Professional Books — Review

The Joys of Teaching Boys:
Igniting Writing Experiences That Meet The Needs Of All Students

by Christopher M. Spence
Pembroke Publishers, 2008
ISBN 978-1-55138-230-2
$24.95, 112 pp, index, adult
www.pembrokepublishers.com

In The Joys of Teaching Boys, award winning Canadian educator and author Dr. Christopher Spence explores the many issues and questions surrounding the education of boys in our society. He says, “We need to recognize and celebrate that boys and girls are different,” and draws on international research and his experiences in schools to discuss and elaborate on this assertion. Although the focus of this book is on literacy and writing skills, the author has much to say about what schools and teachers need to do to optimize boys’ enjoyment and success in school in general. Spence uses experiences of his own family and students to illustrate his points, providing concrete examples and real life evidence of how children’s natural tendencies can be best used to achieve your teaching goals. The Joys of Teaching Boys is organized around ideas rather than lesson plans, so expect to read this resource with an inquiring mind and a notebook close by to record the myriad practical suggestions embedded in each chapter.

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