"Everything Has a Connection"

Suzanne C.
Blog #2
Introduction and Chapter 1- (pages 1-42)
Creative Connector

     While I knew that the topic of boys and girls learning differently would be applicable to my life I was also able to find several connections to my life experiences in it.  On page 14, in Chapter 1 it says,
     "She told us about a boy who just couldn't sit still.  To help him stop getting in constant trouble for his fidgeting, she decided to ask him to run errands for her.  This gave him something to do."
     This passage reminded me of a child I had worked with.  When it was clean up time he would always run around the room and bump into things.  Originally I thought that he was just avoiding clean up, but I discovered that he usually had done his part and just didn't know what to do next.  So I ended up giving him the job of snack helper.  He passed out all the bowls, cups, napkins, and pitchers and was able to do it without crashing into other people or things. 

     Another passage that related to my life was on page 8 of the Introduction.
          "Boy-girl literacy gap has caused schools to consider separating boys and girls in reading and writing classes.  Likewise, the goal of helping girls be more successful in math, science, and technology has led to more girls-only classes in these subjects in both public and private schools."
      This made me think of the all girls, Catholic school that I attended from 8th to 12th grade.  Interestingly enough I always thought I went there because I might learn better because boys might be distracting, I had attended Catholic school since preschool, and because my family believed it would be safer than my local public school.  In reflection now, I wonder if my school had programs in place to make us more successful in math, science, and technology or if they simply believed we'd do better because we wouldn't be distracted.  I don't remember being taught any differently than I had been in my co-ed school, but I do remember being told that we could be successful in science and math.   

      The final passage that I made a connection with was in Chapter 1 on page 28.
          "Beginning in prepuberty, generally around ten years old, males often receive as many as seven to ten "spikes" or "surges" of testosterone every day.  During the spiking, hormonal flow can make their moods vacillate between aggressive and withdrawn." 
      This passage connected to my life experiences because it helped to explain something that I did not understand at the time.  Often times when I worked in a school-age classroom I found that the boys were moody.  They would be engaged in a preferred activity and then would suddenly be trying to punch someone.  I also found this with a child who was 9 that I would babysit on weekends while his parents were away.  He would be playing a game with his brothers and I and then would want to go up to his room and be alone. I never understood these behaviors before or was simply just annoyed by them.  In the future, I know there is a reason for them and I will not get as frustrated.