JUNE 2011 Newsletter 

   Dr. Edmond J. Dixon 

SEPTEMBER'S

NEWSLETTER:

FINDING BOYS WHERE

THE "HUMOUR" IS... 

ENGAGING MALES IN CLASSROOM LEARNING

An ongoing series sharing with you exciting findings from the research on my new book to help you get the boys in your class to reach their true potential!

Why Teachers Should Meet Boys Where They Learn

There are six "places" boys have gone to learn since the earliest times. While not physical locations they are just as real, because they influence how male brains have been wired to learn. Teachers who meet boys' minds in these places find eager learners who are engaged and enthusiastic about meeting the teacher's expectations.  Last month we saw how important Movement is to boy's learning. Now let 's look at the next one! 

BOYS ARE:

What We See...

He always want to "play", is hyper competitive, and has little interest in classroom tasks...

He works hard on the soccer pitch, but is lazy in class. Nothing seems to motivate him...  

He disrupts class with foolish behaviour, goofs off with other guys, and only gets his work done when told he won't be able to go out for recess or play on the school team.

Why Games are Important for Males  

Although it is not always obvious at first, these boys are looking for a  game to help them learn. 

All males play games 

Across all cultures and at all times in history, males have played games. They provide a structure in which boys can learn about themselves and others in an experiential way.  When used effectively, they can prepare males for responsible behaviour in the real world by fostering understanding, teamwork and ego-sublimation. 

 Winning a game has physiological benefits!

The chemical symbol on the left is Testosterone, which spikes in males when they "win" at a game or succeed in a task they have set for themselves. It makes them feel strong, powerful and confident, and willing to take on new challenges. In the same way, when boys lose they suffer a drop in testosterone, which can make them feel lousy. This is the basis for the competitiveness that is found in almost all boys and why they are attracted to games--both real and virtual--that they can become good at. Too often, however, boys see what goes on in class as a game that they don't want to play because they cannot win.  

Boys will turn anything into a game or competition

Pardon The Interruption is a television sports program popular with males not just because it talks about games, but because it is a game! Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon argue about sports and each one tries to show how wrong the other is. But the game is elevated even further by the timer that appears in corner of the screen as they talk. With only seconds allocated to the subject they must get all of their arguments in before the timer counts down to zero.  

This kind of thing is great fun for males and can be seen in negative ways in class when boys constantly annoy others, "fight" over a seat, or try to flick paper at another student to make her react. They are often playing games that do not make learning easier. But what if we could use games to supercharge male learning in class?

 How to Use Games to Engage boys in the Classroom

Educators who can leverage the male love of games are effective in teaching boys.  This does not always mean using formal games in class. Rather, it can be done by taking the characteristics of "male" games and infusing them into their teaching strategies. Some of these characteristics are: 

1. Use timed tasks for game-like urgency in class  

 Research has shown that boys perform better when under moderate stress induced by a timed task. It helps to focus their minds as they try and complete the task and as well as to win by "beating" the clock. The key to this strategy is making sure the learning task and success criteria are clear before  the timing begins.

2. Allow boys to team up to compete against others 

Teachers are sometimes leery of this, but our experience shows that competition against peers is the basis for much of male game playing and can be used in learning situations just as effectively. This can be done individually in a class, but I have found it most effective when males are put in teams and then asked to meet certain standards in a classroom assignment. Just knowing that the other team is trying to win can spur them on to higher achievement. Having a simple reward like computer time for the group when it accomplishes the tasks is quite effective. The reward is open to everyone, but it requires teamwork and task accomplishment.

3. Use KEEN to leverage game playing with the curriculum!

Here is an example of a  KEEN Strategy for leveraging writing. Notice how the game the two boys are playing makes it easy to get them to write afterwards!