Are Boys Struggling in Middle School? Is It An Engagement, Organization, Academic, or Maturity Issue? Should Schools Rethink Their Instructional Programming & Philosophy? Principal Dave McKay Joins!

The Best Paragraph I've Read: The roots of boys’ problems are complex. Things that once benefited boys in school, including male teachers, recess and vocational classes, have dwindled in recent years. The post pandemic ubiquity of technology also has contributed to boys’ problems—and parents’ frustration. “If you have the option between studying for boring chemistry and playing a videogame, who would choose the chemistry homework?”  And with Chromebooks in tow throughout the school day, boys are accessing YouTube and games during class. Girls have their share of tech problems, too. But the desire for likes and connection that makes social media so appealing—and at times harmful—can benefit girls as they pursue positive feedback from teachers and peers, psychologists say. Parents, tutors and education experts say boys need extra encouragement to understand the payoff of working hard in school. Basically, they need a bigger reason than letter grades. This paragraph comes from the Wall Street Journal. The article is titled: "Boys Are Struggling. It Can Take Coaches, Tutors and Thousands a Month to Fix That." The article is written by Julie Jargon. You can read the full article here: https://www.wsj.com/tech/personal-tech/middle-schoolers-academic-success-innovation-40e8456d Zac and Don are joined by middle school principal David McKay. The three share their thoughts on middle school boys and their learning needs. They discuss whether the national trends of boys struggling to learn are true. They debate the merits of potential solutions. The following article is also referenced during the podcast: Inside the Schools Where Boys Can Be Boys