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A 'Taylored' approach to boys' learning

At Merchant Taylors' Boys' School we are aware that boys and girls do not always learn in the same way. It has long been known that a single sex education at both Junior and Senior levels provides increased focus for boys and girls, however it also ensures that the classroom environment, interaction between pupils and staff, and approaches to teaching and learning can be tailored for both genders. This ensures that each individual is offered surroundings in which they feel comfortable, capable, challenged and provided for, benefitting both boys and girls.

In general, girls develop earlier than boys, and this developmental difference extends to the brain as well as the body. At Merchant Taylors' Boys' Schools, we take into account all that we know about how boys think, feel and learn, in order to help each one reach their full potential.

How do boys learn?

Sensory differences in boys

Vision

In general, we know that:

Boys respond well to primary colours.
Boys respond to visual clues and movement.
Boys like direct statements not facial expressions - boys sometimes cannot read the cues.

Hearing

Girls are better at hearing higher pitched and softer sounds. A teacher or parent with a soft voice can be difficult for a boy to hear. We know it is also best to make sure boys can see the face of the person who is talking to them.
Young boys tend to speak loudly and emphasis at MTBS, especially in the Junior School, is placed on learning appropriate noise levels for the situation as well as turn-taking.
Boys do not necessarily have as well-developed verbal skills as girls and often need time for a question to register and to find the right words. We know that if a boy is pausing for thought; it's normal, it doesn't mean he doesn't know the answer.

Touch

The stereotype is that boys don't touch each other in the same way that little girls, for example, might hold hands. Boys do touch but it is generally in the form of wrestling, punching and pushing. Schools need to allow a certain amount of rough and tumble play and provide a safe environment.
We encourage all our boys to be active. Vigorous exercise mean boys are able to manage a more controlled classroom environment.

Cognitive Differences

Very young boys will often need teachers/parents to give them the vocabulary to describe how they feel, for example, a boy who is trying to build a tower may need the suggestion: "It must be frustrating when you can't make the blocks stand up"

Boys & Aggression

We make sure that all our boys know that it takes more skill to solve an argument without fighting. We teach them:

Stop when the other person says stop.
If something hurts, you are to say stop.
Stopping or asking to stop does not make you a wimp.

Boys prefer matter of fact treatment and like to be involved in the decision-making of how to deal with a situation.

Humour helps defuse potentially confrontational situations with boys. They are likely to become confrontational when accused of shortcomings in front of others.

Competition & Co-operation

Research has shown that, for boys, competition helps academic performance. This can mean that boys like direct competition with each other, indirect competition with themselves and their own targets and personal bests, or in groups or teams: ‘co-operative competition'.

Merchant Taylors' engages boys in the learning process by using indirect and co-operative competition.

In Summary

What do we know boys like?

1) Competition
2) Banter/humour
3) To know you like them/care
4) Hands-on learning
5) Short, direct instructions
6) Movement
7) Rough & Tumble play
8) Taking risks
9) Routine
10) Male role models

In January (2011) Dr Abigail Norfleet James, world-renowned teacher and expert on gender-based learning, spent two days at Merchant Taylors' Boys' Schools meeting pupils, staff and parents. This was her view of the schools:

"Merchant Taylors' Senior and Junior Boys' Schools are successful because they are using interactive and exciting learning strategies designed to meet boys' needs. The boys are so lucky to have teachers who understand how they learn".