Educating Boys: Tempering rhetoric with research

Authors

  • Bernie Froese-Germain Canadian Teachers' Federation

Keywords:

boy's education, single-sex schooling, multiple sexualiteis, feminization of teaching

Abstract

ABSTRACT. In the context of boys’ declining academic achievement in schools in relation to girls, this article highlights some critical issues arising from the debate on boys’ education. The emphasis is on the contribution of feminist analysis and other perspectives to broaden and contextualize the debate. This includes, for example, the need to carefully consider which boys aren’t doing well rather than assuming all boys are having difficulty. Links between the “boy turn᾿ and choice in educational markets, single-sex schooling, multiple sexualities, and the “feminization᾿ of the teaching profession are also discussed. Not surprisingly, the issues are complex and multi-faceted and hence not well served by a “girls then, boys now᾿ approach to conceptualizing policy, practice and research. ÉDUCATION PRIMAIRE DES GARÇONS : TEMPÉRER LA RHÉTORIQUE PAR LA RECHERCHE RÉSUMÉ. Dans le contexte du repli des résultats scolaires des garçons par rapport aux filles, l’article met en évidence certaines des principales questions autour desquelles le débat sur l’éducation des garçons s’articule. L’accent est mis sur la contribution de l’analyse féministe et sur d’autres points de vue afin d’élargir le débat et de le mettre en contexte. On aborde par exemple la nécessité de déterminer précisément quels garçons n’affichent pas de bons résultats au lieu d’assumer que tous les garçons ont des difficultés. Les liens entre le « revirement en faveur des garçons » et le choix des marchés d’éducation, les écoles non mixtes, les sexualités multiples ainsi que la féminisation de la profession de l’enseignement font aussi l’objet de la réflexion. Sans surprise, les questions sont complexes et ne sont donc pas réglées efficacement par l’approche « les filles alors, les garçons maintenant » qui sert à conceptualiser la politique, les pratiques et la recherche.

Author Biography

Bernie Froese-Germain, Canadian Teachers' Federation

BERNIE FROESE-GERMAIN is a researcher with the Canadian Teachers’ Federation in Ottawa, co-editor of the CTF publication Professional Development Perspectives, and a member of the editorial board of Our Schools/Our Selves (a quarterly education journal published by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives). He recently co-authored a national report on a study of commercialism in Canadian elementary and secondary schools. In addition to authoring publications on standardized testing, charter schools, online education, and educational accountability, he has written articles and papers on various topics published in the education press.

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How to Cite

Froese-Germain, B. (2007). Educating Boys: Tempering rhetoric with research. McGill Journal of Education / Revue Des Sciences De l’éducation De McGill, 41(2). Retrieved from https://mje.mcgill.ca/article/view/561

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Articles