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Boy Writers: Reclaiming Their Voices
Writing test scores indicate that boys have fallen far behind girls across the grades. In general, boys don't enjoy writing as much as girls. What's wrong? How can we do a better of job of creating “boy-friendly” classrooms so their voices can be heard?
In Boy Writers: Reclaiming Their Voices Ralph Fletcher draws upon his years of experience as staff developer, children's book author, and father of four boys. He also taps the insights from dozens of writing teachers around the US and abroad. Boy Writers asks teachers to imagine the writing classroom from a boy's perspective, and consider specific steps we might take to create stimulating classrooms for boys.
Topic choice emerges as a crucial issue. The subjects many boys like to write about (war, weapons, outlandish fiction, zany or bathroom humor) often do not get a warm reception from teachers. Ralph argues that we must “widen the circle” and give boys more choice if we want to engage them as writers. How? We must begin by recognizing boys and the world in which they live. Boy Writers explores important questions such as:
What subjects are boy writers passionate about, and what motivates them as writers?
Why do boys like to incorporate violence into their stories, and how much should be allowed?
Why do we so often misread and misunderstand the humor boys include in their stories?
In addition, the book looks at: how handwriting can hamstring boy writers, and how drawing may help; welcoming boy-friendly writing genres in our classrooms; ways to improve our conferring with boys; and more.
Each chapter begins with a thorough discussion of a topic and ends with a highly practical section titled: "What can I do in my classroom?" Boy Writers does not advocate promoting the interests of boys at the expense of girls. Rather, it argues that developing sensitivity to the unique facets of boy writers will help teachers better address the needs of all their students.
In Boy Writers: Reclaiming Their Voices Ralph Fletcher draws upon his years of experience as staff developer, children's book author, and father of four boys. He also taps the insights from dozens of writing teachers around the US and abroad. Boy Writers asks teachers to imagine the writing classroom from a boy's perspective, and consider specific steps we might take to create stimulating classrooms for boys.
Topic choice emerges as a crucial issue. The subjects many boys like to write about (war, weapons, outlandish fiction, zany or bathroom humor) often do not get a warm reception from teachers. Ralph argues that we must “widen the circle” and give boys more choice if we want to engage them as writers. How? We must begin by recognizing boys and the world in which they live. Boy Writers explores important questions such as:
What subjects are boy writers passionate about, and what motivates them as writers?
Why do boys like to incorporate violence into their stories, and how much should be allowed?
Why do we so often misread and misunderstand the humor boys include in their stories?
In addition, the book looks at: how handwriting can hamstring boy writers, and how drawing may help; welcoming boy-friendly writing genres in our classrooms; ways to improve our conferring with boys; and more.
Each chapter begins with a thorough discussion of a topic and ends with a highly practical section titled: "What can I do in my classroom?" Boy Writers does not advocate promoting the interests of boys at the expense of girls. Rather, it argues that developing sensitivity to the unique facets of boy writers will help teachers better address the needs of all their students.
200 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
19 people are currently reading
288 people want to read
About the author
Ralph Fletcher
77 books186 followersRalph Fletcher is a friend of young writers and readers as well as writing teachers. He has written or co-authored many books for writing teachers includng Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide, Teaching the Qualities of Writing, Lessons for the Writer's Notebook, Boy Writers: Reclaiming Their Voices, and Pyrotechnics on the Page: Playful Craft That Sparks Writing. Ralph has worked with teachers around the U.S. and abroad, helping them find wiser ways of teaching writing.
Ralph's many books for students include picture books (Twilight Comes Twice, Hello Harvest Moon, and The Sandman), novels (Fig Pudding, Flying Solo, and Spider Boy), poetry (A Writing Kind of Day and Moving Day), and a memoir, Marshfield Dreams: When I Was a Kid. His novel Uncle Daddy was awarded the Christopher medal in 2002. He has also written a popular series of books for young writers including Poetry Matters, Live Writing, and A Writer's Notebook. Ralph lives with his family in New Hampshire. He is a strong environmentalist who believes we all must work together to live in a more sustainable way. His other passions include travel, good food, dark chocolate, growing orchids, and sports.
Ralph's many books for students include picture books (Twilight Comes Twice, Hello Harvest Moon, and The Sandman), novels (Fig Pudding, Flying Solo, and Spider Boy), poetry (A Writing Kind of Day and Moving Day), and a memoir, Marshfield Dreams: When I Was a Kid. His novel Uncle Daddy was awarded the Christopher medal in 2002. He has also written a popular series of books for young writers including Poetry Matters, Live Writing, and A Writer's Notebook. Ralph lives with his family in New Hampshire. He is a strong environmentalist who believes we all must work together to live in a more sustainable way. His other passions include travel, good food, dark chocolate, growing orchids, and sports.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
March 31, 2015
Overall, I was not impressed with Fletcher's analysis of the gendered issues of boys in the English classroom.
