Chapter 4- Cognitive Development of Boys

PHYSICAL EDUCATION is IMPORTANT

Intensive physical activity actually enhances and increase learning. During demanding physical activity, the brain produces "miracle grow" chemicals and structures that help one learn more! 

(John J. Ratey)

• BMI and Physical Activity explain up to 24% of variance in academic achievement.

• Academic ratings are correlated with exercise levels.

• Appropriate PE programs raised standardized test scores from below to 17-18% above in Pennsylvania and the incidence of fighting dramatically declined.

• In Kansas after a one year daily PE program, suspensions dropped 67%.

Time should be devoted everyday to PE, recess, and unstructured play. New studies state there should be 15 minutes of movement for every 45 minutes of instruction!

WINDOWS of OPPORTUNITY

As a child approaches puberty, learning rate slows. The connections that are not found useful are eliminated. If the brain doesn't receive certain stimuli at appropriate times, these networks don't develop. It is true... "Use it or lose it." As the window of opportunity tapers off, the ability to perform certain tasks diminishes.

LANGUAGE and VOCABULARY:

There is a SIGNIFICANT male developmental lag in acquisition of vocabulary and language skills. Most girls develop their verbal skills as much as one to two years ahead of boys.

The male developmental lag is often ignored in schools: whether a boy is 5 years and 11 months old, or is barely 5, the curricular expectations are the same. This sets the stage for failure in the areas of reading and writing.

As an Educator... we must provide DIRECT instruction in vocabulary. Marzano states we must:

1. present a brief explanation of the term
2. present a nonlinguistic representation of the new term
3. ask students to generate their own explanation or description
4. ask students to create their own nonlinguistic representation
5. periodically ask students to review the accuracy of their terms/explanations 

Along with self image and self esteem, a child's vocabulary, more than ANY OTHER single factor will determine how successful he or she will be in school and in life!! WOW!!!!!

Other important Cognitive Issues to note....
Boys are deductive thinkers
Girls are inductive thinkers

Boys do not want to let a task go, once they have taken it on. They are not being stubborn, they genuinely NEED to finish one task before beginning another.

 

Being aware of these factors is NOT enough... We must build relationships with our boys (especially those in poverty).

Nurturing relationships can change genetic activity!

Learning is directly related to relationships-- 

it is "Double Coded"... content coded and emotionally coded.

Curriculum & Instruction is Content.

Motivation is Emotional.

Educators must build relationships early on to activate this motivation. 

These relationships need to occur by the 3rd grade when most patterns of learning are set. 

If at-risk students perceive a teacher to be cold and controlling they refuse to learn.

Generational Poverty adds another dimension to these already tricky circumstances:

• Low Birth Weight- impacts brain develoment

• Allostatic Load- stressors affect memory

• Substance Abuse

• Environmental Toxins

• Food Insecurity & Hunger- reduced protein affects intelligence

• Absence of emotional connection and touch

• Fear and scarcity- parents of poverty make 2 negative comments for every positive one...professional parents make 6 positive for every one negative comment

• Underdeveloped executive function-no awareness of the abstract world of school

• Under/over stimulation- loud, overcrowded home environment

• Language deprivation-  Children in poverty hear 13 million words by the time they are 4...Children in professional households hear 45 million! Four year olds in a professional household have more vocabulary than ADULTS in welfare homes.