GIRLS DRAW NOUNS AND BOYS DRAW VERBS
GENDER FAIRNESS
It is still true that elementary classrooms tend to be tuned into the needs of girls more than boys. Ask your School Psychologist or School Counselor to supply updated insight about how to make your classroom “gender-fair” this year! Try using these ideas for a “gender-fair” classroom:
1. Girls are distracted by noises that are 10 times softer than noise levels boys pay attention to SO MOVE GIRLS TO QUIETER LOCATIONS TO COMPLETE SEAT WORK instead of disciplining boys for being too noisy.
2. Boys will “take over” activities involving action, motion, and noise SO GO OUTSIDE FOR THESE ACTIVITIES, then girls can move close and listen and boys can be boisterous on the periphery.
3. Girls tend to under-estimate their abilities SO USE PRE-TEACHING OF NEW IDEAS, VOCABULARY, SKILLS to improve confidence instead of highlighting anyone’s lack of confidence.
4. Boys tend to over-estimate their abilities SO ASSERT YOUR AUTHORITY insist on lessons from an expert to keep a boy in touch with an accurate assessment of their skill level. Supervised is better than unsupervised, but ultimately – do not argue or negotiate just do what is necessary for safety like lock up the dirt bike! OK now talk it over.
5. Girls generally work to please the teacher, boys not so much. SO ALIGN BOY ACHIEVEMENTS WITH HIS ASPIRATIONS by being the adult who consistently points out “you have physical skill, you could work in forestry, farming, or recreation”, “that shows your patience, you could work in medicine, sports, or schools” or “that shows your honesty & integrity so you could be interested in law, business, or politics”.
6. Hierarchies can destroy girl relationships, but boys rely on hierarchies to build & organize their camaraderie. SO RESPECT THIS DIFFERENCE instead of holding collaborative group work to be the ideal for all students.
7. Boys can raise their status in the eyes of other boys by disrupting the class. SO USE HUMOUR SURPRISE AND NOVELTY instead of discipline to catch the attention of curious minds and continuously re-establish yourself as the leader in the class.
8. Boys talk less when they experience intense feelings SO GIVE THEM TIME TO PROCESS instead of pushing for compliance, apologies, or responses in the moment.
See: Leonard Sax, physician & research psychologist
Devon Wolfe WolfeWisdom.ca
