Call for Copy: Boys and Reading: How Do We Get Boys to Wrestle with the Pages?
A generation ago educators identified an achievement gap between boys and girls in math and science. Boys were taking and excelling in more science and math classes than girls. With dedication, commitments across districts and states, careful revision of curriculum, the gap closed. Now when you peek in a calculus class you are apt to see as many girls as boys.
Today, schools have another achievement gap educators must address, one that has undermined English classes for decades: Boys lag behind girls as readers. In Idaho, they score lower than girls in reading and language usage on the ISAT starting in the third grade and they never catch up. In addition to standardized test data, English teachers have tons of anecdotal evidence of boys’ attitudes toward the study of literature: Boys are less likely to enjoy reading or identify themselves as committed English students than girls, attitudes that often affect their behavior in the classroom. How can we turn this around? How can we get boys to wrestle, to tussle, to tumble, with pages of novels and biographies and essays and poems?
Some possible topics include:
What are books that your boys, at home and/or in the classroom, read voraciously? What are books that get squirming boys to slow down in their chairs? What books do boys recommend to other boys? Mini-reviews welcome!
What strategies have worked for you to get boys reading more than they have before? Over the course of a semester, how do you encourage boys not only to read their favorite writers/genres, but get them to try new writers? How do you gets boys talking about books with other boys?
If you were to write books for boys, what would your story be? How would you approach writing a book geared toward male readers?
Besides books, what else do your boys read? What topics do your boys read and talk about?
Send essays, classroom strategies, stories of success and struggle, poems, surveys of your male readers, interviews…
Send articles to Crag Hill at 1111 E. Fifth St., or by e- mail at [email removed]
Deadline: March 30, 2007
InLand is a magazine that serves the interests of approximately 350 K-College Language Arts educators in Idaho and Eastern Washington. Readers love articles that enlarge their understanding of a topic.
I have recently moved to Spokane from California. I have five years experience and great references but I know Spokane is a hard job market to break into. I have received a Washington professional credential but am staying home with my 2 year old for now. I want to make myself as marketable as possibe so I am beginning a Master's program in reading and literacy. I have chosen Walden University for their online program. I am wondering if anyone has any tips or information they want to share about online learning.
Yikes! Bellingham is a tough market to get into. Everyone who has graduated from Western tends to hang around a little, making the schools more competative to get into. Being a sub will definately help out though. The county schools are really great too, and they're close - Lynden, Ferndale, Blaine, Nooksack, and a some private schools that hire too! Good luck!
On 4/30/07, Jamie wrote: > Yikes! Bellingham is a tough market to get into. Everyone > who has graduated from Western tends to hang around a little, > making the schools more competative to get into. Being a sub > will definately help out though. The county schools are > really great too, and they're close - Lynden, Ferndale, > Blaine, Nooksack, and a some private schools that hire too! > Good luck!
I agree. B-ham is a tough market. I know people who have subbed for years trying to break in. Go for the surrounding districts. They are not that far away.
Enjoy Bellingham! What a great town. I miss my days at WWU.
I am looking at going back to school to teach junior high or high school art and need to know which are the best schools and where I need to check out. Thanks for any help you can give me.
I am moving to WA state and wondering if there are jobs in the physics area. I have looked in the internet and it seems to me those jobs are realy rare. any ideas?
I'm going to be in Gig Harbor this summer. I am interested in summer employment (does not have to be teaching) and can be part time. I don't want to travel to Seattle or Tacoma. I'll be there from the first week of June to the first week of August. I'm just looking for some supplemental income and to keep myself occupied. Any interesting opportunities? Anything at the harbor?
Are there accessible beaches for folks that aren't locals? I'd like to be able to do some swimming too, but I don't like crowds.
What kind of inexpensive weekend trips would you recommend?
Are there any restaurants that I MUST go to (this can include Tacoma and Seattle). I love Ivar's, but that's about the only place I know because that's where I always go when I'm in the area.
Hi James there is not a teacher shortage in many parts of the state try the Tri Cities area (Pasco/Kennewich/Richland) or try Wenatchee or Yakima. If you have Spanish skills that's a plua
If you are planning on leaving Washington to come to Nevada, check out Teachers4Change...... You need to get the facts regarding the Silver State before you come here......
I agree with that. I have seen it happen. I dont like it one bit. Racism is a sad thing that happens. Why should racism be a white- black issue? I have seen racism everywhere. I have seen blacks discriminate hispanics and others too. What I hate is when people play the race card and act like constant victims.
For example, there was a guy in college interested in me. I wasnt interested in him because we had nothing in common, I didnt like his personality and immaturity. He asked me out and I politely said no and nothing else. And this guy started accusing me of racism and thought I didnt want to go out with him because he was Black. I didnt like his personality. Him being black was just a coincidence. He started gossiping about me and constantly telling me I am a racist. It got to a point where I went to the Dean because he was harassing me. Of course, this guy would continue to think he's being discriminated against. In reality, he's the one with issues. This an extreme example.
And another friend was student teaching and there was a boy who was constantly disruptive and off task. She tried to nicely tell him that he needs to finish his assignment for credit and he instead tells her something like "You are just picking on me because I am Black." She didnt know what to say after that.
This is what I mean, I dont like it when people do that (whether black, Indian, hispanic or insert background) Do I think all Blacks in America are like that? Heck no. Anyways, this is starting to get lame.
To the original poster, dont let that discourage you from finding a job. What subject area do you plan to teach?
I don't want to get into the discussion that has been going on but I did want to say that Washington has areas that are very diverse and areas that are not so diverse. It just depends on where you are at. Western Washington is more diverse than Eastern Washington, however, the hispanic population is huge on the east side. Depending on what you (the original poster) wants to teach, you should have no problem getting a job.
Yikes! Bellingham is a tough market to get into. Everyone
who has graduated from Western tends to hang around a little,
making the schools more competative to get into. Being a sub
will definately help out though. The county schools are
really great too, and they're close - Lynden, Ferndale,
Blaine, Nook...See More