by Peg Tyre
First published 2008
Boys face educational challenges that begin the moment they enter school. Preschool expulsions affect boys at nearly five times the rate of girls. Elementary schools diagnose learning disorders in boys four times more frequently. By eighth grade, massive numbers of boys read below basic proficiency. High school finds them underrepresented in advanced placement courses and disengaged from most activities beyond sports. College enrollment tells an even starker story: boys comprise less than 43 percent of students, with the gap expanding each semester. Award-winning journalist Peg Tyre investigates this crisis by interviewing hundreds of parents, children, teachers, and specialists. She examines multiple contributing factors: high-stress academics imposed too early, eliminated recess periods, rigid testing mandates, curricula emphasizing emotional expression over action-oriented content, and the shortage of male teaching role models. Tyre presents solutions from educators successfully motivating boys through innovative classroom approaches. The mother of two sons delivers practical guidance for parents and teachers determined to prevent school from becoming exclusively female territory.
Genres: psychology, gender-studies, education, non-fiction, parenting, academic
Vibes: informative, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: issue-driven, social-commentary
320 pages · Hardcover · Crown Archetype