Why Boys Fail: Saving Our Sons from an Educational System That's Leaving Them Behind » (New Edition)

RICHARD WHITMIRE (Arlington, VA) is a former editorial writer for USA Today and President of the National Educational Writers Association. A highly recognized and respected education reporter, his commentaries have been published in The New Republic, U.S. News, Politico, Washington Monthly, Chronicle of Higher Education, and Education Week. He also appeared on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition to discuss boy troubles.

It’s no longer a case of “boys being boys.” By every statistical measure, boys are falling steadily and alarmingly behind in school. Why Boys Fail draws on a wealth of data, interviews, case studies, and clearheaded analysis to both document the problem and uncover the real culprit driving the academic slide of boys: they just don’t have the reading and writing skills needed to keep up. And the book shares some good news in the form of schools that are getting it right by implementing practical strategies and programs for boosting literacy among the entire student body—boys and girls alike.

Advance Praise for Why Boys Fail :

“­Richard Whitmire writes a compelling book about a real issue in our schools—too many boys falling behind and never catching up. He understands the need for account­ability, and his practical solutions will help us achieve our promise to leave no child behind—including our boys.” — Former U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings

“A spectacularly comprehensive and nonjudgmental look at why our boys really are in trouble, with a thoughtful and positive call to action. This is the book that every parent, teacher, and legislator should read—right now.” — Jon Scieszka, National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature

“With his reporter’s eye for careful investigation and his characteristic penchant for tough-minded analysis, Whitmire not only breaks down the problem, but also offers up thoughtful solutions. For those who care about results, and are willing to challenge their own ideological predispositions, this is an important read.” — Joel Klein, New York City Schools Chancellor

“Ask any teacher: boys learn differently from girls and often struggle in the classroom. Richard Whitmire, one of our nation’s most thoughtful journalists, dug deeply into this topic and has unearthed clues that will help us better serve male learners in par­ticular and all students in general.” — Nancy S. Grasmick, Maryland State Superintendent of Schools

VOYA

Whitmire, a highly respected former USA Today education writer, creates a thorough, thought-provoking look at the increasing achievement gap between boys and girls. Questioning the usefulness of federally mandated tests based on reading comprehension and verbal skills—abilities young men often struggle with at seemingly younger ages—his conclusion is a simple one: "The world is becoming more verbal; boys aren't." Why, then, does this gap persist? According to the author, entrenched attitudes that focus on race and class at the expense of gender make research into differences between the genders too hot to handle, even though the problem has been proven to exist in upper income communities from Fairbanks, Alaska, to Wilmette, Illinois. Family wealth and ethnicity are not the culprits but rather a combination of brain development and lack of literacy skills. Males tend to pick up verbal skills at later ages than females, while school curricula shift from the phonics and reading instruction boys need in the upper elementary and middle school grades to grammar and literature. Using a combination of statistics and published studies (nearly all from Australia as this issue has largely been ignored in the U.S.), Whitmire describes programs that both have succeeded and failed in raising boys' academic performances and calls for ongoing, federally funded gender research. This engaging read, reminiscent of a highly polished op-ed piece, offers arguments that could be used by librarians, social workers, teachers, and other youth advocates to fund literacy and related programs for boys. Reviewer: Jay Wise

Foreword Michelle Rhee Rhee, Michelle

Introduction 1

1 Discovering the Problem 13

2 The Reason for the Boy Troubles: Faltering Literacy Skills 27

3 The Likely Causes of the Reading Lapses 39

4 The Writing Failures 63

5 The Blame Game: What Gets Blamed (Unfairly) for the Gender Gaps 79

6 Solutions: What Works for Boys? 107

7 Impediments to a Solution: The Ideological Stalemate 135

8 The International Story: Australians Struggle with the Boy Troubles 151

9 Why These Gender Gaps Matter 163

10 Actions That Need to Be Taken 181

Appendix The Facts About Boys 211

Notes 217

Index 229

About the Author 239