During the course of this two-year research project, Dr. Cox conducted interviews with groups of boys, met with teachers, and made presentations to parents. He listened carefully to boys’ voices, and followed the thread of their thoughts. What emerged was a cluster of “dimensions of significance” where boys find value and meaning – Becoming Myself, Belonging and Influence, Pragmatic Transcendence, “Real-Time” Achievement, and Origins and Traditions.
For boys’ schools, there is much in the report that will both affirm and challenge. The discussion of these “dimensions of significance” will also give us, we hope, a new lens to sharpen the focus of our work with boys. The report includes a concluding chapter with recommendations – directive without being prescriptive – that should inspire rich discussion.
This research was made possible by the participation of 20 project schools in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States and Singapore. This collaborative, school-based and global approach is a hallmark of the IBSC’s research initiatives, and we are so grateful to these project schools for their support and participation.
