Why Boys Fail: Saving Our Sons from an Educational System That's Leaving Them Behind [Hardcover]

Richard Whitmire (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 13, 2010

Boys are falling behind in school. The world has become more verbal; boys haven't. Even in their traditionally strong subjects of science and math, boys are hit at a young age with new educational approaches, stressing high-level reading and writing goals that they are developmentally unable to achieve. The gap between male and female achievement has reached the college level, where only 40 per cent of graduates next year will be male. This doesn't just mean fewer male doctors and lawyers, it also means fewer men in the careers that previously did not require post-high school degrees but do now. "Why Boys Fail" examines the roots and repercussions of this problem and spells out the educational, political, social and economic challenges we face as we work to end it.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“…thorough, thought-provoking look at the increasing achievement gap between boys and girls…engaging read…offers arguments that could be used by…youth advocates to fund literacy and related programs for boys.” -- Voya

“… parent of a son, school reform advocate, elementary school teacher, or, most importantly a school administrator or member of …school boards…you need to read this book.” -- TucsonCitzen.com

“This is why we need reporters…an unbiased look at what is and isn’t working in schools. Plenty of real stories and real journalism.” — guysread.com

“…subject matter is compelling…sound advice—recommended for parents, educators, and others advocating for innovation and flexibility in their educational situations.” — Library Journal

"…excellent starting point for examining a problem that could have long lasting consequences if it’s not addressed soon….insightful look into a serious deficit in our educational system…" — Bismarck Tribune

“…addresses an important, and neglected, problem in our schools. Teachers and administrators should pay close attention to what Whitmire has to say.“ — Washington Times

“The gender gap will certainly be a difficult problem to overcome…but hopefully this book will help pave the way for a better understanding.” —Geekdad blog on wired.com

“… brilliant new book… I don't know of a clearer or more balanced examination of this issue…recommendations at the end of the book are sensible, creative and overdue…” — Washington Post

“…provocative and useful new book…” -- Diverse Issues in Higher Education

“…backed by extensive body of research about the gender gap that exists from prekindergarten through college worldwide…straightforward, fun, and void of educationese.”–The School Administrator

Book Description

Chosen by The American School Board Journal as one of 2010's Top Education Reads.

The signs and statistics are undeniable: boys are falling behind in school. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the biggest culprits are not video games, pop culture, or female-dominated schools biased toward girls. The real problem is that boys have been thrust into a bewildering new school environment that demands high-level reading and writing skills long before they are capable of handling them.

Lacking the ability to compete, boys fall farther and farther behind. Eventually, the problem gets pushed into college, where close to 60% of the graduates are women. In a time when even cops, construction foremen, and machine operators need post-high school degrees, that’s a problem.

Why Boys Fail takes a hard look at how this ominous reality came to be, how it has worsened in recent years, and why attempts to resolve it often devolve into finger-pointing and polarizing politics.

But the book also shares some good news. Amidst the alarming proof of failure among boys—around the world—there are also inspiring case studies of schools where something is going right. Each has come up with realistic ways to make sure that every student—male and female—has the tools to succeed in school and later in life. Educators and parents alike will take heart in these promising developments, and heed the book’s call to action—not only to demand solutions but also to help create them for their own students and children.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: AMACOM; 1 edition (January 13, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814415342
• ISBN-13: 978-0814415344
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 1.1 x 9.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #680,976 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm a former editorial writer for USA Today with a long career covering three things: local issues at several newspapers in upstate New York, the Pentagon (after arriving in Washington) and then education. Defense issues, in contrast to education problems, were relatively clean and straight-forward.

Of all the education issues I've written about, the boys dilemma may be the most perplexing. I first came across gender learning issues long ago when writing about national reports which concluded that girls were discriminated against in school, as in teachers calling on aggressive boys and paying little attention to girls in math and science.

As the father of two girls, I was outraged and wrote those reports absent critical comment. I was wrong about that. Even at that time it was clear boys were in academic trouble. The search for the cause behind those boy troubles led to Why Boys Fail.

Former DC schools chancellor Michelle Rhee wrote the foreword for Why Boys Fail, and soon after the book came out I approached her about cooperating for a biography. After a lengthy deliberation -- for Rhee, national publicity has often backfired -- she agreed, giving a green light for me to talk to her family, friends and work associates. The result is The Bee Eater. The book's title comes from from an incident when Rhee was teaching in Baltimore (see the Introduction for full details).

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 40 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Why Boys Fail Excellent Study Of Important Problem January 9, 2010

