"Boys, Books and Blogs: Motivating Male Students with Authentic Experiences"

1. Boys, Books & Blogs:
Motivating Male Students
with Authentic Experiences
Alexander Davidson
MRA Annual Conference
2016

2. About Me: Alexander Davidson
 University of Michigan, 2010
 English, History, Secondary Education
 Madonna University, 2013
 MAT, Literacy Education
 Reading Specialist certification
 University of Detroit Jesuit High School
and Academy
 Six years of teaching
 Back at my old high school
 English department
Twitter
@_AlexanderJohn
Facebook
AlexanderDavidsonTeacherAuthor
Website
AlexanderDavidsonBooks.com

3. Welcome to the University of Detroit Jesuit High
School and Academy!

4. Who We Are…
 All boys
 Private, Catholic, college-preparatory
 Only one left in the city of Detroit
 Enrollment: 900 (Grades 7-12)
 16% living in the city of Detroit
 31% Students receiving need based aid
 24% receiving merit-based scholarships (9-12)
 14 varsity athletic teams
 34 co-curricular clubs

5. The Problem with Boys (Guys Read)
 “The U.S. Department of Education
reading tests for the last 30 years
show boys scoring worse than girls
in every age group, every year.”
 “Eighth grade boys are 50 percent
more likely to be held back,”
 “two-thirds of Special Education
Students in high school are boys,”
and
 “overall college enrollment is higher
for girls than boys.”

6. What They Get in School
 Many female teachers are assigning novels “meant to induce
sympathy for the feelings of characters with problems. But
most boys are bored by these books, and they are less
likely than girls to read books that they think are boring in
order to please teachers or parents” Rhoads, 2010).
 These novels don’t appeal to the “action-oriented,
competitive learning style of many boys” and work against
the effort at improving reading skills (Guys Read).
 “In part, boys fall so far behind in reading because
educators often don’t give them stories that would appeal to
them—adventures and combat, heroes and villains”(Rhoads
2010).

7. In a survey of my students…

8. In a survey of my students…

9. In a survey of my students…

10. What students like…
 Novels
 Magazines
 Blogs
 Newspapers
 Adventure
 Mystery
 Humor
 Sports
 Crime
 War
What happens when they don’t get these in the classroom?

11. In a survey of my students…

12. In a survey of my students…

13. In a survey of my students…

14. In a survey of my students…
92.5% Never or Rarely check out books
from the school library
79.6% Never or Rarely check out books
from the public library

15. 10 Reasons Nonreaders Don’t Read
 Reading give them a headache or makes their eyes hurt.
 They can’t read as fast as their peers (and get left behind).
 They fear they’ll have to read out loud and others will laugh.
 They expect to be tested on what they read – and to fail the test.
 They believe they have to finish every reading selection, no matter how long or
difficult.
 They fear their opinions may be wrong.
 They always get put in the “slow” group, which makes them feel stupid.
 They believe they are too far behind to ever catch up.
 They have no interest in the material they are required to read.
 They get lost and can’t remember what they have just read.
(Johnson, n.d.)

16. If reading isn’t a part of their lives,
how does that affect their attitude
towards reading?
“Around one in five think that someone who reads is
boring and ‘geeky’ because the pursuit is a feminine
pastime” (Harris, 2012).

17. In a survey of my students…

18. In a survey of my students…

19. In a survey of my students…

20. In a survey of my students…
Even though most students are reading 1-4
hours a day for school, 76.2% of students
spend less than an hour reading for pleasure, if
that.
70.7% would not like a book as a present.

21. In a survey of my students…

22. In a survey of my students…
Based on the last slide, you can assume that the attitude has changed from positive to negative.

23. In a survey of my students…

24. I wanted to change this trend of male
students graduating from our school
without a love of reading.
“Reading for pleasure is key to boosting a young person’s
life chances. Helping children to develop a love of
reading and a habit of reading for pleasure every day is
key to ensuring we have well educated and literate young
people by the time they leave school” (Harris, 2012).

25. Boys in the Classroom
 “Biologically, boys are slower to develop than girls and often
struggle with reading and writing skills.” (Guys Read)
 “It is possible that achievement in a particular area for boys is
important in order to foster positive attitudes in that area”(
Logan & Johnston, 2009).
 Therefore, “strategies for improving attitudes to reading in
school will be likely to have a positive impact on reading
frequency and ability after school” (Logan & Johnston 2009).

