Why are teachers failing the narrative for boys, is boy playing incompatible with school

[Leteer]

Does anyone feel like boy play is deeply unsupported and thoroughly discouraged in school up to the point where boys are questioning if play is actually good / encourages boys to question if their hard wired need for play is a bad thing. Isn't this a downward spiral for boys to not support what nature gave them which could in turn affect academic work.

@GlovedhandsCecilia so no one with a child should live in a village or small town without a Secondary school? Where do all the houses in towns exist for all these families?

Should small towns and villages be absent of a school? That's the first question.

But no. I find it incredibly selfish when London folks move their kids to the country. They benefited from 24hr transport all their young lives plus the independence that comes with that. Then because they want some peace and quiet, they move to the arse end of nowhere where their kids have to hike 2 miles to the neighbour's house.

You think every village should have a Secondary school? Not everything revolves around London

Yes. Well, some villages could share and the school be a independently commutable distance for the teens in that area. Depends on the geography of where they're at.

What's London got to do with anything?! Odd argument.

Because I live in London and lots of people that I hsve come to know decide to move their kids away to a place with fewer school choices that are all further away and terrible transport.

But that's their choice. Those outside London are allowed to expect an education. There are many reasons that, for me, I wouldn't consider London as a suitable place to bring up my family. Many children thrive in the countryside.

It wouldn't always be the kid's choice and it can mean they have fewer opportunities than their parents.

That's a slightly odd question! Neither. We live in a village that's 3.5 miles from the catchment secondary. Lots of parts of the country are similar. It was 10 mins on the school bus or by car. The majority of children at the school came in by bus from neighbouring villages. Do you think all those families should sell up and move so their kids could walk to school? 🤔🤣

Or, in many cases, more opportunities.

The walking/cycling to and from school was a suggestion for the kids who don’t get any outdoors time or a chance to burn some energy.Since you live in the countryside, I assume that is not an issue for your kid(and their peers).

Lots of villages share our secondary school. Hence the need for buses.

I think both boys and girls will benefit from a lot of activity and exercise.

The book “Delusions of gender” by Cordelia Fine is a very good read for explaining how our brains are very plastic and a subtle reinforcement of “boy” vs “girl” behaviour from birth has a big impact. It references lots of studies and just paints a very persuasive picture of the small differences in how we treat children (not innate sex differences) that add up to change how they behave.

FWIW I have a boy and a girl and do not think they need different approaches. let’s offer all children the opportunity for exercise, physical exploration and regular movement breaks as well as learning kindness and gentleness and how to treat others (as far as possible, totally acknowledging schools have limited time and resources and some of this should ideally be done at home).

My DCs school does forest school and has an amazing reception area with loads of climbing equipment, mud kitchen etc. I think all of that that benefits both boys and girls and they absolutely do not need to be put in separate boxes based on sex at age 5.

Probably best not to make assumptions.

Bus is a way teens can travel alone. Nothing wrong with that. Some don't have that as a reliable option though, and their parents chose that for them.

I saw last year that work experience was very limited outside London.

Interesting, though generally incorrect, have you ever lived anywhere else? There is so much more to the world than London alone.

It was on the news. WE for 15/16 year olds has dropped significantly. Especially outside the capital

@GlovedhandsCecilia so does everyone have to live in London? So do villages and small towns have to become childless areas, like the child catcher has visited. Not everyone can afford to live in London.

Or wants to!

So you live in the countryside AND your kids have no access to the great outdoors?

More assumptions.

I have 4 older brothers so I was quite rough and enjoyed play fighting and the like. I remember always getting told off in primary school, I think I got told off more than the boys to be honest. School isn’t designed for very physical children (a lot of whom happen to be boys). My son is actually very quiet and well behaved, but a lot of the boys in his class are very hyperactive so I know what you’re saying.

The pp was talking about kids being ferried in to school by parents when they should be walking. My point is that walking isn't always an option. It's irrelevant whether they go by bus or parental car when responding to the pp.

Buses often involve a walk to the bus stop, and possibly between the bus and school, though.

If parents are saying ‘schools must provide more exercise / movement within the very time-constrained school day’ but ferrying their child door to door by car, there are simple changes that could be made that would increase activity across the day - parking further away so their child walks to and from the car, for example; dropping their child off to meet a friend walking in. Or, for younger children, the drive in or pick up can be combined with a 30 minute park visit.

It’s not a car / walk binary choice.