Gary Wilson - Author

Let's Hear it from the Boys

This was an excellent read with some interesting and reflective questions. It was clearly well researched, with many personal anecdotes and some perceptive poems. It was not a book that you could dip in and out of, but one that needed reading cover to cover, to take in the clear message the author was giving us. I think it would also be a good book for parents to read as the importance of home is stressed throughout. I am sure we have all heard much of the information before, that boys do not perform as well as girls and that their concentration times were different:  that they matured at a different rate to girls and how adults’ expectations of boys are so different from birth. However, to have it all set out chapter by chapter, brought the points home! The chapters were set out clearly, with an overview, things to think about and how to act. However, I do feel that many of the issues of boys not responding and achieving, are issues equally applicable to girls. Many of the examples given, such as boys saying if they had a good teacher, who was fair, listened and was firm when required, inspired them to work. Both sexes are equally affected by the quality of the teacher.  Quotes saying, ‘those who mess about get rewards for being good once, whereas consistent good behaviour is not rewarded’ Again, this applies just as much to girls as boys. I think as teachers, we need to be aware of the issues raised. As Gary Wilson noted, “it is interesting how anything specific and helpful to boys, would have a positive knock-on effect on girls."