Get boys to "act up" in class

I love hearing about good ideas. Stealing them is even better (with permission, of course!)

Recently an experienced early childhood teacher told me about an idea they had used in the UK to engage young boys with reading. They devised a “touchy-feely” bag filled with objects relating to the particular story they were reading. The boys were then asked to pull out an object from the bag and to use it to tell the story they had just heard. The anticipation of what they would find in the bag was palpable. What young boy could resist the temptation to feel around inside the bag to find something interesting?

It’s a great example of how the passive activity of reading can be turned into an action-oriented, competitive activity that plays to boys’ strengths. Acting up in class has its advantages!