Oh Boy!

In his brand new book, Oh Boy! Strategies for Teaching Boys in Early Childhood, Francis Wardle, PhD explains, "My intent with this book is to suggest that many of the struggles young boys have in our early childhood programs and schools are not simply a result of bad behavior. Rather, boys struggle because of a much more fundamental problem: a mismatch between how most young boys develop, grow, and learn, and the kinds of expectations, outcomes, activities, and discipline approaches used in programs during the early years. I think a radical change is needed in order to fully meet the needs of young boys. A place to start is recognizing that typical boy behaviors like lack of attention, risk taking, poor emotional regulation, full body movement, and messy exploration of the physical world, are the norm, and not the exception…"

Dr. Wardle asserts that "a disproportionate number of boys compared to girls are suspended or expelled from early childhood and elementary school programs; far more boys than girls are identified with developmental delays or special needs, including ADHD and specific learning disabilities; and more boys than girls struggle with behavioral issues in our programs—often resulting in the use of punitive discipline methods. For many young boys, the early childhood experience is not a positive, empowering one. Too many are suffering, and we need to make major changes at every level of the field—from expectations, the environment, instructional approaches, and discipline methods—to policies regarding school readiness and special education. Rather than seeing these changes as simply reacting to the current early childhood practices, we need to view them as needed improvements to everything we do with young children, especially young boys."

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