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21st Century Boys

21st Century Boys. Will Fastiggi. Session Objectives:. Understand instinctive differences between boys & girls Recognise how modern life is more problematic for boys Identify possible solutions. The starting point:.

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21st Century Boys

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  1. 21st Century Boys WillFastiggi

  2. Session Objectives: Understandinstinctivedifferencesbetweenboys & girls Recognisehowmodernlifeis more problematicforboys Identifypossiblesolutions

  3. The starting point: ‘Girlsnowout-performboys in almosteverycurriculumsubject in the UK. 70% of girlsgoontofurther and highereducation, as opposedto 50% of boys.’ (Sue Palmer, 2009) Understandinstinctivedifferencesbetweenboys & girls

  4. Why should 21st century lifestyle be particularly damaging for boys? Theevidencesuggestsit’sto do withthegrowingdiscrepancybetweeninstinctivemalebehaviour and thedemands of modernlife. Understandinstinctivedifferencesbetweenboys & girls

  5. Accordingtoevolutionarybiologists, majorgendertraits relate back toourremotepast… Females, whowereusuallypregnantorlookingaftersmallchildren, stayedbehind at camp tonurturethenextgeneration. Thejob of themalewastoprotect and provide. Understandinstinctivedifferencesbetweenboys & girls

  6. Core differences • Menare proventobe… • More violent • Risk-takers • Extremelycompetitive Understandinstinctivedifferencesbetweenboys & girls

  7. What is the result of these instinctive differences? ‘Thebigdifferenceisthatboysexternalisetheirproblems and it comes out as badbehaviour – girlstendtointernaliseit, as sadness. Boys’ issues are thereforeissuesforothers, notjustthemselves.’ (Sami Timimi, 2005) Understandinstinctivedifferencesbetweenboys & girls

  8. Why should this externalisation matter for society? “Ifboys are notreasonablycivilised, confident and abletoexerciseself-control bythe time theyreachtheirteens, they can become a problemforsociety: fourout of five criminal offences are committedby males.” (Sue Palmer, 2009) Understandinstinctivedifferencesbetweenboys & girls

  9. Allowing boys to be boys Thetraditional liberal (and feminist) line of argumentisthatthereshould be a zerotoleranceapproachtoviolence and anemphasisonhelpingboystoemphasise and collaborate. Itseems a reasonableargument. 2. Recognisehowmodernlifeis more problematicforboys

  10. ‘We don’t play with guns here’ In pre-schoolsthatallowsuperheroplay, nurseryworkersfindthepretendviolencesoondiesdown and boysstartdevising rules of engagement – theirownways of ensuring ‘fairplay’.

  11. Boys will be boys: the facts Across cultures, littleboys of aroundthreeorfourhavealwaysplayedviolentgamescentredongoodies versus badies. Thetraditional liberal (and feminist) approachistopartcularlydiscourageplayfightingwhenitinvolvespretendingtoplaywith replica guns.

  12. Boys will be boys: the facts Studies show thatyoung males deprived of theopportunitytofightgrow up more violent, notless. It’shighlypossiblethat rough and tumble, pseudo-playis a way of learningtodiffuseaggression.

  13. Possible reasons for violent play Perhaps, as sometheoristsmaintain, boys are strugglingthroughplayto come totermswith fundamental questions of good and evil. Perhapstheyoungerthey are thecloserthey are totheir Stone Ageheritage, and theyneed a way of gettingaggressiveinstinctsout of theirsystem.

  14. Boys will be boys: the facts Nurserystaffwhoreversedtheirzerotoleranceapproachnotedthat‘children are far more effective at managingplay-fightingthemselves, bothtoavoidinjury and sustainplay, thanhadpreviouslybeenthoughtpossible’.

  15. ToxicChildhood 2. Recognisehowmodernlifeis more problematicforboys

  16. What evidence is there that boys are particularly affected? • Girlsnowout-performboys in mostcurriculumsubjects • Boyshavegreater chance of sufferingfrom ‘developmentaldisorders` • ADHD & dyspraxia 4:1 • Reading problems 3:1 • Asperger syndrome 9:1 • - Behaviouralproblems 2:1 2. Recognisehowmodernlifeis more problematicforboys

  17. The ingredients that underpin boys’ social & emotional needs: LOVE LANGUAGE DISCIPLINE PLAY LITERACY 3. Identifypossiblesolutions

  18. What can parents do? Love, Language, Discipline, Play… Providethebasics: Nutritiousfood A safe home Plenty of sleep & exercise 3. Identifypossiblesolutions

