Baltimore Hosts Global Education Conference

BALTIMORE, Md. (WBFF) -- Educators from around the world gathered in Baltimore this week. For the first time, the International Boys’ Schools Coalition held its annual conference in Charm City.

Educators at this conference embrace how boys learn differently than girls. And it doesn’t matter what state, country, or continent they are from. They all deserve unique attention.

“When you look at the outcomes for boys of color, they are at the bottom of every list you can think of,” said Jack Pannell, the founder of Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys, a fourth to eighth grade public charter school with about 400 students. “Attendance. Grades. Reading levels.”

That, is a grim reality that haunts and motivates Pannell. And he feels lucky. Just two years after opening his school, one of the world’s largest gatherings of boys’ educators has come to Baltimore.

“For educators, for those of us who work in boys school and advocate for boys, it’s enormous. It’s kind of like our Super Bowl,” stated Chris Post, the Headmaster of Boy’s Latin School of Maryland.

The IBSC Annual Conference was hosted by Boys’ Latin during the week of June 25. Here, 600 educators from 120 schools in 20 countries from five continents share ideas and strategies on how to engage and reach young boys – who are naturally competitive, tend to want more structure than girls and need guidance as they become men.

Attendees hear from speakers like former NFL lineman Joe Ehrmann.

“You can’t build moral character on faulty masculinity. If masculinity is defined by power, dominance, control, you’ll never be able to build moral character,” said Ehrmann to a packed gymnasium.

Best-selling author Wes Moore also spoke to a large crowd.

“It’s not simply about them getting a degree. It’s about preparing them to lead,” said Moore.

For Pannell, this conference gives him a chance to hear what educators from around the globe are doing to help young boys succeed. In Baltimore, he says, 9 out of 10 boys of color cannot read at level in fourth grade – which he says must change. To hear how other countries deal with similar problems, for him, is invaluable.

“What I have found here in Baltimore City is that there have been a lot of low expectations for boys. And we see boys that come to our school and they have never been challenged,” added Pannell. “Our boys of Baltimore City are no different than boys in South Africa, or Australia. Same boys. Same kinds of struggles that everyone is encountering and the same kinds of successes that we are trying to replicate.”

Next year’s conference will be in Australia on the Gold Coast. Pannell plans to attend.