James Goldsmith of 11plustutorsinessex.co.uk has 20 years of teaching experience and has 6 powerful insights to share with parents. When it comes to teaching, one thing that those in education soon realise is that the boys in any classroom can prove trickier to teach than girls. This is reflected in historical studies and statistics that have shown that boys are often out-performed by the girls in their classroom.
This means that teachers need to think of ways to make sure that the boys within their classes are being motivated to learn. Ensuring that they perform to the levels that they are capable of within their classroom setting.
But what are the best ways to motivate boys to learn? We have put together 6 different ways that teachers can consider implementing in their own classroom.
Teach with a physical end goal
Boys love the idea of being able to tackle a project, having something that they can see at the end of their learning. This means that a great way to encourage boys to learn is to create a lesson plan that has a physical end goal. Something that they can make as they learn. This could be a booklet, a model or perhaps a drawing. Anything that gives them an end goal that they can keep in mind.
Make it competitive
Many boys will love the idea of being competitive, this is definitely something that is commonly seen within their nature. Why not utilise this to motivate their learning? Making some aspects of learning competitive means that they will be much more likely to try their best.
Get them moving
Boys are known for having plenty of energy, this energy can make it hard for them to focus during tasks that require sitting down. If you are finding this in your classroom then it may be wise to include some form of motor activity within the learning. That way they can burn off some energy whilst they are still learning.
Ask them to solve a problem
Everyone loves solving a problem or answering an open question. Boys are no different. Why not teach by asking them to solve a problem? This will allow them to get their teeth into the task, and give them a real sense of achievement if they do get to the bottom of it.
Encourage teamwork
Whilst it is great to have a sense of competition in the classroom, this should never take away from the idea of teamwork. Sometimes this needs to be encouraged in boys, but it really can pay off if you get them together and using all their brain power as one.
Allow them to learn independently
Sometimes you just learn better if you work out something alone. This is true for boys in a classroom setting. Giving them the space to learn independently can work wonders, as it allows them to work through things at their own pace.
We all want boys to do well in their learning, so trying out these methods for teaching could really be the difference between them struggling and performing to the best of their ability.
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