Ch. 2- Going With The Flow

What Boys Like To Do and Why They Like To Do It

Chapter 2 goes specific and in depth on the information we were given in the interchapter between chapter one and two.  The students in the study are asked specific questions about things they are interested in.  They are asked to rank activities according to importance to them and asked to self evaluate whether or not they consider themselves good at something.

The part of the chapter that I found most interesting is that the authors give suggestions as to how to get to know your students and help them. They discuss the importance of setting clear goals and feedback. Without goals students cannot identify if they are competent in an area or if they are improving.  Giving immediate feedback is also important because students need to feel valued. When teachers take the time to offer feedback it shows the student that what they did was not only worth reading but also worth commenting on. This is a way for students to feel as if they are getting assistance on an assignment even if the teacher is not aware of the consequence of the feedback given.

Smith and Wilhelm discuss how students focus on the immediate experience of something and how we as teachers must be aware of this.  For example, while playing basketball the player does not think of the fundamentals that they are learning. They are focusing on the game, the score, rebounds, defense, etc. The same applies to literacy and our students.

Socialization and friendship affect our students in the areas of literacy and reading as well.  Many boys don’t feel that their friends would understand if they wrote or read poetry. This is an example of how friendships can influence students.  Socialization also plays a part because if students don’t feel that their learning is supported by their social network, it will affect them negatively.

Keeping activity new and avoiding falling into a routine that doesn’t change also affects students negatively.  Students need to be kept on their toes and introduced to new activities to hold their interest.  The authors suggest for teachers to think about what their students can bring to an assignment and what students can teach to one another each rather than what the teacher can teach.  The teacher should ask them selves about the quality of learning they want for their students instead of what the students are attempting to learn.  

I think that the suggestions made by the authors in this chapter are an awesome way for teachers to be aware of their students and how we might approach teaching our students.  I feel that these suggestions can be suitable for all age groups and both genders.