic! Movement, manipulatives, sorts, etc. Boys learn best when instruction involves hands-on activities. Teacher movement…

21. The male brain has to recharge and renew by going into a “rest state” far more easily and more frequently than the female brain. Boys may unconsciously attempt to keep their brains awake by… now taking bets…

22. This does not excuse unacceptable behavior; it does help us make sense of the “why” and serve as an indicator that the brain is engaging in a rest period. It’s the “fidget before the storm!”

23. What Can Teachers Do? Boy Brain tendency… Strategies The “rest state” Less “cross talk” Respond to charts and pictures Slow emotive response Tend to use more space when working Lack of language Purposeful movement, “stress balls,” allow to stand up, ask yourself – “Is being seated absolutely necessary?” Chunk directions; one thing at a time Create these types of visuals when possible Give processing time; draw it; write it down Be patient, look for intent not always words alone, help develop emotive language, make it ok to talk about feelings If possible, have areas of the room for boys to spread out their materials (floor space, work desks, etc.

24. Think this doesn’t matter? Data from the Department of Education and the State Department confirm this trend: Boys receive 70% of D and F grades Boys receive 70% of D and F grades Boys account for 80% of high school dropouts Boys account for 80% of high school dropouts Boys cause 80% of classroom behavioral problems Boys cause 80% of classroom behavioral problems Boys represent up to 70% of children diagnosed with learning disabilities Boys represent up to 70% of children diagnosed with learning disabilities Boys represent 80% of children diagnosed with behavioral problems Boys represent 80% of children diagnosed with behavioral problems Boys average a year to a year and a half lag behind girls in reading and writing skills Boys average a year to a year and a half lag behind girls in reading and writing skills Boys represent up to 80% of children on Ritalin and other medicine used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Boys represent up to 80% of children on Ritalin and other medicine used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Boys represent less than 44% of America's college students Boys represent less than 44% of America's college students http://www.schoolsforboys.com/boys-at-risk.html

26. Reflection… 1.What concept has the most significant impact in your classroom? 2.What surprised you or what did you find the most interesting or useful? Write it… Two lines facing each other… Throw your reflection to a colleague to share!

27. For our next session…. List the fidgety boys in your classroom…….. List the fidgety boys in your classroom…….. Create a 4 step, standards-based lesson with a focus on those “fidgety” boys in your room. Create a 4 step, standards-based lesson with a focus on those “fidgety” boys in your room. Reflection on the lesson Reflection on the lesson

28. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

30. We’re just wired differently!

32. Translations for Women….. “Maybe” Translation: No “Are you listening to me?” Translation: Too late, your dead. “Was that the baby?” Translation: Why don’t you get out of bed and walk him until he goes to sleep. “Nothing” Translation: Everything “No, nothing…really” Translation: It’s just that you’re such an idiot.

33. Translations for Men….. “It’s a guy thing” Translation: There is no rational thought pattern connected with it, and you have no chance at all of making it logical. “That’s interesting dear” Translation: Are you still talking? “Oh, don’t fuss, I just cut myself a little…it’s no big thing” Translation: I have actually severed a limb but will bleed to death before I admit that I’m hurt.

34. Strategies for Girls…. Smile and make eye contact Smile and make eye contact Sit in the back of the room, lower tone Sit in the back of the room, lower tone Add more role plays Add more role plays Use inductive reasoning, teach deductive reasoning (general to specific) Use inductive reasoning, teach deductive reasoning (general to specific) Group it, try same sex grouping when the boys are around Group it, try same sex grouping when the boys are around Use manipulatives to teach math/spatial skills Use manipulatives to teach math/spatial skills Create group problem-solving activities Create group problem-solving activities Integrate “hands-on” experiences and journaling Integrate “hands-on” experiences and journaling Avoid confrontational style Avoid confrontational style Increase “face” time Increase “face” time Use cooperative learning frequently Use cooperative learning frequently Focus girls thinking on the big picture Focus girls thinking on the big picture When providing feedback, be discreet and specific When providing feedback, be discreet and specific

35. Strategies for Boys…. Use “shoulder to shoulder” approach when possible Use “shoulder to shoulder” approach when possible Do not confront boys directly…walk with OR approach slowly and sit or stand slightly to the side. Do not confront boys directly…walk with OR approach slowly and sit or stand slightly to the side. Sit closer to the front of the room and you Sit closer to the front of the room and you Competitions and games with time constraints are great Competitions and games with time constraints are great Use illustrations, graphs, pictures, and symbols to highlight content Use illustrations, graphs, pictures, and symbols to highlight content Encourage debate about abstract ideas- especially moral Encourage debate about abstract ideas- especially moral Use manipulatives when possible Use manipulatives when possible Wait-time, wait-time, wait-time…. Wait-time, wait-time, wait-time…. Plan movement into activity/lesson (1 min X age) Plan movement into activity/lesson (1 min X age) Lists, codes, and jargon is cool Lists, codes, and jargon is cool Have lots of things for boys to touch, listen to and smell when reading and writing are being taught Have lots of things for boys to touch, listen to and smell when reading and writing are being taught Use boy only groups when needed Use boy only groups when needed Allow physical movement in the classroom Allow physical movement in the classroom Make available lots of space for learning Make available lots of space for learning Offer opportunities for storytelling and other activities that develop imaginative and verbal skills Offer opportunities for storytelling and other activities that develop imaginative and verbal skills