🚀 go-pugleaf

Hi everyone,

I've just discovered newsgroups and seeing as I'm fairly passionate about my
kids education, here I am.

My eldest son, now in yr 9, is at an all boys school. The reason being... a
literacy program geared towards boys. My son is an above average child, in
advanced Maths and English classes, yet I still feel that although he would
more than likely do well at a co-ed school, there is still the need to
educate boys differently to girls, in particular when it comes to literacy.
I'm sure many of you would have heard of the Cotswold Experiment. If not,
check it out on google.

Alberto has the right idea. It doesn't matter what they are reading, so long
as they are reading something, whether it be a surfing mag or War and Peace.
Whatever suits the child and is of interest to him or her for that matter.

Literacy programs in schools have the kids reading many a novel. My theory
about being at a boys school means that at least the chosen novel will be of
interest to most of the boys, whereas in a co-ed school the novel has to try
and cater for not only a diverse range of interests but also differing
genders. This in itself can make it difficult to enthuse the boys. My son
has read some great novels in the past 2 1/2 years. Some have had him so
engrossed, he'll actually stay off msn for the night and head to bed early
and read :-)

Not everyone becomes an avid reader but so long as the kids are given the
opportunity to see what reading is all about, then not much more can be
done. If one finds their son flicking through the newspaper, reading a
magazine or even a comic, then that's fine. They are taking the time to
read. There is a difference in being illiterate and not being a 'reader'.

So Ange, my theory is that boys and girls do differ when it comes to reading
and literacy. I don't think that should be frowned uponed. It's just another
difference between the two genders and goodness knows there is plenty of
those... differences that is!

Starshine