Boys in School – Too Hostile?

An article posted on Time yesterday discusses the possibility of boys being too hostile in school, that’s right too hostile. I’m sure you’ve see the articles about 7-year olds being suspended for school for playing the classic “Cops and Robbers” game at recess. This has happened with more frequency in the past few years because of the interpretation of the zero tolerance policy.

This seems detrimental to the education of children and also shows young toys that they don’t belong in school because of the imaginative games they play. Speaking of imagination, I just finished a book over the weekend called A Child’s Work: The Importance of Fantasy Play by, Vivian Gussin Palin – a book about the importance of a child’s imagination and the work of a child – which is to play.

Paley discusses how children relate the world around them into terms they understand by playing and using their imagination. More and more preschools and kindergartens are requiring teachers to follow curriculum and worksheets that children will be less successful with due to a lack of maturity. Teachers who understand the importance of play find it difficult to let principals and supervisors know due to a lack of concrete evidence of the importance of play.

Play is so vital to children and I hope that schools will understand why giving children time for recess and play is so important for their learning.

Time article: School Has Become Too Hostile for Boys