Teaching Our Boys to Face the Competitive Landscape of Today's World

Submitted by Mastodon on Fri, 2014-04-04 22:13

Article here. Excerpt:

'Last week someone asked me a thought-provoking question about the dwindling engagement of young men in our educational system: did I believe that there is a correlation between the rise of women's access to education and the alarming increase in drop-out rates amongst young men versus young women today? [1]

My initial reaction was as you might expect: moderately incensed. After waiting centuries for access to the "hallowed halls of education," girls are now being blamed for the boys running away? I caught myself however, mid-outrage, as the word "competition" popped to mind. At first I thought, "Well maybe the boys just can't compete with the girls?" Then my more mature self kicked in, and I had to wonder if today's schools are in fact simply more "competitive" for all students. If so, in what ways might such changes be particularly impactful for boys?
...
In considering these added competitive burdens we have placed upon our girls and not our boys, is it possible that, in fact, it is our boys we have been failing all along?

What's changed? There is little doubt that the measurements of success today are less quantitative and more qualitative then ever before. Our students must be able to think in order to succeed; they must be able to test and evaluate assumptions; and most importantly, they must know how to fail, learn from those failures and try again, and again. These pathways to success require far more resilience, similar to that which has been required of our girls. We need students who are okay knowing that there may not be a right answer and there may not be a winner. And this is the opposite of what we traditionally taught our boys as young children: we have not inculcated them with resilience and flexibility. We have not coached them in selfless collaboration, nor given them the words or tools necessary to develop emotional IQ, without which their sense of empathy and foundation of character will fail them. In this new paradigm, a dependence on a "right answer" and a sense of entitled productivity in the world will no longer guide them to success. On the other hand, our girls could not have survived without meeting these requirements. No wonder our boys are checking out on us.'

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Comments

If boys do better than girls in any particular area, it's because the rules are unfair and must be changed until girls do as well--or better--than boys.

If girls do better than boys, it's because boys just can't compete with girls. Sorry, nothing to be done.

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Submitted by el cid on Sun, 2014-04-06 01:16

That's about it. That is nymphotropic thinking in action, clear as Saran Wrap.

"Boys are dumb, throw rocks at them". Remember that T-shirt? Spoken/written or not, it's how people behave as if they believed, despite all the evidence to the contrary. Amazing what power cognitive dissonance has.

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Submitted by Matt on Sun, 2014-04-06 03:17

Lots of language clues in this article which suggests the author is on board to the "new" education which has infiltrated the United States. It is in our public school curriculum and in our tests.

The new curriculum does not care about correct answers, but is more focused on networking and social skills. It squanders everything boys seem to do naturally (and has led to building societies and invention) and now focused on traits that girls have. There has even be a push to have students test as a group.

Here is one example which has circulated the internet lately, it is a math problem which requires writing a letter. Notice the frustrated fathers response (father also happens to be a professional mathematician):

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/28/viral-common-core-homework_n_5049829.html

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Submitted by Kris on Sun, 2014-04-06 19:52