Teaching Boys: Developing classroom practices that work

Amanda Keddie and Martin Mills

Bridges the gap between theory and practice to offer a practical and sustainable framework for teaching boys in classrooms of all levels.

Sales points

• Teaching boys remains one of the most concerned issues in education today.

• Many books have been published analyzing why boys perform less well than girls, and why some boys struggle at school. But they don’t show teachers what will work: this book does.

• The authors offer a research-based framework for classroom strategies that work with boys—and don’t disadvantage girls.

Description

Boys’ education continues to be a focus of public anxiety among teachers. Concern about boys’ general educational under-achievement and the impact this under-achievement has on the boys themselves, as well as on the broader society, continues to fuel disagreement and debate on the best approach to take in response.

Teaching Boys provides a framework for developing practical and sustainable ways to improve boys’ education.

The book indicates how what teachers do in the classroom can enable boys’ academic and social outcomes. With detailed case studies, Keddie & Mills outline a range of practical classroom strategies that will assist teachers to meet the challenge of teaching boys, without neglecting the girls in the process.

About the Author

Amanda Keddie is a researcher at the University of Queensland. Her research interests and teaching areas focus on classroom teaching, curriculum and educational sociology.

Martin Mills is Associate Professor in the School of Education at the University of Queensland. He has written several books, and is co-author of Teachers and Schooling Making a Difference （Allen & Unwin, 2005）.

1．The purpose of this passage is ________.

A．to promote classroom teaching

B．to advertising a book

C．to analyzing boys’ academic performance

D．to introduce two educators

2．What problem is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A．Boys’ general educational under-achievement and its impact.

B．Teachers’ anxiety to teach boys.

C．Lack of practical strategies for teaching boys.

D．Public opinions on classroom teaching.

3．The book Teaching Boys is intended for ________.

A．parents              B．teachers           C．students     D．boys

4．What can we know from the passage?

A．Teachers’ concern makes the disagreement and debate on the best approach more heated.

B．Teachers’ concern brings about the disagreement and debate on the best approach.

C．The strategies recommended by the book are of no benefit to girls.

D．Teaching boys to improve their achievement is a newly-raised issue.

—What will Andrew be doing in the fall?

—　　   mathematics at a private boys' school.

    A. Teaching　　   B. To teach　　　　 C. Teach　　　　 D. To teaching

—　　   mathematics at a private boys' school.

    A. Teaching　　   B. To teach　　　　 C. Teach　　　　 D. To teaching

Everywhere you will always find “the white—haired boy”, sometimes called “the fair-haired boy” He gets special treatment, as if he were above everybody else. You will find him in school, in college, at home, or where you work.

  In school, he is the teacher’s pet, her darling who can do nothing wrong. Sometimes she lets him do little jobs for her. He comes to class in the morning, all shiny and clean, He is always raising his hand, ready with an answer to the teacher’s questions. And he knows all the answers. He “gets into your hair”, especially if you are at the bottom of the class and the teacher thinks you are stupid. How you hate the white-haired boy!

  In college, he walks—more often strides—across the school grounds as if he owned them. Sometimes he wears a colorful football or basketball shirt or sweater, with a bright red, or green or yellow college letter proudly worn on the front of it—as a big B, for Bullfinch University. What broad shoulders, what muscles he has! He makes the girls happy by just smiling at them. He has the mark of success on him.

  At home, “the fair-haired boy” is mother’s choice, her favorite. Sometimes, he is the oldest son—at times, the youngest. If you are in between, you are out of luck.

  On the job, you might meet another of these “white-haired boys”; you cannot escape him. For some strange reason, he is the man who always moves ahead. He gets better and better jobs, with more and more money. But you stand still, wondering why, and trying to explain to your-self why you hate him so much.

  Then, you discover that there are others who share your feelings, ready to “let their hair down” —to tell you their private thoughts. One of them asks: “What does he have that I haven’t got?” You ask yourself the same question.

  Finally, there comes a day when you decide to stop hating him. Is it perhaps because he has been made boss and you find yourself working for him?

From the passage we can know that “the white-haired boy” refers to      

A. a child who is mother’s favorite   B. a student who is hated by everybody

C. a pet who is hated by everybody    D. a person who is lucky all the time

What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 2 mean?

A. He sets a shining example to you    B. He makes you a little angry.

C. He cuts your hair too short.       D. He does up your hair.

In the author’s opinion, the reason why you finally stop hating the white-haired boy is that   

A. you have no choice but to face the facts  B. you decide to try your best to be better than him

C. you have been made boss by him       D. you are beginning to admire him

Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A. Try to Be Attractive             B. Let Your Hair Down

C. The White-haired Boy           D. The Top Student