The content of this book needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Fletcher isn't a gender theorist, so we can't expect him to be well-versed on the nuances of gender and oppression. He begins with a premise that there's something about boys that naturally turn them off of reading and writing and that there's something about girls that make them able to work with the material in question. He lists several suggestions for engaging with the boys, but I felt he was dealing more with the symptoms of gender oppression rather than dealing with the issue itself. Making allowances and adapting to the oppressive nature of the patriarchy isn't going to solve our problems. In fact, adapting for the patriarchy is going to reinforce it and make it all the harder to smash. Boys aren't often distant from English, poetry, reading, writing, and emotional expression because they're boys--they distance themselves from that because being more emotional and intuitive is something that's associated with being female, and the patriarchy alienates those who stray from their prescribed gender roles.
While I appreciated Fletcher's dedication to reaching boys in English in spite of the patriarchy, I would have appreciated, at the very least, a call-to-action at the end that encouraged readers to engage with feminist theory and begin working to undo the problem that distances boys from reading & writing in the first place.
The content of this book needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Fletcher isn't a gender theorist, so we can't expect him to be well-versed on the nuances of gender and oppression. He begins with a premise that there's something about boys that naturally turn them off of reading and writing and that there's something about girls that make them able to work with the material in question. He lists several suggestions for engaging with the boys, but I felt he was dealing more with the symptoms of gender oppression rather than dealing with the issue itself. Making allowances and adapting to the oppressive nature of the patriarchy isn't going to solve our problems. In fact, adapting for the patriarchy is going to reinforce it and make it all the harder to smash. Boys aren't often distant from English, poetry, reading, writing, and emotional expression because they're boys--they distance themselves from that because being more emotional and intuitive is something that's associated with being female, and the patriarchy alienates those who stray from their prescribed gender roles.
While I appreciated Fletcher's dedication to reaching boys in English in spite of the patriarchy, I would have appreciated, at the very least, a call-to-action at the end that encouraged readers to engage with feminist theory and begin working to undo the problem that distances boys from reading & writing in the first place.
July 20, 2013
I come to Fletcher’s thinking and writing with strong beliefs of my own, both about teaching and about raising a boy. After reading Fletcher’s Boy Writers, there are two concepts that bother me.
The first is Fletcher’s seemingly blasé attitude about purpose and outcome in writing. Over and over in his text, he celebrated young men’s writing; he quoted their voices and excerpted their texts. He clearly reveled in their writing, some of which, I have to be frank, was not good. For instance, on page 53 he shared “Beautiful Fights” and stated, “The title says it all. ‘Beautiful Fights’ isn’t a realistic narrative but a fantasy where instead of merely watching a hockey brawl the boys actually get to participate in one. What could be better than that? At the end we see two warriors in the hospital, battered but happy, wrestling over the TV remote. It could never be stated directly but it’s apparent that this experience has brought them closer together.” Really? I did not see many redeeming moments in this piece. There was no character development, little setting, the point of view switches between third and first, the pacing is poor – in other words, there’s a lot I could teach this writer to do better. Fletcher holds this piece of writing up to explain that “for boys, violent writing provides an important way of bonding and expressing friendship.” I don’t have any problem with the violence, but I do have a problem with the weak writing. This is not yet a publishable piece and I think Fletcher does boy writers a disservice by sharing it.
Fletcher wants boys to write for the sake of writing, which may be why he included “Beautiful Fights,” to illustrate what happens when boys are given free reign to write what they care about. He says “just let them write” which is noble, but not terribly realistic in most classrooms today. (p 166) I can give kids some free writing time every day – maybe five or ten minutes, but not much more.
Moreover, in publishing pieces that still need polishing, he seems to be reinforcing gender stereotypes: bad writing about violence is OK, because the author is a boy and we should just be glad the kid is writing. To me, publishing bad writing about any topic – farts or fairies – is not acceptable. I refuse to lower my standards because of the writer’s gender.
This brings me to my second “itch”: Fletcher’s understanding of gender. The passage that made me sit up, shocked, was this: “… violent writing allows boys to understand and express the basic male narrative: they are young men growing toward the age when many men around the world must go to war. Even if they don’t become soldiers they will become heads of households. They will walk in their fathers’ shoes.” (p. 67) Heads of households? Walk in their fathers’ shoes? What kind of antiquated thinking is that? I discussed this with my husband, asking him if he sees himself as the head of our household. “No,” he replied, “I think we share the responsibilities equally.”
Fletcher seems to see boys as violence-loving, sports-playing, bathroom-language using creatures who will grow up to be primary wage earners and who expect their wives to greet them at the door with a martini when they return home at 5:00. Early in the text, Fletcher acknowledges that gender is a flashpoint and that “first and foremost boys are individuals.” (p. 20) Throughout the rest of the book, however, I did not see Fletcher making room for all of those individuals. Instead, I heard about potty humor, sports, and violence.
The first is Fletcher’s seemingly blasé attitude about purpose and outcome in writing. Over and over in his text, he celebrated young men’s writing; he quoted their voices and excerpted their texts. He clearly reveled in their writing, some of which, I have to be frank, was not good. For instance, on page 53 he shared “Beautiful Fights” and stated, “The title says it all. ‘Beautiful Fights’ isn’t a realistic narrative but a fantasy where instead of merely watching a hockey brawl the boys actually get to participate in one. What could be better than that? At the end we see two warriors in the hospital, battered but happy, wrestling over the TV remote. It could never be stated directly but it’s apparent that this experience has brought them closer together.” Really? I did not see many redeeming moments in this piece. There was no character development, little setting, the point of view switches between third and first, the pacing is poor – in other words, there’s a lot I could teach this writer to do better. Fletcher holds this piece of writing up to explain that “for boys, violent writing provides an important way of bonding and expressing friendship.” I don’t have any problem with the violence, but I do have a problem with the weak writing. This is not yet a publishable piece and I think Fletcher does boy writers a disservice by sharing it.
