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Are We Really Educating Boys?

Dr. Edmond Dixon, PhD author of Helping Boys Learn joined us live on "The Woodbury Report" on K4HD.com, Tuesday, April 22, 2014

What's the problem with our boys and school? Why are they under performing in schools across the country and yet girls are breezing through? Boys consistently have the highest percentages in disciplinary problems at school, are in special education classes, and are diagnosed with ADD/ADHD and overall about 18 months behind girls, socially, academically and emotionally. "Boys feel out of place at school and are just cruising through", shared our guest, Dr. Edmond Dixon, a pioneer in the field of Cognitive Kinesthetic for learning, and an educator for over 30 years. He is also the author of his latest book, "Helping Boys Learn", which is published in both parent and teacher editions.

With our boys so unaware that they are falling behind, what can parents and teachers do to undo this lack of learning? Is it possible to ignite the passionate fire of learning in boys? "Boys and girls learn differently, there are physiological differences in their brain wiring: girls get the school culture easier than boys and they get what they need right away. For boys, school is an alien environment without the safety nets…boys need experiential learning, they need to be shown not told, they need to experience, physically the learning.

Of concern to parents is the dreaded 'video games' that our kids can sit still and watch and play for hours upon hours. Yet, as Dr. Dixon explained "video games are powerful for boys, it allows them to set goals and achieve them and it draws them to higher achievements, and in doing so, they get a short jolt of testosterone." Lon asked how boys build relationships and it was explained that boys communicate differently when they are young, they will use humor or bump into you physically, using their bodies to express their feelings and males, all males, use their humor to connect socially. Boys use humor to conquer the universe and to conquer their fears.

What Dr. Dixon calls the "6 secrets" that help boys reach their potential in school and "jump start" the passion of learning include:

• Movement, this is hard wired into males, they feel the best when they are moving ahead Games, release testosterone, and boys are very serious about them, to them games are powerful


• Humor, helps to focus males, to pay attention. Males like the 'slap sticky' kind of jokes. Boy's humor is an equalizer and they are sensitive to that. Humor also helps boys to connect with people, it is how they can express themselves socially and to be intimate with others


• Challenge, boys love a challenge and males use these challenges to gain mastery, to complete the challenge


• Mastery, they crave mastery! Boys will always question first -they will ask, what is it good for? What is it used for? But mastery is the ultimate goal for males


• Meaning, it is important for boys to turn that desire of mastery into service of others. This is when they will ask "what am I supposed to contribute?" and ultimately they will question themselves, "what am I good for"

Contact:
Dr. Edmond Dixon:
877-746-8963
Dr.dixon@helpingboyslearn.com
www.helpingboyslearn.com

Listen to the full interview here: Are We Really Educating Boys?
Also available in Podcast

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