26. Foster positive attitudes! But how?
 Experts insist we must “meet them where they are”
 Trends: gross-out humor – just get them reading
 However…
 “It is more suited to producing a generation of barbarians and morons than
to raising the sort of men who make good husbands, fathers, and
professionals.”
 “If you keep meeting a boy where he is, he doesn’t go very far.”
 “A boy raised on great literature is more likely to grow up to think, to speak,
and to write like a civilized man.”
(Spence, 2010)

27. My Solution: Contemporary Literature
 The goal of this course is to guide or create students with a passion for
reading by experiencing recently published literature and immersing
themselves in the voices and worlds of today’s authors. Students will be
exposed to texts geared towards their interests while also opening them up to
different genres and viewpoints. While these titles might be similar to those
students would pick up to read recreationally, they will be guided towards a
deeper level of understanding of today’s works through classroom
discussion, projects, and academic writing.
 Essential Question: Why is it important to be a reader (and writer) in the
twenty-first century?
 (See course proposal and course syllabus in resource handout.)

28. Authentic Writing Experiences
 “The five-paragraph essay is dead…because it is a meaningless,
formulaic construct…Asking students to write formal literary analyses has
no real application for the majority of our students” (Davis, 2012).
 “Authentic assignments ask students to perform the intellectual work…in
a real or realistic situation where the students must use the knowledge
or skills they are learning in your course” (Anderson & Little).
 Can increase student motivation by showing practical uses of what they are
studying
 Can engage students in intellectually challenging work that extends the value
of their courses

29. Authentic Writing Assignments
 Anderson & Little, Elon University
 What you want students to learn to do
 Students’ role
 Real-world audience
 Problem or question
 Reason the audience needs students’ help
 How the audience will use the students’
communication
 Communication

30. Real-world Audience
 “My students knew I was the only person who would read their finished
work. They also knew that my primary reason for reading their writing
was to assign a grade.”
 “Writing for an audience beyond the teacher using authentic forms, and
writing for real reasons, produces more effective writing.”
(Slagle, 1977)

31. Blog Component
 “Collaborative blogging, especially with a global audience, can develop
a range of literacy skills and provide an enjoyable and challenging
learning experience for young male students.”
 “Collaborative blogging…provided motivation to write more powerfully
and with increased confidence.”
 Not just for the teacher’s eyes – real audience
(Pickworth, 2010)

32. Enough theory! Let’s put it to use!
 Each member of the class
created a blog, including the
teacher
 Design the blog personally
 All members follow each other
 Blog serves as online
communication and reflection
 Blog serves as online portfolio
for the course

33. Online Writing
 How is it different?
 More informal
 Conversational
 Less academic
 Sometimes anonymous
 More interactive
 May include more than just text
 How is it the same?
 Worthwhile
 Developed
 Organized
 Clear and concise
 Polished

34. Choosing a Platform
 What does your school have?
 What will it support?
 Some are free
 Some are free but have ads
 Each has advantages or disadvantages
Suggestions:
Edmodo
Ning
Kidblog
Edublogs
Blogger
Wordpress
Schoology

35. What should students write about?
 Anything!
 What we did:
 Class discussions and reflections from our
reading
 Personal posts on topics of their choice
 Book reviews
 Reflections and displays of their course
projects

36. Class discussions:
 Teacher poses a question and models a response
 Students respond
 Students reply to classmates

37. This I Believe
 Based on NPR segment
 Statement of personal belief
 Tell a story about you
 Be brief
 Be positive
 Be personal
 500-600 words
 Record on Vocaroo.com
 Shared in class each Friday
Listen Here!

