Giving Disorganized Boys the Tools for Success - NY Times

Happy 2008 All!

I got so many emails about the planning and organizing post below so if you haven't gotten a response it's on its way! (Not today though I was supposed to be on tech-break altogether...)

Meanwhile there's an interesting article in the New York Times
Giving Disorganized Boys the Tools for Success by Alan Finder.

It makes some great points about organizing and planning. I'm not sure how I feel about the whole boys/girls points that they raise. In my years of experience I've come across boys who were so organized they put everyone in the class/school/university to shame and girls who came in on a cloud of dust like Pigpen in the Snoopy comics. Although I'm the first one to talk about how boys and girls are different and that that's wonderful and as it should be I'm not sure about this area.

Having said that, there are some great ideas and thoughts for boys and girls in the article. Not the least of which is the idea of doing homework in a silent environment without tech or other distractions.

Another thought - the fact that the boys get the personalized attention with their work - well to me that might be a big part of it. Any child could benefit from that. And a teenage boy getting personal attention from an attractive 20-something year old? Damn straight they'll sit up and pay attention!

It actually brought to mind a story about a student of mine from my first year of teaching. He was 4 and it was kindergarten. He was, how shall we put it, quite active and it took months to get him into a routine and behaving appropriately for school. He was bright and sweet and everything else and I enjoyed him as a student to no end. I ran into his mother the following year and asked how he was doing "could I please give him back to you?" was her response. It seems Greg (not his real name) was having toughest time in his new class. His behavior was a problem as well as a host of other things we'd worked on the year before. They'd called in his mother for a meeting with the principal and his teacher and during the course of the conversation they'd asked him what was going on.
"But you were so wonderful last year Greg." His answer? "But that was for Rebecca".

A good connection with a child will encourage the most wonderful behaviors and enhance the ablility to learn new skills and subjects. It's not the only thing, but it does play a part. I think the concept described in the article is great and the attention they're getting, especially from someone they're connecting with. I think all children and young adults should have that kind of personal attention while finding their place in school and the world.

Good article. Good concept.
Tips you can take from it include personal attention to homework, silent and concentrated homework time, interest in what they're doing and they're deadlines, a soft touch and a caring and interested adult. Watch how they thrive.
Happy 2008!
RK