Fletcher wants boys to write for the sake of writing, which may be why he included “Beautiful Fights,” to illustrate what happens when boys are given free reign to write what they care about. He says “just let them write” which is noble, but not terribly realistic in most classrooms today. (p 166) I can give kids some free writing time every day – maybe five or ten minutes, but not much more.
Moreover, in publishing pieces that still need polishing, he seems to be reinforcing gender stereotypes: bad writing about violence is OK, because the author is a boy and we should just be glad the kid is writing. To me, publishing bad writing about any topic – farts or fairies – is not acceptable. I refuse to lower my standards because of the writer’s gender.
This brings me to my second “itch”: Fletcher’s understanding of gender. The passage that made me sit up, shocked, was this: “… violent writing allows boys to understand and express the basic male narrative: they are young men growing toward the age when many men around the world must go to war. Even if they don’t become soldiers they will become heads of households. They will walk in their fathers’ shoes.” (p. 67) Heads of households? Walk in their fathers’ shoes? What kind of antiquated thinking is that? I discussed this with my husband, asking him if he sees himself as the head of our household. “No,” he replied, “I think we share the responsibilities equally.”
Fletcher seems to see boys as violence-loving, sports-playing, bathroom-language using creatures who will grow up to be primary wage earners and who expect their wives to greet them at the door with a martini when they return home at 5:00. Early in the text, Fletcher acknowledges that gender is a flashpoint and that “first and foremost boys are individuals.” (p. 20) Throughout the rest of the book, however, I did not see Fletcher making room for all of those individuals. Instead, I heard about potty humor, sports, and violence.
December 5, 2009
I really like this book, especially for teachers who are just starting to teach writing and/or those who are required to but don't want to be. Ralph Fletcher brings his own perspective as a male writer and I think a lot of what he says about teaching boys is right on and worth reading about. I try to have a very positive environment and allow boys to write about pretty much whatever topic interests them but I'm finding that I am the exception at my school, not the rule. A lot of female teachers are uncomfortable with writing about violence and, especially gangs, but a lot of the time their writing is an outlet that allows boys to think about these things in a safe environment. I don't think he says anything truly "new" but I like the way this book presents the information and strongly recommend this to a lot of teachers who may be teaching middle grades writing but aren't really excited about it.
October 25, 2016
As a teacher of "boy writers", I was curious to see what the author would say. Basically, boys should be allowed to write what they want more often. Teachers (myself included) are often "trapped" into assigning writing where there is a certain format to be followed. Boys, I learned, like this less than girls. And if they want to write about boogers, dragons, skateboarding and gross stuff, then they should be allowed to do that. From there, we can guide the boy writers into other genres, like poetry, opinion/persuasive, informational writing, etc. I also learned that boys especially need to be told that their teacher believes in them, and that they are important writers just like everyone else. Sometimes we overlook that because we're rushing around so much.
Interesting book, but not a must-read. It's about 12 years old.
Interesting book, but not a must-read. It's about 12 years old.
July 19, 2010
As the mother of three boys, I was naturally drawn to this book when it was first published. Two of my boys are school-aged, and we have struggled with getting their creative ideas and distinctive voices down on paper since kindergarten. In fact, so convinced was I that Fletcher's book would help unlock the troubles for not only my own sons, but for the boys who inhabit half of my desks, that I requested that this particular title be purchased by our school for our curriculum library (three copies were added in the end). Boy Writers: Reclaiming Their Voices did not disappoint.
Each chapter is full of both research-based theory as well as classroom observations from master teachers such as Franki Sibberson, Aimee Buckner, Linda Rief, and even Fletcher himself. Fletcher, brother to five and father to four, sheds authenticity to the subject matter. But Boy Writers is also infused with practical ideas for teachers to easily implement in the classroom. These helpful tips will surely aid both teachers as well as their male students along the jagged edge of writing workshop in a more clearly defined manner. The student samples beginning and ending each chapter help support Fletcher's affirmations.
I saw not only myself as a mother, but as a teacher throughout Fletcher's easy-to-read book. He is right in asserting that teachers simply don't "get" boy minds. They simply are a different breed. My oldest son is a perfect example. His humor is often crude, peppered with sarcasm and contains a high percentage of bodily function references. He is a typical boy writer who loves to write, has his own journal at home where he squirrels away comics and drawings, and feels disengaged with the writing process when he enters through the school doors. The physical action of writing can at times be tedious for him, since he is a leftie and a perfectionist. The amount of time it takes to get one simple paragraph from him can be alarming. But when he is given free choice and a laptop, his creativity is unlimited.
