Announcements
IBSC 18th Annual Conference
July 10th—13th, 2011
Hosted by:
The City of London School
London, United Kingdom
Information about the conference program
and registration will be posted as details become available in September and the
following months.
Check back soon!
Reaching Boys, Teaching Boys: Strategies that Work
–and Why
Michael Reichert and Richard Hawley
Jossey-Bass
The International Boys’ Schools Coalition is delighted to announce
the publication of Reaching Boys, Teaching Boys, based on the IBSC research
project, Teaching Boys: A Global Study of Effective Practices.
Challenging the widely held cultural impression that boys are
stubbornly resistant to schooling, Reaching Boys, Teaching Boys features more than
100 detailed examples of classroom activities—along with real-world teaching techniques—that
have proven effective with male students.
Based on a wide-ranging, worldwide study of more than 1,500 boys
and 1,000 teachers, Reichert and Hawley reveal what boys need in order to want to
succeed in school and offer tips for forging successful relationships with boys.
Woven throughout the book is moving testimony from both boys and teachers that validates
the effectiveness of these lessons.
The IBSC is able to offer member schools a heavily discounted
price for orders of multiple copies.
Contact office@theibsc.org for details.
Action Research in Boys' Schools, 2009–10
Ready, Willing, and Able: Boys and Writing
Members of the fifth cycle of the IBSC Action Research
programme addressed the question: How can we help boys become prolific,
powerful and confident writers? A team of 22 teachers from Australia,
New Zealand, Hong Kong, Canada, South Africa, the UK and the US worked on a
variety of exciting projects during 2009-10.
A number of clear themes are evident in the two volumes
of Ready, Willing, and Able: Boys and Writing. The first theme
focused on the ways in which Web 2.0 applications such as wikis, discussion
boards and blogs can change the way boys feel about writing tasks. A second
theme highlighted the importance of audience and feedback for boy writers.
The third theme relates to the use of a variety of prompts and stimuli to
encourage boys to write, whilst the final area of focus examined the value
of collaborative projects in engaging boys in the writing process.
These reports are a treasure-trove of ideas for
motivating boy writers, and a celebration of the unique power of action
research to generate reflection and change in teaching practice – to the
betterment of boys’ education everywhere.
Ready, Willing, and Able: Boys and Writing, Volume 1
[download pdf]
Ready, Willing, and Able: Boys and Writing, Volume2I [download pdf]
Hosted by The Haverford School, Philadelphia, USA, June 27–30,
2010
Conference Partner Schools — The Haverford School, Chestnut Hill
Academy, La Salle College High School
Educators representing boys’ schools from around the world convened
in June in Philadelphia, USA for the 17th Annual IBSC conference. The conference
united the best of the International Boys' School Coalition – an emphasis on continual
improvement and innovation in teaching boys – with the best of Philadelphia – its
remarkable role in the founding of the United States and its constantly changing
and vibrant life today.
Details from the conference, including conference
photos and workshop materials are posted on the Conference
Archive.
This “first ever” conference brings together teachers, parents,
boys and experts to explore how technologies will shape learning in the future.
Attendees will return to their schools able to engage their own learning communities
in shaping the future, and discuss the profound social impact of technology on youth
– especially boys. The conference is organized by the Crowther Centre at Brighton
Grammar School, and the IBSC is proud to be a sponsor.
• For details about the programme, speakers and registration,
click here.
•
Conference Program [download pdf]
Name of Conference: The Element
Venue: The Southport School, Gold Coast, Australia
Dates: Saturday 15 January, 2011 to Wednesday 19 January, 2011
Cost: TBC
The “Element” is a dynamic leadership conference designed to bring together student
leaders in boys’ schools throughout Australia and Asia Pacific. The aim of the conference
is to challenge the boys with activities, inspire them with speakers and create
a network of minds to help develop their leadership skills for the coming school
year. The conference follows on the very successful Leadership Edge conference,
held in Western Australia in January, 2009.
Programme and registration details will be announced shortly.
A College for Every Boy: An IBSC Conference for College
Counselors
Thursday, February 24 to Saturday, February 26, 2011
Hosted by Montgomery Bell Academy
Nashville, TN, USA
Programme and registration details will be announced as they become available;
stay tuned!
The Role of Sport in Boys’ Schools
Monday, March 21st, 2011
Hosted by Shore School
North Sydney, NSW, Australia
This one-day conference and conference dinner will examine the role of sport
in boys' schools past, present and future. Recent directions of a more professional
approach to schoolboy sport and the employment of specialist coaches will also be
explored by keynote speakers and in workshops.
For complete
details and
to register, click here.
Boys to Men: A Healthy Relationships Curriculum in Boys’ Schools
Thursday, April 28 to Saturday, April 30, 2011
Toronto, Canada
Programme and registration details will be announced as they become available;
stay tuned!
Teaching Boys: A Conference for Teachers New to Boys’ Schools
Wednesday, June 15 to Friday, June 17, 2011
Hosted by St. Christopher's School
Richmond, VA, USA
Programme and registration details will be announced as they become available;
stay tuned!
During 2008–9, nearly 1000 teachers and over 1500 boys told stories
of memorable and powerful teaching and learning in the middle and senior school
years. The project involved eighteen IBSC schools in Australia, New Zealand, South
Africa, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Teaching Boys: A Global
Study of Effective Practices is the result of this unique world-wide collaboration.
Writers are Dr. Michael Reichert, Executive Director of the Center for the Study
of Boys' and Girls’ Lives at the University of Pennsylvania, USA and Dr. Richard
Hawley, retired Headmaster of University School, Ohio, USA.
The report affirms and celebrates what teachers in boys’ schools do every day,
and will generate vigorous discussion and reflection. It extends, often in imaginative
ways, the range of effective pedagogy for boys, and signposts new paths for further
thinking and research about boys’ achievement and motivation. No simple recipe book,
the report invites the reader to listen to and engage in a vibrant conversation
about teaching geared to boys.
Teaching Boys: A Global Study of Effective Practices
is available in the following ways:
1. IBSC Members have free access to the
publication, and are granted permission to use and distribute the report in any
form within their school community.
2. Non-IBSC members may purchase a single eBook with rights
for one copy.
Please note that the IBSC asserts copyright, and all rights are reserved.
For those who are not members of the IBSC, the report may be used and downloaded
only for personal and non-commercial use.
More details, including IBSC member access to the publication and
non-member ordering information is available on the
Teaching Boys web page.
Teaching Boys: A Conference for Teachers New to Boys' Schools
Wednesday June 16 – Friday June 18, 2010
Hosted by St. Christopher's School
Richmond, Virginia, USA
This, the second annual Teaching Boys conference, provided
teachers at the beginning of their careers in boys’ schools with a collaborative
setting to share and mine effective approaches and practices in our all-boy settings.
Attendees included novice teachers and teachers who have just completed their first
year in boys’ schools, as well as teachers with more experience in boys’ schools
who reaped benefits from the conference focus. Above all, the conference's aim was
to respect and support these teachers, to celebrate and deepen their work with boys,
and to help them grow into tomorrow’s champions of the mission of our schools!
Creating A Culture of Wellness in Boys' Schools
Friday March 12 – Saturday March 13, 2010
Hosted by Selborne College
East London, South Africa
Focusing on boys' wellness in many dimensions – physical, psychosocial,
academic and intellectual – and the organisational wellness of our schools was the
hallmark of this conference. Creating A Culture of Wellness in Boys' Schools
broke new ground in our understanding of boys' well-being and growth, and underscored
the unique mission of schools dedicated to the wellness of boys.
Boys Will Read!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Hosted by Loughborough Grammar School
Loughborough, United Kingdom
This one-day IBSC conference on boys and literacy -- specifically
on programmes that promote boys' competency in and enjoyment of reading at all age
levels -- was especially rewarding for English teachers, librarians and reading
specialists in boys' schools. We believe that boys' schools are uniquely positioned
to be leaders in boys' literacy education, and this conference was an opportunity
to share and celebrate exemplary practices.
Focus on Boys’ Education
January 19th, 2010
The Old Livery Hall at Guildhall
The City of London, United Kingdom
A one-day conference, Focus on Boys’ Education, took place on Tuesday, January
19th at Guildhall in The City of London.
The programme began with an address by Ray Lewis, founder of the Eastside
Young Leaders’ Academy, on the many challenges facing boys in UK education.
Dr. Abigail Norfleet James, author of Teaching the Male Brain, and an
international speaker and consultant, presented her recent research findings
on the purpose of boys’ schools, with an emphasis on how gender-based teaching
can promote boys’ engagement, motivation and achievement. Dr. Michael Thompson
then gave a presentation on the social-emotional development of boys in relation
to parenting and education. Dr. Thompson is author of many best-selling books,
including Raising Cain and It’s a Boy: Your Son’s Development from
Birth to Age 18, and has consulted in over 500 schools world-wide.
The British press ran stories in the London Evening Standard, Telegraph,
and Guardian.
To view copies of the press clippings, click here.
Hosted by Shore School, North Sydney, NSW
Sunday, October 25 to Monday, October 26th, 2009
Now more than ever, schools are expected not only to provide
an academic education for boys, but also to care for their social and emotional
well-being. During this conference, we tackled the question, "How can boys'
schools ensure that we meet the specific mental health challenges of the boys
in our care?" Presented topics included: managing suicidal behaviour in schools;
school management of self harm and suicidal behaviour; and strategic classroom
management of boys with mental health problems. Speakers included Gordon Parker,
Jonathan Gaston, and Claire Kelly. To view the full conference program,
please visit the conference webpage.
IBSC Conferences in Hong Kong,
Thursday, October 22nd to Friday, October 23rd, 2009
IBSC Conferences in Hong Kong, October 22 and 23, 2009 On
Thursday, October 22, the IBSC held its inaugural conference for member schools
in Hong Kong at Diocesan Boys' School. This was a special joint staff development
day for teachers from St. Paul's College, Diocesan Boys' School and Tak Sun
Secondary School. The guest speaker for the conference was Abigail Norfleet
James, and over the course of the day, she made presentations on boys' learning
and related teaching strategies. The discussion was stimulating and productive
indeed. The next day, Heads and senior administrators at our IBSC schools and
other boys' schools in Hong Kong met at St. Paul's College for Teaching
Boys - A Global Dialogue. Abigail James and the Executive Director made
presentations. We are grateful to Vice-President John Kennard, Principal of
St. Paul College, Terence Chang, Headmaster of Diocesan Boys' School, and Dr.
Edward Woo, Principal of Tak Sun Secondary School for their leadership in building
this professional community of boys' schools in Hong Kong.
IBSC Conference
Materials
Educating Boys, Thursday October 29, 2009
Hosted by the Allen-Stevenson School
New York City
This very successful one-day conference was partnered by the IBSC and the New
York State Association of Independent Schools. Bringing together theory and practice
we honed strategies to help schools improve the educational journey for boys, whether
in boys' schools or coed schools. Guest speakers included Peg Tyre, author of
The Trouble with Boys, and Richard Hawley, co-author of Teaching Boys: A
Global Study of Effective Practices. Conference program details are available
on the
conference
webpage.
Journeys into Masculinity: the 2008/9 Action Research
Report
The 2008/9 Action Research Team began their work at the 15th
annual conference in Toronto, and presented their findings at the 16th annual conference
at Lindisfarne College, New Zealand in July.
The reports offer deep insights into the challenges that face
boys on their journey into manhood and illustrate the great opportunities that boys’
schools have to assist them in coming to grips with complex and sensitive constructs
such as masculinity.
The findings also highlight the vital role that boys’ schools
can play in providing safe environments in which boys’ voices are recognised and
respected.
Journeys into Masculinity is now available to IBSC members. Please
visit the Action Research section of our website
for this and other Action Research reports.
Positive Relationships, Positive Learning: 2007/8 IBSC Action
Research Report
This collection of reports is the culmination of the creative
and inspired work of five educators in the IBSC action research programme for 2007–8.
They met at the 14th annual IBSC conference at The Roxbury Latin School, worked
on their projects during the year, and presented their findings at the 15th annual
IBSC conference in Toronto.
Positive Relationships, Positive Learning is grounded in two principles.
Boys learn best in empathy-rich classrooms. And nurturing boys’ social-emotional
competency is central to our mission as schools for boys.
The reports explore peer leadership and mentoring initiatives,
programmes that promote healthy relationships, and exercises that “engage the empathy
muscle for a workout”, in the words of one contributor. Whether on a small or large
scale, the projects described here are intriguing and inspiring. These are also
vivid stories of the step-by-step process of action research, a brand of inquiry
that remains at the cutting edge of educational practice.
For front-line teachers and school leaders alike, the journeys
recounted here provide compelling testimony of the power of action research to spark
professional growth and school change.
We are grateful to these educators for giving us such a privileged
glimpse into the vitality and vibrancy of their schools. And special thanks to Di
Laycock, coordinator of the program, for her leadership.
Interested individuals have long expressed interest in how the
IBSC could capitalize on its status as an international organisation by facilitating
a visits and exchanges programme between member schools. Since its inception last
year, several IBSC schools have begun to utilise this service, the purpose of which
is to help IBSC schools interested in visits or exchanges identify and communicate
with other member schools to arrange visits and exchanges.
To enter the
IBSC Visits and
Exchanges Programme, you will need your school’s IBSC “Members Only” username
and password.
The homepage of the programme outlines the various categories
of faculty and student visits and exchanges. The on-line submission page is
designed to capture a school’s intentions as a “sending” and as a “hosting”
school, along with relevant information about the school itself. Once submitted,
core information for each school is posted on a “notice board”, and the reader
can then follow links to the full information for schools that may be of interest.
Contact information for those directly responsible for faculty and student visits
and exchanges programmes in other schools is provided there.
Our hope is that IBSC schools will take up this opportunity,
and that it will lead to some wonderful collaboration, enriching the professional
lives of our teachers and the experiences of boys in our global network of boys’
schools.
The International Boys’ Schools Coalition is eager to help all
member schools who might have positions to be filled.
As we continue to explore on-line ways to share effective practice
in boys’ schools, we are pleased to invite you to investigate our
Great Programs in Boys’ Schools. At
this area of our website, schools are invited to contribute summaries of programmes
– big or small – that work especially well with boys.
The Role of Sport In
Boys' Schools
The IBSC one day
conference and conference dinner will examine the role of sport in boys' schools
past, present and future. Recent directions of a more professional approach
to schoolboy sport and the employment of specialist coaches will also be explored
by keynote speakers and in workshops.