  19. Problems that thwart parents’ efforts to instil good habits Theelectronicvillage: The marketing and screen-based culture inhibitshealthyeating, goodsleeproutines and free play – fromanearlyage. 3. Identifypossiblesolutions

  20. Why play is so important for boys Studiesaroundtheworld show thatboys are more likelythangirlstoengage in riskyactivities- it’s in their genes. In 2007, researchers at London Universitypublishedevidencethat 21st century 11-year-olds are up tothreeyearsbehindtheircounterparts in 1990 in terms of theircommonsense. Theyputitdowntolack of play. 3. Identifypossiblesolutions

  21. The toy determines the play, not the child When a childisgiven a manufactured replica toyorscreen-basedentertainment , itlimitsthechild’simagination.

  22. The Commercialisation of Childhood Ashallow and superficial generation of ‘superconsumers’ iscreated. Childrenlearntoseekhappinessthroughconsumption, self-indulgence and screen-basedentertainment. Boys and girls are objectifiedfromanearlyage, limitingtheirindividuality and creativity.

  23. The Commercialisation of Childhood CONCLUSION: Childrenshould be protectedfromcorporate marketing. How can weprotectchildrenfromcorporate marketing? 3. Identifypossiblesolutions

  24. What can teachers do? Literacy matters… Literacyhelps human beingsbecomebetterthinkers. The net effectistomake human beings more rational, and thus more civilised. 3. Identifypossiblesolutions

  25. Literacy matters Reading mayofferboys a waytodevelop ‘peopleskills’ too. A boywhobecomes a committedreader can developtheabilitytoconnectwithothermindsbyunderstandingthemotivations and feelings of characters in a story. 3. Identifypossiblesolutions

  26. Learningtoread and write has a hugeknock-oneffectonlanguageskills, whichresearch shows come lesseasilyto males thanfemales. Books introduce themto new, more sophisticatedvocabulary, and alsoto more complexsentencestructures. 3. Identifypossiblesolutions

  27. A strategy to address this… Storytelling Tellingchildrenstoriesisanexcellentintroductiontothepleasures of reading and theconventions of literacy. 3. Identifypossiblesolutions

  28. Storytelling Thishelpsdevelopchildren’spower of narrative, whichtendsto be a weaknessforboys. Girlstendto be better at this, as theyusuallyengage in more small-scaleplay and liketalkingtotheirtoys. Theseplaytime monologues are a way of thinkingoutloud. 3. Identifypossiblesolutions

  29. Storytelling As childrengrowolder, the monologues graduallybecomeinternalised as thoughtprocesses, so as adultsweoftenfindourselvesregressing and ‘talkingitthrough’. 3. Identifypossiblesolutions

  30. The importance of play and its links to literacy Whenboys are allowedto be boys, playingtheirownself-chosengames, theymovefromshouts and soundeffectstousinglanguage in increasinglyconstructiveways. As well as making up rules and negotiating roles and boundaries, theymayactuallybegin, likethegirls, toprovidenarrativecommentaries.

  31. Summarising Quote: Theprophet of Islam statedthat: ‘Thefirstsevenyears are forplay, thesecondseven are for discipline and education, thethirdseven are forkeepingwiththeadults.’

  32. The importance of mentors Manyyoungstersseemto be pursuing a ‘loss of themind’ – theerosion of consciousidentitythroughexcessive use of chemicalortechnologicalfixes. Today’syoungtsersneedtheinfluence of older, wisermen. Theyneedmentors – adultsbeyondthefamily and outside of theschooltoeasethemgraduallyintoresponsibleadulthoodthemselves. 3. Identifypossiblesolutions

  33. Top tips * No TVs in children’sbedrooms! * Focusonoutdoorplay-basedlearning up untiltheage of 7 * Olderboysmentoringyoungerboys * Storytellingthatcaptivatesboysimagination * Talkwithparents – nutritiousfood, etc. 3. Identifypossiblesolutions

  34. Dear Teacher, I am the victim of a concentration camp. My eyes saw what no one should witness: gas chambers built by learned engineers; children poisoned by educated physicians; infants killed by trained nurses; women and babies shot and burned by high school and college graduates. So, I am suspicious of education. My request is: help your students become human. Your efforts must never produce learned monsters, skilled psychopaths, educated Eichmans. Reading and writing are important only if they serve to make our children more human. Annonymous 3. Identifypossiblesolutions

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