This is precisely what Fletcher is sharing with teachers. We may not understand the boy psyche, but we must allow them the freedom of expressing themselves in genres, topics and word choice with tools that they are most comfortable using (be it cartoons, doodles or a computer). Because teachers are predominantly female in the elementary and even middle school settings, we tend to reinforce girl writers more so than boys. The girls write with heart, they tend to confer easier (both in conferences as well as in classroom discussions), and they write according to the prompt. But is this appropriate for a boy's mind? Fletcher's book will surely keep me returning to his ideas time and time again, which will necessitate me purchasing yet another book for my professional library.
*book owned by my school professional library
Gems:
-Revision is more than a strategy used in the writing process; it's also a metaphor for personal and professional growth. There comes a time when every reflective practitioner needs to step back, take an honest look at what is and is not working, and revise his or her teaching accordingly. Cultured pearls start when a bit of grit gets inserted into the oyster; I'm happy to be that grit. (6)
-"We need to encourage our students to bring their obsessions into the classroom," Donald Graves has argued. He said that more than allowing topic choice we need to encourage it by showing kids how to "read the world" so they can select workable topics and write well about them. (42)
-"Often boys write about useless violence (many times against women," Isoke says. "This I stop. I call these sotries 'kick-um-in-the-head stories,' and I explain to the students that there is enough violence in the world and we are going to be the kind of people who push away from the violence even in our writing." (55)
-One teacher I know made a distinction between the classroom, the playground, and the street. "When you write you can certainly use the kind of language you'd use in the classroom," she said. "And I don't mind if you use the language you'd use on the playground. But some of the stuff we hear on the street-I think we can live without that." (56)
-When boys incorporate violence in their writing some teachers consider it a form of acting out or misbehaving...But I believe that violent writing is actually important to their development. Those tales allow kids to get in touch with the terror of being a child. In a similar way, violent writing allows boys to understand and express the basic male narrative: they are young men growing toward the age when many men around the world must go to war. Even if they don't become soldiers they will become heads of households. They will walk in their father's shoes. They must take their places in a dangerous world. (57)
-Penmanship problems hamper boys' achievement in writing. But the problem is deeper than taht. Issus of penmanship also hurt the degree to which boys get nurtured as writers. It doesn't merely affect how we formally evaluate and grade but also impacts a host of other intangibles: the emotional tenor of how we respond; the level of warmth in our voices; and the myriad subtle, nonverbal signals kids pick up during teacher-student interactions. (74)
-"All that the children write, your response (as educator) to what they write, their response to each other, all this takes place afloat a sea of talk. Talk is what provides the links between you and them and what they write, between what they have written and each other." I love this notion that reading is supported and buoyed up by the talk that is constantly flowing underneath it (81)
-...many girls showed an ease with connected talk. Boys, on the other hand, were less sensitive to what the previous person had just said and had a tendency to play their conversational card, no matter what had been said just before. (85)
-"glow and grow"
-"Drawing is something all boys like to do," says Aurthur Voigt, a literacy consultant in New York. "There are at least three or four other things they should all draw: a map of their neighborhood, a self-portrait, a drawing of what they see in their dreams, a picture of what they see themselves in ten years, a picture of their favorite hero..." (121)
-Some teachers allow students to "sketch to stretch" as a reading comprehension strategy. After reading a text, students create a sketch depicting their interpretation of the text or events in a book. I'd like to see boys get the clear message that drawing is neither a punishable offense nor merely a way to decorate finished writing but a useful way to think through and flesh out the story, poem, or report they are writing. (122 & 126)
-Share models of books with boys as artists (Max's Logbook by Marissa Moss)
-I noticed that three-fourths of what I considered his best pieces had been written at home. At first I thought that this fact spoke poorly about his schooling. But Robert had wonderful writing teachers in elementary school. I think it's actually a credit to those teachers that he did so much writing at home. In fact, I think one could assess how effective a school literacy program is by how much writing and reading kids do at home." (161)
Each chapter is full of both research-based theory as well as classroom observations from master teachers such as Franki Sibberson, Aimee Buckner, Linda Rief, and even Fletcher himself. Fletcher, brother to five and father to four, sheds authenticity to the subject matter. But Boy Writers is also infused with practical ideas for teachers to easily implement in the classroom. These helpful tips will surely aid both teachers as well as their male students along the jagged edge of writing workshop in a more clearly defined manner. The student samples beginning and ending each chapter help support Fletcher's affirmations.
I saw not only myself as a mother, but as a teacher throughout Fletcher's easy-to-read book. He is right in asserting that teachers simply don't "get" boy minds. They simply are a different breed. My oldest son is a perfect example. His humor is often crude, peppered with sarcasm and contains a high percentage of bodily function references. He is a typical boy writer who loves to write, has his own journal at home where he squirrels away comics and drawings, and feels disengaged with the writing process when he enters through the school doors. The physical action of writing can at times be tedious for him, since he is a leftie and a perfectionist. The amount of time it takes to get one simple paragraph from him can be alarming. But when he is given free choice and a laptop, his creativity is unlimited.
This is precisely what Fletcher is sharing with teachers. We may not understand the boy psyche, but we must allow them the freedom of expressing themselves in genres, topics and word choice with tools that they are most comfortable using (be it cartoons, doodles or a computer). Because teachers are predominantly female in the elementary and even middle school settings, we tend to reinforce girl writers more so than boys. The girls write with heart, they tend to confer easier (both in conferences as well as in classroom discussions), and they write according to the prompt. But is this appropriate for a boy's mind? Fletcher's book will surely keep me returning to his ideas time and time again, which will necessitate me purchasing yet another book for my professional library.
*book owned by my school professional library
Gems:
-Revision is more than a strategy used in the writing process; it's also a metaphor for personal and professional growth. There comes a time when every reflective practitioner needs to step back, take an honest look at what is and is not working, and revise his or her teaching accordingly. Cultured pearls start when a bit of grit gets inserted into the oyster; I'm happy to be that grit. (6)
-"We need to encourage our students to bring their obsessions into the classroom," Donald Graves has argued. He said that more than allowing topic choice we need to encourage it by showing kids how to "read the world" so they can select workable topics and write well about them. (42)
-"Often boys write about useless violence (many times against women," Isoke says. "This I stop. I call these sotries 'kick-um-in-the-head stories,' and I explain to the students that there is enough violence in the world and we are going to be the kind of people who push away from the violence even in our writing." (55)
-One teacher I know made a distinction between the classroom, the playground, and the street. "When you write you can certainly use the kind of language you'd use in the classroom," she said. "And I don't mind if you use the language you'd use on the playground. But some of the stuff we hear on the street-I think we can live without that." (56)
-When boys incorporate violence in their writing some teachers consider it a form of acting out or misbehaving...But I believe that violent writing is actually important to their development. Those tales allow kids to get in touch with the terror of being a child. In a similar way, violent writing allows boys to understand and express the basic male narrative: they are young men growing toward the age when many men around the world must go to war. Even if they don't become soldiers they will become heads of households. They will walk in their father's shoes. They must take their places in a dangerous world. (57)
-Penmanship problems hamper boys' achievement in writing. But the problem is deeper than taht. Issus of penmanship also hurt the degree to which boys get nurtured as writers. It doesn't merely affect how we formally evaluate and grade but also impacts a host of other intangibles: the emotional tenor of how we respond; the level of warmth in our voices; and the myriad subtle, nonverbal signals kids pick up during teacher-student interactions. (74)
-"All that the children write, your response (as educator) to what they write, their response to each other, all this takes place afloat a sea of talk. Talk is what provides the links between you and them and what they write, between what they have written and each other." I love this notion that reading is supported and buoyed up by the talk that is constantly flowing underneath it (81)
-...many girls showed an ease with connected talk. Boys, on the other hand, were less sensitive to what the previous person had just said and had a tendency to play their conversational card, no matter what had been said just before. (85)
-"glow and grow"
-"Drawing is something all boys like to do," says Aurthur Voigt, a literacy consultant in New York. "There are at least three or four other things they should all draw: a map of their neighborhood, a self-portrait, a drawing of what they see in their dreams, a picture of what they see themselves in ten years, a picture of their favorite hero..." (121)
-Some teachers allow students to "sketch to stretch" as a reading comprehension strategy. After reading a text, students create a sketch depicting their interpretation of the text or events in a book. I'd like to see boys get the clear message that drawing is neither a punishable offense nor merely a way to decorate finished writing but a useful way to think through and flesh out the story, poem, or report they are writing. (122 & 126)
-Share models of books with boys as artists (Max's Logbook by Marissa Moss)
-I noticed that three-fourths of what I considered his best pieces had been written at home. At first I thought that this fact spoke poorly about his schooling. But Robert had wonderful writing teachers in elementary school. I think it's actually a credit to those teachers that he did so much writing at home. In fact, I think one could assess how effective a school literacy program is by how much writing and reading kids do at home." (161)
July 9, 2010
Not sure why it took me so long to finish this book, I think I kept getting others from students that I just had to read. I loved Fletcher's message in this book. I especially enjoyed the end when he wrote about how most writing units are geared towards narrative, memoir, writing about your feelings - not areas boys excel in. Even though I do like what I'm doing in writing, I see areas I need to improve. For example, as he pointed out, boys love writing fantasy. Even the unit I have in my writing (Lucy Calkins Units of Study) is not truly geared towards boys, it asks them to write realistic fiction. I do usually let my students try out fantasy, now I think I will encourage it. Fletcher's book confirmed many of my beliefs about boy writers and gave great suggestions for improvement in my own writing curriculum.
December 28, 2011
This book is geared motivating boy writers 3rd grade (end of 2nd)-early high school (9th/10th grade).
I feel more empowered and equipped to instruct and motivate my male students to write, and to openly express themselves. I appreciated the, "what to do" tips at the end of each chapter. Most useful I found the discussion on allowing boys to write about the things that interest them without (much) censoring and giving them the space to write freely; ie: when appropriate having a piece be graded privately/not shared, but discussing with the student why they chose to write about "x." In a nutshell, let boys write about "gross" things, explosions, and allow them to use humor in their writing if these are the things that they find of interest. Make sure to create a space that allows discussion before and after writing that continues the creative process.
I feel more empowered and equipped to instruct and motivate my male students to write, and to openly express themselves. I appreciated the, "what to do" tips at the end of each chapter. Most useful I found the discussion on allowing boys to write about the things that interest them without (much) censoring and giving them the space to write freely; ie: when appropriate having a piece be graded privately/not shared, but discussing with the student why they chose to write about "x." In a nutshell, let boys write about "gross" things, explosions, and allow them to use humor in their writing if these are the things that they find of interest. Make sure to create a space that allows discussion before and after writing that continues the creative process.
May 8, 2011
Every teacher who teaches writing and has boys in his or her class needs to read this book. Fletcher discusses how to engage boys by allowing them to write freely...which means being flexible in allowing boy humor, war stories, comics, non-fiction, sports commentaries, etc. He writes, "As writing teachers, we cannot impose a one-size-fits-all writing process. Rather, we must help each student find a process that works for him or her." Boy Writers: Reclaiming Their Voices has strategies that will not only engage boys, but will also encourage girls to take risks in their own writing. Fletcher's strategies will remind writing teachers that boys approach writing differently, but good writing strategies are good writing strategies regardless of gender.
March 10, 2013
We had to read this for our Professional Learning Community for school. I found the writing style just bearable. He needs to learn to write himself especially if he is writing a book on Boy Writer's. The book goes on the premise that boys need to have freedom to write and can't be expected write the same as girls. I agree with some things but for the most part I felt this book was trying to give excuses to boys. Glad I am done with it and don't have to read it anymore.
December 31, 2015
I appreciate Ralph Fletcher's perspective on boy students, his recommendations on how to engage boys more in writing, and all of the examples of real boy writing. The main message I take away from this book is that boys need choice, they need to know that their interests in activities and writing topics are valid and something to build upon, and, most of all, they need a teacher who believes in them and works to connect with them on a personal level.
November 9, 2009
This book has opened my world in helping my 3rd grade boy with writing assigments. After his teacher told me he was "un-able" to write - I knew I had to prove her wrong and discovered that he isn't "un-able" to write, just "unwilling" to write about topics that don't interest him. This book gave me practical tools to use at home with writing homework and I wish every teacher would read this book.
February 19, 2018
Such a great read! I highly recommend this book to all writing and reading teachers. Fletcher poses questions that helps one envision a class and writing opportunities that not only grows the writer but also the boy.
June 21, 2016
Interesting study on gender differences in the writing workshop/classroom.
Read
January 27, 2024I don’t necessarily agree with everything written here, and it’s also important to note that parts are quite dated now, but there are ideas I can put into practice in my classroom.
Read
December 29, 2009inter library loan
p75 Handwriting
consider if the boy can read his own handwriting - if he can it's less of a problem in terms of his confidence and production and future in writing
consider improving handwriting a means to increased fluency (sheer volume, leaving the inner censor behind)
messiness in rough drafts is acceptable; cleaning it up for the final is a skill worth working on
occasionally type up a boy's work so he can have the pleasure of reading his own work easily
let . them . type
poor handwriting is not a charachter defect; it's not personal. Feedback can be given in a non-threatening or -punitive way; instead, be constructive and specifically descriptive.
p119 Drawing
"Many educators agree that drawing serves the developmental needs of primary children. Here I'd like to put forth the more radical idea that upper-grade boys, too, would greatly benefit from drawing as part of their composing process."
"'Drawing is something all boys like to do,' says Arthur Voigt, a literacy consultant in New York. 'There are at least three or four other things they should all draw: a map of their neighborhood, a self-portrait, a drawing of what they see in their dreams, a picture of where they see themselves in ten years, a picture of their favorite hero, and so forth.'"
Drawing can help a boy's mind process ideas and thoughts; it's like a pre-writing skill.
writing notebook = sketch book
p75 Handwriting
consider if the boy can read his own handwriting - if he can it's less of a problem in terms of his confidence and production and future in writing
consider improving handwriting a means to increased fluency (sheer volume, leaving the inner censor behind)
messiness in rough drafts is acceptable; cleaning it up for the final is a skill worth working on
occasionally type up a boy's work so he can have the pleasure of reading his own work easily
let . them . type
poor handwriting is not a charachter defect; it's not personal. Feedback can be given in a non-threatening or -punitive way; instead, be constructive and specifically descriptive.
p119 Drawing
"Many educators agree that drawing serves the developmental needs of primary children. Here I'd like to put forth the more radical idea that upper-grade boys, too, would greatly benefit from drawing as part of their composing process."
"'Drawing is something all boys like to do,' says Arthur Voigt, a literacy consultant in New York. 'There are at least three or four other things they should all draw: a map of their neighborhood, a self-portrait, a drawing of what they see in their dreams, a picture of where they see themselves in ten years, a picture of their favorite hero, and so forth.'"
Drawing can help a boy's mind process ideas and thoughts; it's like a pre-writing skill.
writing notebook = sketch book
September 26, 2010
My 7 year old son and a friend are currently working on a comic book series about Bob. There's a toilet on every page. Years ago, I would have rolled my eyes - and perhaps I did roll them internally - but this year, I told him how I'd just heard a radio story about a toilet-themed restaurant in Japan, and suggested he send Bob there. Later I found out that they are working on this during choice time, not writer's workshop, because during WW they have to write about real events.
And I made this suggestion *before* I read Ralph Fletcher's book on boys as writers! But the vignette - especially the choice time element - encapsulates a lot of what Fletcher claims in the book. One main point: typical methods of writing (personal narrative) play to girls' strengths. Boy humor and 'violence' and fantasy are not as welcome. Another main point is that boys will write, if given more freedom over what they can write.
