Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

'Sit down, shut up': how schools are failing boys and what we can do

By Peter West - posted Friday, 29 July 2016


It's easy to see a consensus here. In the words of boys, it's "sit down, shut up, write this down" .

What boys liked about school

In an earlier study this author did in four schools, boys said they felt school was mostly a complete waste of time. School was valued by many because it meant playing sport and being with your mates. In the present surveys, some positives emerged. Common answers in one school were:

Advertisement
  • relevance
  • sport
  • hands-on learning
  • class conversation

Conclusions

It's easy to draw some of these threads together. Relevance and active learning are strongly preferred by all the boys surveyed. School is far too passive for most of them. Boys are not good listeners and yet teacher talk is usually the default mode. Why does it have to be so?

It's not so much that boys are failing: schools are failing many of the boys. Boys should be asked about how they want to learn. If the school wants them to learn, it will have to listen. School is meant to be for pupils' benefit; it should not be there for teachers to do as they wish. When asked for advice on this matter, my first suggestions are: talk less. And let the students do more. We need more adventure, more hands-on learning and maybe some creative chaos. Classrooms must not become sit-stilleries. Things must change if schools are to stop failing many boys in most countries across the western world.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. Page 3
  5. All

Names of boys and schools have been fictionalised to protect privacy.



Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

21 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Dr Peter West is a well-known social commentator and an expert on men's and boys' issues. He is the author of Fathers, Sons and Lovers: Men Talk about Their Lives from the 1930s to Today (Finch,1996). He works part-time in the Faculty of Education, Australian Catholic University, Sydney.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Peter West

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Photo of Peter West
Article Tools
Comment 21 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy