T Constance Walker Special Needs and The Boys Project Manager - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

5/8/19 Introducing T Constance Walker Special Needs and The Boys’ Project Manager Starting Point, Cleveland, Ohio FACTS AND STRATEGIES Starting Point FOR NURTURING BOYS The Early Childhood Resource and Referral Agency For Northeast Ohio The Boys’ Project Inspiration for the book Wired to Move: Facts and Strategies for Nurturing Boys in an Early Childhood Setting A Question What We Found National Statistics about Boys — 80% of discipline and behavioral problems What do YOU know about Boys? — 80% of children on Ritalin — 4 1/2 times more likely to be expelled from preschool than girls — Lag 1 to 1 ½ years behind girls in reading and writing skills 1

5/8/19 About African American Boys And in Northeast Ohio Northeast Ohio Statistics on Boys (2009) S tatistics on African American Boys — 72% of children ages 3-6 with social-emotional problems — Twice as likely to be expelled as Caucasians, Latinos, Asian-Americans were boys — 90% of all expelled African-American preschool children — Nearly 60% of these boys were African-American — Cuyahoga County, Ohio, African-American boys with social–emotional — African-American boys with social–emotional problems problems increased nearly 20% in 10 years increased 19% in 10 years Taking a Closer Look Taking a Closer Look Gender Differences African-American Vs. All Other Boys Boys vs Girls Boys vs Girls African-American Boys vs All Other Boys African-American Boys vs All Other Boys Social-emotional and behavioral Social-emotional and behavioral Social-emotional and behavioral Social-emotional and behavioral 1/1/2000-12/31/2009 1/1/2009-12/31/2009 1/1/2000-12/31/2009 1/1/2009-12/31/2009 1578 348 1800 400 3000 2641 700 587 1600 350 600 2500 1400 1063 300 239 500 2000 1200 250 400 1000 1500 200 1000 300 232 800 150 1000 600 200 100 400 500 100 200 50 0 0 0 0 Boys Girls Boys Girls African-American boys All other boys African-American boys All other boys Over the past 10 years 40% of boys served were African-American Boys represent 72% of all children served for social and emotional concerns For 2009 the percentage of African-American boys served was 60% compared to other boys 2

5/8/19 We Had Many Questions Taking a Closer Look Overall Data — Why are so many boys struggling? Children Served with Social-Emotional and Behavioral Concerns 2009 and 2000-2009 Data — Why are there so many differences in boys’ and girls’ development? 80% 73% 72% 67% 66% 70% 60% 59% 60% — Why are the problems more acute among African-American 50% 41% 40% and Latino boys? 40% 34% 33% 2009 28% 27% 30% 2000-2009 20% — What can we do to make a difference? 10% 0% ALL children served Other children served Boys Girls African-American boys All other boys with SE concerns (environmental, health, developmental) What We Found What We Did The Boys’ Project — Boys learn differently — Developed a team — Early childhood classrooms are not designed for the ways — Created pilot programs boys’ learn—or for the special needs of African-American, — Developed a manual Latino boys — Trained technical assistants to work with staff — Conducted Professional Development seminars on working with boys — Most teachers are female and are more attuned to the way — Developed Boy Friendly Classroom Checklist girls learn — Determined Assessment Tool — Evaluated results — We need to alter curricula, classrooms and teaching strategies to accommodate boys’ learning 3

5/8/19 Boys’ Pilot Boys’ Pilot Continued — Teachers receive technical — Initiated special boy-friendly — Met with parents and — National education expert assistance at each site twice programs at each site explained pilot and the rules provided observation and weekly technical assistance ¡ Eight hours a week per site — All parents signed parental — Teachers made physical consents — Administered assessment to all changes in their classrooms children three times during to accommodate boys — Purchased boy-friendly toys school year for sites Teachers (three times: pre, mid, and — Kaplan donated blocks and ¡ post) books Parents (two times: pre and post) — Trained teachers on Wired ¡ to Move strategies — Developed “Superhero Corner” at sites Pilot Program Results A Look at the Brain Using Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA) Tool Each Section of the Brain Has a Specific Function — Percent of boys identified with self-control concerns cut in half — Percent of boys with strengths in initiative rose from 6 to 41 % — Percent of boys with strengths in self control rose from 12 to 41 % — Percent of boys with strengths in attachment rose from 12 to 47% — Girls’ performance also improved 4

5/8/19 Boys’ and Girls’ Brain Differences Boys’ and Girls’ Brain Differences (Continued) Section of Brain Function More Active in Section of Brain Function More Active in Left Hemisphere Verbal Abilities Female Amygdala Aggressive responses Male Right Hemisphere Spatial-/Mechanical Abilities Male Temporal Lobes Speaking, listening, reading Female Brain Stem, Cerebellum Physical responses, action Male Basal Ganglia System Sense of calm, well-being Female Cerebral cortex Judgment, impulse control, Female Hippocampus Memory Female attention From Daniel Amen , A Brain Science Approach and Limbic System Emotion, bonding Female Michael Gurian, Boys and Girls Learn Differcntly Parietal lobe Spatial processing, tracking Male Corpus callosum Cross-talk between hemispheres Female Gray Matter Project Focus Male White Matter Multitasking Female Occupital Lobe Vision Male Hormones Make a Difference , too Questions More Active in Males More Active in Females TESTOSTERONE ESTROGEN, PROGSTERONE — Do these brain differences match what you know about • Male Physical Characteristics • Female physical characteristics boys? • Aggressiveness • Bonding, attachment • Territoriality • Cooperation, collaboration • Competitiveness OXYTOCIN, SERATONIN • Sex Drive — How do you think they affect boys’ learning and behavior in • Reproduction, • Exploratory Behavior • Pair bonding the classroom? VASOPRESSIN, CORTISOL, MIS • Empathy • Risk-taking • Maternal behavior • Roughhousing, large muscle • Feeling good development 5

5/8/19 Brain-based Facts and Strategies Brain-Based Facts and Strategies Boys Are Wired to Move Boys Excel at Spatial and Mechanical Tasks — Boys are physical beings — Boys see and track moving objects better than girls — When a boy is active, his brain is active — They can imagine objects in three-dimensional space — When his brain is at rest, as much as 70% shuts down. In contrast, 90% — They can construct complex structures of a female brain remains active. — They have superior eye-hand coordination What to Do What to Do Find ways for boys to move during sedentary activities — — Have lots of block and building materials Alternate quiet and active activities — — Allow space for building activities Increase time for indoor and outdoor large muscle activities — — Have indoor/outdoor activities where boys can manipulate balls, sand, water, boats, vehicles Brain-Based Facts and Strategies Brain-Based Facts and Strategies Boys Develop Verbal Abilities Later than Girls Boys Learn by Doing (Not by Listening) — Boys speak first words later than girls — Boys learn by moving, climbing, touching, building and taking things apart — Their speech may not be fully comprehensible before 4 years old—a year later than girls — Their brains have less activity in listening and language areas — Girls have larger vocabularies, better grammar, form longer sentences — Boys are hands-on learners What to Do What to Do — Use visual aids and manipulatives in lessons — Have pull-apart toys and puzzles — Keep verbal instructions to under a minute — Teach ABCs and 123s with manipulation and movement — Use music to stimulate boys’ verbal abilities — Have boys make up stories and create artwork to aid learning — Have boys act out stories 6

5/8/19 Brain-Based Facts and Strategies Brain-Based Facts and Strategies Boys Need Lots of Space Boys Do One Thing at a Time — Boys need space to move, explore, spread things out — Boys are best at concentrating on a single project — When they don’t have enough space, they can become frustrated, which — They’re not as good at multitasking can lead to behavior issues — It’s often difficult for them to understand more than one instruction at a time What to Do — Limit the number of children at tables to 4 What to Do — Allow more elbow room between children during sitting activities — Let boys stay with activities longer — Limit the number of children in each activity area — Before giving an instruction, touch him lightly to get his attention — Give boys one instruction at a time Brain-Based Facts and Strategies Brain-Based Facts and Strategies Boys Need Time to Make Transitions Boys are Visual Learners — Boys’ single focus makes it more difficult to change activities — A boy’s eyes are his best way of acquiring information — When asked to change quickly, they can get frustrated and angry, even — Boys can see detail better than girls aggressive — Boys like bright colors best What to Do What to Do — Give 5 minute, 3 minute, 1 minute warnings before changing activities — Use pictures to reinforce learning — Use sounds or music as cues — Use primary colors where possible — Enhance classroom lighting 7