While I'm not a teacher, the book was very eye-opening and helped me better understand how I've seen my boys progress as writers. For example, my oldest didn't like writing at all in 1st in 2nd - it was partly the actual physical act of writing. Even in 3rd & the beginning of 4th, he still preferred to draw (but such detailed drawings!). However, he has matured into such a wonderful writer, and I attribute that in part to the choice available at his school (e.g. he writes a lot of fantasy and sci-fi).
And I made this suggestion *before* I read Ralph Fletcher's book on boys as writers! But the vignette - especially the choice time element - encapsulates a lot of what Fletcher claims in the book. One main point: typical methods of writing (personal narrative) play to girls' strengths. Boy humor and 'violence' and fantasy are not as welcome. Another main point is that boys will write, if given more freedom over what they can write.
While I'm not a teacher, the book was very eye-opening and helped me better understand how I've seen my boys progress as writers. For example, my oldest didn't like writing at all in 1st in 2nd - it was partly the actual physical act of writing. Even in 3rd & the beginning of 4th, he still preferred to draw (but such detailed drawings!). However, he has matured into such a wonderful writer, and I attribute that in part to the choice available at his school (e.g. he writes a lot of fantasy and sci-fi).
February 16, 2021
While I think that much of what is talked about in this book is intuitive, it needs saying because clearly somewhere along the way many boys get the idea that reading and writing is for girls only. It boggles my mind to think that there are whole systems of thinking that suggest that we not allow boys to write about what truly interests them, or that we force them to write solely about school work rather than allow them to explore their imagination. One of the great failures of our public school systems here in North America is how little we value the creativity, and imagination needed so greatly in a modern workplace, and we pretend that creativity is a frivolous endeavor. The jobs of the future, and the now even, need innovation and a mind that can think out of the box and it is our job to foster that thinking. We must learn to foster this in our schools. The drive for the better test score does not a critical thinker make, does not an innovator produce.
This book reminded me as a female-identifying teacher to remember that boys and girls brains are not the same. They need the same opportunities, but that may need different paths. This book had a very elementary focus, but there is much there for the high school English teacher too. I wish Fletcher discussed more how to implement a Writer's Workshop rather than simply referring to it as though I would know exactly what that looks like. I guess I will need another book!
This book reminded me as a female-identifying teacher to remember that boys and girls brains are not the same. They need the same opportunities, but that may need different paths. This book had a very elementary focus, but there is much there for the high school English teacher too. I wish Fletcher discussed more how to implement a Writer's Workshop rather than simply referring to it as though I would know exactly what that looks like. I guess I will need another book!
November 3, 2012
While I disagree with Fletcher's basic premise that gender differences are biological rather than socially constructed roles, I really enjoyed the book and thought it offered entertaining stories and concrete suggestions for engaging marginalized writers of any gender. The conversational tone is really accessible and inviting for the target audience, primary and secondary school teachers. The book is divided into brief chapters focusing on a topic almost as a meditation with some amazing selections of boys' writing with brief commentary. Fletcher's writing seems to be based on extensive experience and academic studies, the scholarly works aren't really delved into much, keeping the focus on boy writers and their teachers. Personally I found tidbits that touched on a variety of other subjects that I'm interested in but I'd also recommend this to any teacher interested in opening up the practice of writing to students who may have previously been excluded. As a side note, I'd also be curious if some of these suggestions worked similarly with cultural groups other than boys, as I suspect that they are al-around good ideas.
July 10, 2018
This book has been on my radar for many years as a school librarian and public school teacher, but I only now have had the time to read it (as a homeschooling mom of 3 boys).
It is so important. I love the actual writing examples he includes, from boys as young as grade 2 up through 9th grade.
Points I Want to Remember:
1) Yes, handwriting is important until late elementary school, but after that, allow boys to keyboard. Think about real life writing and many successful men today don't handwrite anything except their signature.
2) Allow boys to draw as writing.
3) Allow boys to study and write in genres they love - Fletcher's informal boy survey showed a large preference for fiction, not personal narrative, poetry, or nonfiction. Comic books,
4) By and large, public school elementary classrooms are language arts heavy and girls are more adept at writing about inner thoughts and feelings and describing characters. Boys want action and lots of it.
It is so important. I love the actual writing examples he includes, from boys as young as grade 2 up through 9th grade.
Points I Want to Remember:
1) Yes, handwriting is important until late elementary school, but after that, allow boys to keyboard. Think about real life writing and many successful men today don't handwrite anything except their signature.
2) Allow boys to draw as writing.
3) Allow boys to study and write in genres they love - Fletcher's informal boy survey showed a large preference for fiction, not personal narrative, poetry, or nonfiction. Comic books,
4) By and large, public school elementary classrooms are language arts heavy and girls are more adept at writing about inner thoughts and feelings and describing characters. Boys want action and lots of it.