By E. Jones

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

In this book, the author provides an excellent and very interesting study of the modern day educational gender gap. This gap is the considerable disadvantage that boys now face compared to girls in educational outcomes. The author points out that not only are college students and those receiving degrees almost 60% female, but that preceding the college years is a record of poor educational performance by boys going back to pre-Kindergarten. In 10 well-organized chapters, the book develops a number of important concepts. Not only does it provide the thesis of why boys are doing so poorly (not only relative to girls but also overall), but it also provides indications of what the solutions are. These proposed solutions include improved teaching techniques to address the problems, as well as necessary policy initiatives. The 10 chapters provide a logical flow through the subject area of the book. The first chapter looks into how the basic issue presents itself, using examples such as an awards presentation at a school where almost all of the award recipients are girls. This leads to the question, what happened to the boys? The second chapter then points to the ultimate underlying factor, poor literacy among boys, pointing out that strong literacy is absolutely necessary not only for success in college, but in many other areas, such as being able to read manuals. The third chapter then explores some of the reasons why reading is taught so poorly; pointing out that good teaching methods are especially important when students are doing poorly. The fourth chapter then looks at the deficiencies of boys with regard to writing ability.... In the fifth chapter, the book now moves on to a new emphasis, starting with an examination of many of the reasons that are given for the poor educational performance of boys. This starts with video games, discusses the lack of male teachers, and covers a number of other proposed explanations. For each one, the author examines whether there is credible evidence that the factor is a valid or partial explanation for the problems that boys are having. The sixth chapter is the most hopeful in the book. In this chapter, the author examines three schools that are succeeding in teaching all of their students, including the boys, at an equal level, particularly in reading. Here the techniques that are being used so successfully are described and the key point is made that it is possible to teach virtually all boys to read successfully. Having established that the methods exist, the author moves on in the seventh chapter to examine the ideological stalemate, particularly from those who have been fighting for equality for girls, that has caused this problem to largely be ignored in this country. Since the problem has not been addressed at the highest levels in the United States, the author then uses the eighth chapter to look at how the problems of poor educational performance by boys has been addressed in other countries, particularly in Australia. The ninth chapter then discusses societal trends that show why these gender gaps matter. And the tenth chapter then looks at recommendations that the author has towards the alleviation of the problem, particularly advocating that the Secretary of Education sponsor a formal study into the issue of poor educational performance by boys. Overall, this provides an excellent journey, both for those who are mostly unfamiliar with the issue as well as for those who have been aware of it for some time, into the latest problems, developments, and solutions that have been taking place in this important area. The style is fun to read. It is full of little stories that are interesting in their own right and also provide excellent illustrations of the points that are being made. No matter where one stands on this issue, they will be both entertained and well informed. Read more ›

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Good overview December 27, 2009

By Ann Derby

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book gives a good overview of the problems boys are having in school, particularly with literacy. Having already read other books on the subject, such as Peg Tyre's "The Trouble With Boys", Christina Hoff Sommers' "The War Against Boys" (both applauded and derided by Whitmire), or "Work Hard, Be Nice" by Jay Matthews, a lot of "Why Boys Fail" was familiar.

Most helpful were the examples of schools that get things right, mostly by making sure no one, boys or girls, are falling behind.

Whitmire keeps coming back to the idea that the US government and the Department of Education has to get into the act by commissioning a major study into the boy problem. While I would agree that this might break the dam holding back serious consideration of boy-friendly education techniques, I don't see it as either a panacea or as a necessary step. The schools that are doing well by boys that he describes in the book are not doing so because they are responding to a government study; they are simply looking within their own student body and seeing the glaring inequalities. Any and every school can and must do that--without an outside kick if necessary.

More effective would be involved parents, principals, superintendents, school boards, and state legislatures insisting that schools report results by gender, and address any problems that show up in those results.

Whitmire only briefly and obliquely touches on the ed-school problem.... The decline in education across the board (especially compared with students overseas), and the decline of boys achievements in particular, have corresponded with a decline in the content taught at teachers colleges--particularly the denigration of phonics and of "drill and kill" teaching which insists that kids practice to achieve mastery (the very thing the KIPP schools have used to propel their kids forward). Then there was the disaster of the whole-word reading fad--which he describes in relation to California's adoption of the technique. Early on Whitmire quotes one person as saying the root of most of the problem is ed schools, but then drops the subject for most of the book. If teachers are not taught to teach using effective techniques, then what hope is there for the kids in their classrooms?

If you are new to this subject, this is as good a starting place as any. If you are already familiar with the subject, then it is mostly a rehash of other books.

One minor quibble and pet peeve: at least three times in the book (though once was in a quote by someone else), Whitmire uses the phrase: "the boys could care less" which actually means the opposite of what Whitmire was trying to say. If someone could care even less than they do, then they have not yet hit bottom. If someone "couldn't care less" they have hit rock bottom. Read more ›

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Parent perspective February 8, 2010

By A Parent of a wonderful boy

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

As the parent of a daughter and a son, I found the book immensely reassuring. I now understand why my very smart and fabulous son did not excel as well academically as he has in life outside the classroom. I wish I had known this years ago. It would have saved me sleepless nights and lots of worry. I hope the book impacts those who are in a position to effect change in the way we teach our boys.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars interesting analysis of a neglected problem June 27, 2010

By J.Codex

Format:Hardcover

Richard Whitmire offers an interesting and well-researched analysis in "Why Boys Fail" of the educational problems affecting boys in K-12. His book is logically organized with an initial identification of the problems (literacy deficiencies among others) and their causes, an exam of the misdirection of blame, solutions and impediments, international approaches to deal with the challenges, why the gender gaps matter, and what should be done in the US. The author provides intriguing info concerning boys' lagging reading and writing performance as well as the impact their academic failures have on their income potential and marriageability. He justifiably criticizes the US Dept of Education, teachers unions, and education schools for their complacency.

Yet, some of his conclusions I found to be frustrating and unconvincing. For instance, he seems to insist that "feminization" of the classrooms is not a convincing explanation for boys' poor performance compared to girls', but throughout the book he points out ways in which teachers and the education system neglect the particular learning needs of boys -- especially when it comes to reading and writing assignments. One of Whitmire's major themes is that boys are failing in school because the world has become more verbal while boys haven't. But it seems more accurate to argue that the reason for the failure is that boys have vulnerabilities that are not being adequately addressed by an education system that is geared more to the learning styles and interests of girls. Fortunately, he does hold feminists in the US accountable for both their denial of the boy education problem and their persistent obstruction of reform efforts....

The book, all in all, is well worth a read for those who are concerned about this neglected problem and who realize that the academic failure of boys is harmful to our sons and daughters as well. Read more ›