Discussion

The last assignment in the exam set asks you to discuss whether young men need to be challenged differently in today’s society, taking your starting point in text 3.

Text 3 is titled "Why schools are failing our boys”, was written by Jennifer Fink, and published in The Washington Post in 2015.

As the title announces, the article deals with the way the educational system affects the development of boys. According to the author, the strict discipline of school and the sedentary activities at school negatively affect the way boys develop and learn because they are in contradiction with their needs. As a mother of boys, Fink argues that boys need to engage in physical activities, practical learning and to feel useful: “So while my son still needs movement, still craves real-world learning, physical labor and ways to contribute to his family and his world, he’s expected to spend most of his time in a desk…” (ll. 35-40)

This is, in fact, a traditional perspective on male roles in society as it outlines boys (and future men) prefer traditional roles which require physical strength and assuming the role of the family provider.

However, the author argues for her views through the example of her son, who cannot adapt to a sedentary, rigid school schedule.

These represent good starting points in your discussion of whether young men need to be challenged differently in today’s society.

Note that the author of the article supports this idea, but she pleads for a return to traditional challenges...