August 24, 2007
As I was reading this book, I thought about some of my students who really did not like to write. They would look at me with these big puppy dog eyes that screamed, "Please do NOT make me do this!!" Each one of them were boys. So I really appreciated reading this book in preparation to teaching at an all-boys school. The book has a conversational tone and is written by a veteran writing workshop/literacy specialist. Each chapter includes a short bulleted section called "What Can I Do In My Classroom" and the ideas are very practical and easy to duplicate. I also really enjoyed the student writing that the author included as well as his own observations and writing samples. I recommend this book especially to female teachers. It gives you a little window into the mind of boys and helps you recognize your biases, fears and strengths.
July 7, 2012
Ralph Fletcher was convincing to me to take more seriously the styles and interests of boys in my classroom. Next year my students are 60% boys, so I needed to read this book.
Four ideas Fletcher leaves us with at the end of the book:
1) Just let them write. - Give choices in topics and genres. Get out of their way. Make the classroom more about them than about us.
2) Take the long view. - Don't worry so much about test prep, but about making lifelong writers.
3) Consider pleasure. - Make learning fun, so students will choose to write for enjoyment.
4) Think relationships. - Writing and teaching are personal. What can we do to form strong relationships, which will give children belief in themselves as writers. Get to know your students.
To be sure, I'll be using what I learned in this book next year.
Four ideas Fletcher leaves us with at the end of the book:
1) Just let them write. - Give choices in topics and genres. Get out of their way. Make the classroom more about them than about us.
2) Take the long view. - Don't worry so much about test prep, but about making lifelong writers.
3) Consider pleasure. - Make learning fun, so students will choose to write for enjoyment.
4) Think relationships. - Writing and teaching are personal. What can we do to form strong relationships, which will give children belief in themselves as writers. Get to know your students.
To be sure, I'll be using what I learned in this book next year.
July 16, 2015
I found it challenging and in this day and age where ed thinking comes and goes, labels/ names change but is the same- i was excited to be challenged! Some things i think are equally valid for girls and boys not just the boys. But you get his meaning and message. It has certainly made me think of the things I do that enable al, to write and also what I can do to make it better for all. Looks at what is valued in class and like the way he says we could all be more generous in what we accept as writing - not just the emotional pieces we often class as 'voice'. Liked the idea that in our generous spirit we could encompass more variety in what we model, read and allow and still cover ed goals and curriculum needs. Some ideas pish boundaries for me, not sure how I could go that far- but that is what a good read does, pushes our thinking. Great .
July 8, 2015
"Boy Writers" by Ralph Fletcher reminds us that boys are different in many ways from girls. While girls tend to excel at writing, boys usually balk at it. The author hypothesizes that it's because of the way we teach writing to boys. We need to better engage our boys in the classroom by allowing them the freedom to write about what they want to write about in a way they choose. Through short chapters, plenty of reputable research, and student writing examples, the author proves his point effectively. It's an easy read filled with useful tips to use in the classroom to better support and help our boys writers. I recommend this book to any educator struggling with boy writers in the classroom or someone just looking to be reminded of how best to teach boys.
November 19, 2010
This author visited my son's school and has written some excellent books for kids. He believes most boys "write" in different ways than girls and explains how teachers and parents can recognize these differences and help boys to develop their writing skills in their own way. He should know -he is a male author and has 4 boys of his own!
The book explains why TEXTING - yes, texting, is a valuable form of writing for boys! He also explains why boys are drawn to writing a story in cartoon or graphic novel form, and what information parents and teachers can extract from this lesson to encourage boy's writing.
The book explains why TEXTING - yes, texting, is a valuable form of writing for boys! He also explains why boys are drawn to writing a story in cartoon or graphic novel form, and what information parents and teachers can extract from this lesson to encourage boy's writing.
July 8, 2011
This is a great book for parents of boys struggling in todays school system. It really helped add perspective on the things the teachers told us about our sons performance. It is not always the child that has a problem, sometimes it is the system that is not capable of dealing with the child. It really made me believe that my children are not the problem, but that todays school system is not capable of dealing with the needs of todays boys especially intelligent boys.
September 10, 2008
This book is for workshop teachers having trouble getting the boys to write. It looks at the differences between what boys like to write and HOW they like to write it, and details how the writing curriculum is more slanted toward girls, who prefer the reflection teachers seem to crave. Some news to me, but a lot of it I knew already (perhaps from growing up in an all-brother, no-sister family).
June 29, 2009
This is a great front line report of boys in the language arts classroom. Fletcher provides samples of boys' writing to back up his research and "how to use it in the classroom" suggestions. It covers topics such as humor, violence, the disengaged, and boys who just can't get started. This is the book to read if you are having trouble encouraging boy writers!
September 8, 2016
Ralph Feltcher's book aids teachers in understanding the male mind, and their specific needs with regard to writing. This book is especially helpful for female teachers, as their teaching methods may be geared more toward girl writers, which ultimately impedes the by writers without that being the intent.
January 4, 2015
This was an excellent teaching book that all educators should read. Even though it was geared towards boys, there are so many easy and practical ideas that can be used in the classroom to engage all students. It also explains how teachers, especially females, need to change their thinking about boys' writing and interests. Great resource that I will be utilizing often.
June 20, 2018
Boy topics and boy humor are often discouraged in writing projects. Why would boys like to write if we take away what makes the writing theirs? Filled with examples of boy writing and what's right about it, as well as practical ideas for application in the classroom or home school, this book is worth reading if you teach writing to boys.
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