38. Book Reviews
 Summarize
 Analyze and express opinion (while
using textual evidence)
 Characters
 Themes
 Motifs
 Writing style
 Argument
 Key ideas
 Setting
 Plot
 Expectations
 Other
 Recommendation
 Post to blog and goodreads.com
An element in this story that sticks out to the
audience is Vera’s narration. It’s a very unique
and distinct voice with a good amount of
character to it.
The characters placed in the novel are very well
developed and give off a range of emotions that
add to the atmosphere.
The struggle of communication between
characters is central to this story as a whole
because of the emotion it creates and value it
adds to the novel.
Check out YouTube: “Good Book Review”/Greg Mcveery

39. Authentic Reading & Writing
 Real-world purpose
 Novels
 Choose books that would interest my students,
be challenging, and cover a wide range
 Writing Assignments
 “Assignments that engage their intellects and
demonstrate the value of thoughtful
composition” (Rebora, 2012)
 Writing skills – “prerequisite to meaningful
employment” (Rebora, 2012)
 Create or provide models for my students

40. Daily Reading Minutes
 Students sign up for dates on a
calendar to present
 Teacher models first
 Students create a write-up on a book
to share
 OR
 Students print out an entire article of
their choice
 Quick presentation:
 What is it? What is it about?
 Why did you pick it for us?
 Why should we read it?
We learned about…
• Bestsellers
• Fantasy series
• Historical biographies
• Favorite blogs
• Recent articles on…
• ISIS
• Starbucks red cups
• Football Man of the Year
• Melting ice caps
• And more!

41. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore, Robin Sloan
 Clay Jannon can no longer find work as a web
designer, so he ends up as the night clerk of a 24-hour
bookstore.
 The store hosts a strange clientele that mostly only
rents books from a back shelf.
 When Clay finally opens one, he discovers a secret
code that this society is trying to break.
 Clay gets help from his talented friends to find out that
the secrets are worth way more than they bargained
for.
 THEMES: immortality/remembrance, individuality vs.
community, tradition vs. new ways of life, the power of
books and reading

42. Literacy Program
 On theme with the importance of books and reading
 Create a campaign to encourage fellow high schoolers to read
 Twitter campaign
 Posters around school
 Video commercial
 But there’s a twist! The proposal…
 Each student had to plan and rationalize what they wanted to do
before they were given permission to start their project
 Just like at a real job

43. Literacy Program - Proposal
 Model: Quaker Oats
 “Off You Go” Instagram Campaign
 Objective?
 Demographic?
 What will it look like?
 How will it work?
 When will it happen?
 Why are these the best choices?

44. Ryan’s Poster Campaign Proposal
 Posters strategically placed around the school will reach the
widest audience
 Posters will showcase what you miss out on when you don’t
read
 Slogan: “Good Books from Good Teachers”
 Reach out to popular teachers for their favorite books and
things to read
 Include pictures and try not to make it too text heavy

45. Ryan’s Final Product

46. Other examples

47. Always Reflect
 After every project, students had
to post to their blog and explain
the process of creating their
project as well as their opinion of
the final product
 Showcase their hard work
 Always good to look back and
self-evaluate
 Blog becomes a record of the
student’s journey over the length
of the course

48. The Art of Racing in the Rain, Garth Stein
 Enzo is not your average dog… or your
average narrator.
 Enzo tells the story of his racecar driving
master Denny swift as he starts a family and
then fights to keep it together.
 As a dog telling the story of this family drama,
we only get as much as Enzo understands
based on his learning of the human condition.
 THEMES: life/death, human experience, family
values, racing, overcoming obstacles

49. Infographic Debate
 Point of view and perspective is an important factor in the creation of
knowledge
 Take on a perspective on a topic and only argue that point
 Research without acknowledging the opposition
 Present the ideas in the form of an original infographic
 Plan visual representations, etc.
 Students vote in blog comments on who had the better argument

50. “Why Your Brain Craves Infographics”
 Increased use of visualization for faster processing
 Avoid information overload through engagement
 More accessible comprehension
 Easier to recall
 Easy to digest
 Fun to share
(NeoMam Studios)

51. Student Examples

52. The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern
 Le Cirque des Rêves is only open at night and
always arrives without warning.
 Behind the scenes, two magicians (Celia and
Marco) duel in a magical contest.
 Gradually, the two magicians fall in love before
they realize the ultimate truth that only one can
be left standing at the end of the contest.
 THEMES: free will, personal sacrifice,
love/dedication, time, following your dreams

