Article about ADD comes with concrete suggestions about how to make primary schools more boy friendly: Longer recess, more gym class, bring back shop.

SqueaksBCOD · 2013-08-29T03:16:38+00:00

So, I like math, science, history and I would rather read a book than play more basketball... does this make me a girl? Shop classes are good for anyone who prefers hands on learning to the classical fields of study, but it's still not just a "boy thing".

2ndclassgender · 2013-08-28T23:01:11+00:00

In recent years, Australian schoolboys have been very under-represented amongst the ranks of high school achievers.

Now, whenever Australian females encounter any discrimination as a group, the government spares no expense in addressing their issues.

In fact Australian females even have their own federal government minister with a hefty-sized annual budget.

Heck, each year Australia even allocates over $2 billion to be spent on females overseas.

And yet, every year, Australian schoolboys continue to be under-represented amongst the ranks of high school achievers. And all ranks of government quietly avoid this issue.

dermanus · 2013-08-28T22:36:42+00:00

Now that more girls are getting diagnosed maybe the problem will finally get some attention.

I think that the majority of ADHD cases are the result of boring classes, not a medical condition. Hence why 'talk therapy' is as effective as drugs.

doctor_seuss · 2013-08-29T00:11:38+00:00

What is shop?

VZPurp · 2013-08-29T04:31:51+00:00

Despite always being at the top academically, actually going to school was useless to me. The structure of classes and lectures was such that I spent all of my time daydreaming.

But why did I succeed so well? Well, when it came down to it, our performance was based on solving problems on homeworks or exams. The format of working with something, a problem, mental or physical, is how I learn.

Otherwise, it's like pulling teeth trying to get me to sit still. Active learning, discussion, and hands on work (shop, mechanical stuff, etc.) would be a huge boon to the education of young men.

snyper7 · 2013-08-29T11:24:18+00:00

I did well in school (and my high school was 80-90% "sit down and listen to a lecture"), but I would have really loved a shop class. I loved doing FIRST Robotics, which I guess could kinda be considered a 21st-century equivalent, but that wasn't a class. It would've been cool to have some more physical, hands-on classes and stuff. Although there was that one semester of physics where we got to build trebuchets... that was fucking awesome.

So yeah - bring back shop. For everyone. Also bring back home ec. For everyone. Those are some important life skills. I'd actually argue being able to fix something without killing yourself, being able to cook something without burning your house down, and being able to do your taxes and keep track of your finances are much more important life skills than whatever the majority of students get out of memorizing the dates of 12th century battles in high school. A few kids grow up to be history majors (or, I guess, get into bar trivia or something), the vast majority need to build something, cook something, and earn and spend money at some point in their lives.

Jazzeki · 2013-08-29T11:30:56+00:00

i'll admit that i'm a special case when this is concerned but i would have prefered less recess, no gym class and for the love of everything holy don't ever put me in a workshop again.

i seriously think we need to start splitting kids up bassed on what sort of learning enviroment suits them.

Atkailash · 2013-08-29T13:45:04+00:00

As someone with add/adhd but who like neither sports nor shop, I fail to see how this would help. I'd be surprised if it even helps in the majority of cases. It might if the supposedly adhd kids are actually just kids, and not physiologically adhd.

Also, seems like a bad idea to give someone who can't focus power tools.

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