I found this chapter difficult to summarize because it talks about the boys specifically. It shares the profiles of the boys in the study and how they feel towards different activities. The boys were shown the profiles of others and asked how the other profiles made them feel and what they thought about the person who did the profile. The author wanted to get a better understanding of how students feel toward other’s responses. This goes on for half the chapter, and although it was interesting to learn about the boys in the study, I find it hard to share specifics in a short summary.
One of the few topics that the chapter did discuss was how socialization plays a part in literacy for boys. This goes back to what chapter two said about socialization and friendships and how this makes boys feel. In this chapter, it goes a bit further. It talks about how many boys view reading and literacy as a feminine action. It is not considered masculine by many. They go on to discuss how specific boys in the study feel towards a boy who is particularly interested in reading. It reveals that many boys do feel this way towards reading and even ridiculed males that were interested in literacy.
A factor that the author’s tried to keep in mind when conducting their interviews was how race and class played a part in how the boys felt towards literacy. In one interview a boy exclaimed, “Reading this makes me feel white!” The authors pushed further to find out just what the boy meant. He went on to explain that the act of being educated is associated with being white. Not all the boys in the study felt this way but there were some that agreed. Some students claimed that it is not about what color you are there is just no way that anyone can be that interested in reading.
The authors emphasized the importance of creating an environment that is motivating for learners. It is not about the color of your skin but how their school motivated them to read and encouraged them. The same rang true for socio economic class. Motivating readers can be done by anyone if it done correctly.
Smith and Wilhelm also talk about the importance of reading outside of school. Literacy and reading can be encouraged in different aspects of a student’s life. Athletes can be encouraged by the skills that they learn from playing ball. Whether it is skills such as building character, revealing and building values and even creating opportunity are all aspects of a student’s personality that will flow over into literacy and learning.
Although I found this to be a difficult chapter, I felt that it shared vital information about the boys. The fact that the authors could tie in a student’s attributes to reading made me feel that, as a teacher, I need to recognize a student’s experiences in life and help them apply them in a classroom environment.
It is interesting that the authors commented on how literacy is viewed as being feminine. I have never really thought about reading as being feminine but now that it has been said out loud, I can totally understand. Many high school boys, at least the ones that I have been around, think it is so not cool to pick up a book. And who wants to be a nerd in high school? So many try extremely hard to be cool. I hope that we can change these thoughts and create a new norm.
ReplyDelete