53. Please Ignore Vera Dietz, A.S. King
 Vera Dietz has always had a thing for her neighbor
Charlie Kahn, even after he betrayed her, even after
he ruined everything, even after he died.
 Vera, daughter of an alcoholic and former stripper,
hopes to get through high school unnoticed.
 When issues surrounding Charlie’s death come to
surface, will Vera still keep Charlie’s secret or will
she use it to clear his name? Does she even want
to?
 THEMES: choices and consequences, coming of
age, guilt/blame, addiction, lies/deceit, friendship,
teen issues

54. TEDxCL – TED Talks, Contemporary Lit
 Ultimate test of becoming a 21-st century communicator
 Choose a topic they are passionate about to
 Sell a new idea
 Sell a new viewpoint
 Get audience fired up to take action
 Speeches must impact the audience
 Research
 Organization
 Public speaking skills
 Visual Aids
 (Reflection)

55. The Perfect Modeling Experience
 TEDxDetroit field trip!

56. TEDxCL Process
 Brainstorming activities
 Topic proposal/application
 Research notecards
 Sentence outlines
 Rough drafts
 Public speaking workshops
 Slide show preparation
 MLA Citations
 Presentation
 Posting recording and reflection

57. Great Final Speeches
 Learning from children
 Finding your happiness
 Paying it forward
 Dadaism & Afrofuturism
 Religion and Love, Not War
 The need for sleep
 Helping the homeless
 Making personal finance classes mandatory
 Making reading cool

58. What about the Common Core?
“Note that the Common Core emphasis on traditional rhetorical modes can
be employed in many of these arenas. Text messages are essentially a kind
of dialogue, and a tweet can certainly tell a story in 140 characters.
Reviews and proposals are analytical arguments of a sort. Captions and
status updates can describe; a process analysis explains in careful detail.
Many of these forms use multiple ways of writing at once (reflection, for
example), and some, like synthesis, invoke complex ways of organizing and
thinking that are often overlooked in school. Finally, all of these forms of
writing should incorporate visual elements as well as language. Drawings or
sketches, screen shots, info-graphics, photographs, video – these things are
just as important as the written word in conveying what we need to say
today.”
(Davis, 2012)

59. But what do your students have to say?

60. Last word from our students…

61. References
 Aguilar, E. (2011, February 18). Motivating Students: Writing for an Audience. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
 Anderson, P., & Little, D. (n.d.). Authentic Writing Assignments. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
 Chace, A., & Witemberg, K. (n.d.). Writing With a Purpose: Investigating Authentic Writing Experiences. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
 Davis, S. (2012, June 27). Teaching Authentic Writing in a Socially Mediated World. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
 Gallagher, K. (2011). Write like this: Teaching real-world writing through modeling & mentor texts. Portland, Me.: Stenhouse.
 Gallagher, K., & Allington, R. (2009). Readicide how schools are killing reading and what you can do about it. Portland, Me.: Stenhouse.
 Gurian, M. & King, K. (2006). Boys in mind/teaching to the minds of boys. Teaching to Student Strategy, 64(1), 56-61
 Guys Read. (n.d.). Guys and reading. Retrieved from http://guysread.com/about/.
 Logan, L. & Johnson, R. (2009). Gender differences in reading ability and attitudes: Examining where the differences lie. Journal of
Research in Reading, 32 (2), 199-214.
 Mercer, K. (2011). Improving literacy outcomes for years 5-8 boys. Kairarnga, 12 (2), 52-58.
 National Association for Single Sex Public Education. (2006). Learning style differences. Retrieved from
http://www.singlesexschools.org/research-learning.htm.
 Ontario Education. (2003). Me read? no way!: A practical guide to improving boys’ literacy skills. Retrieved from
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/brochure/meread.pdf.
 Pickworth, M. (2010). Boys, blogs and books. Presented at School Library Association of Queensland and the International Association
of School Librarianship 39th Annual Conference.
 Rebora, A. (2012, February 29). Authentic Writing Instruction - Education Week. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
 Rhoads, S. (2010). Considering sex differences for effective education. Gender differences. Retrieved from
http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Considering_Sex/.
 Slagle, P. (1977). National Writing Project. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
 "13 Reasons Why Your Brain Craves Infographics." NeoMam. Web. 18 Mar. 2016.

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SCECH Session Code
910AD