From Disengagement toEngagement:

Educational Equity for Boys PreK-3

McGill UniversityMay 2, 2009

Presenters

Merle Froschl and Barbara SprungCo-DirectorsEducational Equity Center at AED

Principal InvestigatorsRaising and Educating Healthy Boys Project

Raising and Educating Healthy Boys Project

Multi-level initiative grades preK-3Focus groups with teachers and parentsConference for researchers, practitioners and teacher educatorsReport on the Growing Crisis in Boys’ EducationWorking Group on teacher education

All They Can Be: Classroom Strategies to Support Boys’ Learning PreK - Grade 3

THE ISSUES

Boys are disengaging from school beginning at the earliest levels of educationProblem is international in scopeDeficit thinking views boys as liabilitiesRace and poverty combine to make some boys especially at riskPush-down curriculum/high stakes testingReinforcing gender stereotypes through current brain research

VULNERABLE AREASStereotypes about masculinitySocial emotional development StigmatizationExpulsion from preschoolReferral to special education Literacy gapIn U.S., African American and Latino boys most at risk

Stereotypes about Masculinity

Need to conform to a societal conception of what it means to be man Constraints on emotional developmentEmotional illiteracyLimits relational development

Examining “The Boy Code”

BOX 1: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE MALE IN OUR SOCIETY?

Physically powerfulPossess morals, principlesInstrumentally competent

The box activity was developed for the focus groups by Craig Flood. It was adapted from the “Act Like a Man Box” (Creighton & Kivel, 1992; Chu, 1992).

Examining “The Boy Code” cont’d

BOX 2: WHAT HAPPENS TO BOYS WHO DON’T FIT INTO BOX 1?

Anti-social behaviorNegative effect on feelingsCreates hardships & pressuresImpact on sexuality, gender identity

Gropper, 2004

Social-Emotional Development

Ability to calm oneself when angryinitiate friendships resolve conflicts respectfullymake ethical and safe choices contribute constructively to the community

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, 2007

Stigmatization

Boys are isolated and stigmatized as “trouble-makers” in preschool

Classmates quickly pick up on the message that the “bad” boys are African American

Barbarin & Crawford, 2006

Expulsion from Preschool

Boys expelled and suspended at higher rates

Preschool expulsions are three times the national K-12 rateYoung boys are five times more likely to be expelled than girlsLack of teacher preparation and support servicesGilliam, 2005

Referral to Special Education

Boys overrepresented in special education

Two-thirds of special education population (USDOE, 2003)

Four times more likely to be referred to a school psychologist (Kindlon & Thompson, 1999)

Two and half times as likely as girls to be diagnosed with ADHD (USDOE, 2003)

80 percent of those diagnosed with emotional disturbances or autism (USDOE, 2003)

LiteracyBoys lag behind girls in reading and writing

Score 16 points lower in reading and 24 points lower in writing (U.S. Department of Education, 2004)

In Kindergarten, the reading gap between boys and girls doubles (Tyre, 2008)

Three-quarters of gap opened by fourth grade (Newkirk, 2003)

The gap continues to grow as boys move on from elementary school (U.S. Department of Education, 2007)

Most at Risk

African-American Boys African-American boys make up 8.6% of national public school enrollment, but 20% of those classified as mentally retarded, 21% of those classified as emotionally disturbed, 22% of those expelled from school, and 23% of those suspended (Smith, 2002)

Latino BoysHave the highest high school drop-out rate (U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2003-08)

STRATEGIES

Pre-service/in-service EducationLiteracyLearning environmentInvolving families and communityRole models and mentors

Pre-service/in-service Education

Analyze how attitudes and expectations about boys influence teaching Engage in group and self-reflection Question traditional classroom practices (curriculum, room arrangement, schedule)Provide intensive/ongoing inservice models

Literacy

Multiple media (film/video, storyboards, music, animation)Information and communication technology Personal interests and passions Reading clubs Library book selectionJoy of readingReading aloudReading is “cool”

Learning Environment

Art and music studiosWell-equipped libraryHigh quality labsStrong curriculumHigh expectationsClear values Recess and exercise Active learning Project-based learning

Involving Families and Community

Cultural respect Family involvement leads to school successRegard as assetsCommunity as contextCommunity as resource

Role Models and Mentors

DiversityRange of optionsCaring adultsMale teachers“Obama factor”

ENGAGEMENT!

References Barbarin, O. & Crawford, G. (2006). Reducing Stigmatization of African American Boys. Young Children, November 2006.Chu, J. Y. (1992, 1998 rev ed). Men’s work: How to stop the violence that tears our lives apart. Center City, MN: Hazelden.Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (2007). Backgroun on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). CASEL briefs. December 2007. www.CASEL.org.Creighton, A. & P. Kivel (1992). Helping teens stop violence: a practical guide for counselors, educators, and parents. Alameda, CA: Hunter House.Flood, C. P. (2001). Raising and educating healthy boys. Concept paper. New York: Educational Equity Concepts, Inc.Gilliam, W. S. (2005). Prekindergartners left behind: Expulsion rates in state prekindergarten programs. Foundation for Child Development, Policy Brief Series No.3, May 2005.Gropper, N. (2004). Raising and educating healthy boys: Analysis of focus groups held with teachers and parents in urban and suburban settings. New York: Educational Equity Concepts, Inc.Kindlon, D. & M. Thompson (1999). Raising Cain: Protecting the emotional life of boys.New York: Ballantine Books.

References cont.National Center for Education Statistics. Status and Trends in the Education of Hispanics. Newkirk, T. (2003). The quiet crisis in boys’ literacy. Education Week, September 10, 2003. Smith, R.A. (2002). Black boys: The litmus test for “No Child Left Behind.” Education Week, October 30, 2002. Tyre, P. (2008). The trouble with boys: A surprising report card. New York: Crown Publishers.U.S. Department of Education (2003-08). Status and Trends in the Education of Hispanics. National Center for Education StatisticsU.S. Department of Education (2007). The nation’s report card: Reading 2007. National Center for Education Statistics. U.S. Department of Education (2004). Trends in educational equity of girls and women: 2004. Washington, DC: author. U.S. Department of Education (2003). Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). 25th annual report to Congress.

For information contactMerle Froschl or Barbara Sprung

Co-DirectorsEducational Equity Center at AED

mfroschl@aed.org bsprung@aed.orgwww.edequity.org