Reaching Boys, Teaching Boys

The rising achievement gap between boys and girls. More young women than young men entering college. If you work with boys, you know these statistics. Reichert, a psychologist, and Hawley, an educator, present the results of their international study of teachers and students in six countries on how to provide meaningful and engaging lessons for boys. The book offers a host of practical examples of approaches that have been honed by classroom practice to engage these students in learning. The authors asked nearly 1000 educators a simple question, "What works with boys?" They also asked the kids themselves what worked best for them in the classroom. The answers are presented in a clear and organized manner with two thirds of the book presenting effective lessons and relationships between teachers and their male students. The last third of the book presents ways to implement and nurture these new lessons and relationships. While the authors offer no silver bullet that will fix the problem, they do present a host of remedies in many different disciplines and age groups. Most useful for middle and high school teachers and where curriculum aids are purchased.—Renee McGrath, Nassau Library System, Uniondale, NY