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Boy Smarts is a one-of-a-kind book that helps you understand boys and how to work with them rather than against them. |
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This book is written with clarity and heartfelt understanding.
It asks illuminating questions that evoke dialogue and optimistic action.
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“As I travel throughout Canada and the world, I become increasingly aware that boys are falling behind girls in academic achievement. I commend Barry MacDonald for stimulating focused inquiry and dialogue about the varied learning needs of boys who struggle at school. This gender gap requires the urgent attention of school leaders.”
- Dr. Avis Glaze
Ontario’s Education Commissioner and Senior Advisor to the Minister
of Education
Secretariat for Literacy and Numeracy and recipient of The Order of Ontario
Barry MacDonald adds an important perspective on the issue of boys and video gaming. Let’s look for positives with emerging technologies and not overreact to potential harms. Like drug or alcohol addictions, it is the minority of gamers that get into trouble; and as always, parents play an important role.
Kevin Latourneau
Program Manager, Peace Arch Community Services
Producer of Drug Prevention Videos - Cold as Ice, Death By Jib, and High School Confidential
“MacDonald’s powerful and impressive keynote address set a wonderful tone for our annual child care conference. His ability to reach our delegates through humour and storytelling is commendable. People wanted more of Barry. We can’t wait to have him back.”
- Karen Norman, Deputy Director, OPTIONS: Services to Communities Society, Surrey
Freeing Boys From Anxiety
Why do some boys in high school become moody, irritable, and prone to angry outbursts? How can parents tell if their poor behaviour often saved for parents at home is just a passing hormonal phase or a sign of something more? This article looks at the hostility in hallways that some boys can bring home, especially boys who are sensitive and prone to anxiety. Practical suggestions are provided to help boys learn that emotional courage is the source of real strength in life.
Click here to read more
Questioning Zero Tolerance
As parents and educators, we naturally want to know that schools are safe, secure places where our children can thrive. When we hear about lock-downs, school shootings, bullying, or other credible threats to our students’ safety, we may long for swift, certain and decisive responses that will guarantee our children’s well-being.
Students, parents and staff need to trust that endangerment of those in our care will not be permitted at school.
However, many thoughtful educators question the effectiveness of a heavy-handed application of a Zero Tolerance policy, where the law is used as a weapon of control for common misbehaviours.
What are the logical consequences of using suspension and expulsion every time the school's conduct code is violated?
Who is learning what when suspension is the knee-jerk disciplinary response to a range of typical adolescent misbehaviours such as swearing, defiance, fighting, smoking and even truancy?
To read click here
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Questioning Single-Gender Schooling...
In recent years Ontario educators have been grappling with questions related to closing the significant achievement gap between boys and girls on provincial assessments.
The Ontario Principals’ Council has recently published an interview about Single Sex Public Education that has stimulated much discussion about how to raise boys’ achievement. While some educators are seriously considering gender-segregated classrooms, others question whether we may be heading into troubled waters by oversimplifying the relationship between gender and learning.
Is single-sex education worthy of pursuit? What are some alternatives
that schools might explore?
To read more sign up for the
June Newsletter below...
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Hooked on Video Games?
Many thoughtful parents and educators are concerned about the dangers of emerging technologies, especially the potential addictiveness of video games.
When we read headlines depicting video games as mind-numbing Crack and media articles that compare gamers to strung-out heroin addicts, it¹s no wonder we worry about the long-range influences these electronic games may have on our boys... What is a parent or teacher to think? Are we becoming a play station nation?...
Instead of seeing video games as dangerously addictive, many are suggesting now that playing these games can make our kids smarter and adaptive...
To read the article “Hooked on Video Games” Click Here |
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Your Hooked on Video Games article stimulated a stirring family discussion during our recent car trip, especially with our 14 year old gamer son. I am pleased to say that as a result we are closer, better understanding of each other¹s concerns, and are now openly discussing the values portrayed in the games that trouble us. Thanks for providing us with a vehicle to discuss the “elephant in our living room.”
- Lori, mother and teacher in Langley
It’s common for boys to try to draw adults into an argument to scuttle a discipline discussion especially when they are troubled or anxious. Teachers and parents may become triggered and find themselves reacting instead of responding. Sometimes we can think that boys learn more from a stronger consequence such as being publicly shamed, sent to the office, or suspended, but the results of these tactics usually include alienation and resentment...
To read more click here
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New Parenting Workshop!
Boy Smarts Action Talk How to talk so boys will listen and listen so boys
will talk.
April 25th SOLD OUT
Vancouver September 19, 2009
Toronto October 3, 2009
For event flyer click here
12 Strategies for
Classroom Success
October 23, 2009
For agenda & registration details
Click Here
In The News...
Boys benefit when parents take interest in their schooling and assignments, of course, while parents are also mindful not to break one of the cardinal rules of parenting:
Never do for a child that which he can do for himself.
Self-esteem and faith in oneself comes not from having things made easy, but from the lived experience of feeling capable, connected to others, and knowing that you have something to offer.
How does support
differ from enabling?
Click here to read more
If we are to mentor boys to develop independence and a sense of self-worth in the family and the wider community they need opportunities to discover that they have something to offer.
Yet, in our pressure-cooker lives where kids spend more time in childcare and organized activities than ever before it can be challenging to find ways to help boys learn the value of contributing through chores.
How can boys learn to pitch in more?
What about cash as a motivational boost?
To read more click here
Real education should educate us out of self into something far finer; into a selflessness which links us with all humanity.
Click on the image above to view interview about Boy Smarts in Belize.
To learn more about or support this project click here.
Boy Smarts Action Study Guide
Revitalize teacher inquiry & stimulate success among boys!
With 4 options for purchase…
Click Here
Boy Smarts reviewed by major American Psychology Journal!
If you are a parent or teacher of boys, Boys Smarts is smart reading. It may turn out to be the single most important book in your childrens early school life.
When boys are flooded with anxiety and anger, they may find a degree of healing simply by being listened to, attended to, and appreciated.
But what if your boy doesn’t provide you with the opportunity to listen?
What if you know that he is troubled, but he sits in stony silence?
How do you initiate conversation?
How do you listen to his deeper self when he is locked in a silent turbulent world?
To read more click here
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