Leader of the Pack: Top ten tips for teaching boys.
The underachievement of boys has been a seemingly ever-present issue in UK education for two decades. The reasons for this are numerous, complex and deeply embedded in society. However, there are simple ways that all teachers can improve how they relate to and motivate boys. The following list is based on the underlying principle that teenage boys operate as pack animals. If we reconceptualise the teacher’s role for boys as being the ‘pack leader’ this can deliver a surprising number of insights and practical strategies for getting the best out of boys in the classroom.
Boys are straightforward. We make it complicated for them, by not understanding who they are, what they need, their language and how they create their behavior.
Understand aggression. Boys can become aggressive out of frustration or in an attempt to gain dominance over their peers or you. The frustration comes from a lack of understanding and the dominance comes from a lack of calm-assertive leadership. When dealing with boys, good teaching helps remove misunderstanding and establishing yourself as the pack leader provides the leadership they crave.
Rules, boundaries, and limitations. All students need to know the rules of the game, but especially boys. Begin training them straight away. Make sure they have to wait to talk. Be clear about when boys must work and how far they can relax. Teenage boys need these rules, boundaries, and limitations from you, their pack leader.
Don’t project emotional or nervous energy. In the wild, the pack leader uses calm-assertive energy to influence how the pack interacts with it’s surroundings. Teachers should enforce rules in a quiet way, with grace, good humour and firmness, as is the case when a teacher gives a boy a stare if he strays outside of agreed boundaries.
Ownership of space is very important. A boy who understands that you, as the pack leader, own the space in which he works will respect your asserted authority. Establish clear classroom protocols and assert them in a consistent, calm and confident way. Check your body language signals and eye contact reinforce the message your words deliver.
Waiting is a tool you can use to assert your position. Boys should be made to wait to talk, and wait until the teacher wants them to work or play. Waiting is a form of psychological work for the boy so should be acknowledged and rewarded when appropriate.
Give responsibility - Establish your position by asking your boy to take on responsibility. Give them opportunities to prove themselves rather than waiting for them to prove themselves before giving responsibility as a reward. Establish a virtuous circle before behavioural vicious circles can develop.
The Importance of respect. Showing boys respect is one of the greatest gifts we can share. Boys are naturally tuned in to fairness so verbalise your thinking in applying sanctions. Respect and displays of affinity that haven't been earned and are shared at the wrong time can be detrimental to a boy and his peers.
‘Have a laugh’, (but at the right time!). A teacher with a sense of humour regularly comes top of the wish list for boys so don’t be afraid to show your human side. But make sure that, anytime you loosen the reigns, you have the protocols and relationships to be able to pick them up again quickly. Each time you show approval you reinforce the behavior preceding it so pick your moment wisely. Reward stability and share your praise when the class is calm.
Show approval at the right time. If a boy has changed an unwanted behavior into a behavior you asked for, responded to a rule or command, or entered a calm and respectful state let them know they have done the right thing. Don't show approval when a boy is dominant, aggressive or has broken a classroom rule.
I have found the pack leader concept useful for building positive, working relationships with boys throughout my career. However, here are a final few tips for those occasions when things have escalated despite everything:
Ignore bad behavior if possible (i.e. learning can procede, everyone is safe). Boys seek attention. By paying them that attention during hyperactive outbursts, you’re reinforcing the very behavior that you're trying to eliminate. The next time a boy is overexcited give it a try - no talk, no eye contact - and see how you fare. You might be surprised how quickly the boy settles down.
Give a job! The task should have be clear and have a definite beginning and end.. Hyperactivity can come from psychological needs as easily as it can from physical needs. By giving your boy a job to do, you are removing him from his state of hyperactivity and redirecting his energy elsewhere.
Try and look as if you are in charge, even if you don’t feel it! The boy is your mirror. Any energy you project, he will reflect back. Are you in a calm assertive state of mind? Are you projecting a confident energy? Are you stressing out over an argument, or burdened with the worries of the work week? Nervous or anxious moods can translate into nervous or anxious body language or tones of voice, and can affect the energy of your boy.
Finally, remember boys are straightforward! Whatever happened in your last lesson, the boys will have forgotten about it by the time they come back again. Every lesson is a clean slate so have an open mind. This time the lesson will be great!
