The Trouble with Boys

I just finished this book as part of my "Learning Theories and Assessment Practices" class. I call it L-Tap for short. We've spent several class sessions discussing the topics in this book and I highly recommend it. If you are an educator, a parent, a future educator, or a future parent, it is a must-read. Some would say that Peg Tyre  "opened a can of worms" when she released the book in 2008. Others praise her boldness and are thankful that someone was finally willing to address the real issues.


Did you know that 33% of American women between the ages of 25 and 29 hold a four-year degree while only 26% of American men can say the same? Did you know that boys are more than twice as likely as girls to be diagnosed with ADHD? Did you know that "one in three married, working women outearns their husband - up from one in ten in the 1970s"? These are just a sampling of the issues addressed in this book.

The trouble with boys is not in the boys... Tyre writes that we as educators can help. By learning about boys, learning who they are and how they learn, we can begin to help boys change these statistics. I take these things to heart as an educator and I'm determined to avoid those mistakes in my classroom. If you've read the book, I'd love to hear your thoughts. If you haven't, I encourage you to read and form your own opinion. There are two sides to every story and I acknowledge that. There are exceptions to every rule and not every boy is struggling with today's school system. But maybe I can make a small difference for those who are.