3 Skills Every Middle School Boy Needs | Jerome Hunter | TED
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The Challenges and Changes of Middle School
Middle school is a time of significant biological, neurological, and emotional changes.
Many people have a visceral reaction when they hear the term middle school.
It's a period when adolescents undergo changes that impact their identity formation.
While some kids may ignore deodorant and overuse Axe body spray, others may want to be treated like adults but still play with action figures.
A middle school teacher, however, discovered that some of his male students were acting kind of strange, which led him to investigate further.
Redefining Masculinity: Middle School Boys Lead the Way
He noticed a pattern with his boys that involved going down sketchy YouTube rabbit holes or indulging in meme culture.
He became a mentor for an afterschool program called My Brother's Keeper, and in this space, he asked his male students an age-old question: "Does absolute power corrupt absolutely?" The conversation led to an "aha!" moment for both the teacher and the students.
He realized that middle school boys are impressionable and full of potential, and they could lead us to a more just and equitable society by redefining masculinity.
The Three C's: Critical Skills to Redefine Masculinity
The teacher reflected on the idea of masculinity and whether rejecting the gender binary and affirming people of all genders affected it.
He identified three critical skills that middle schoolers can practice to redefine masculinity:
- Confidence
- Communication
- Community
These three C's became the pillars of his school, which demonstrated that middle schoolers could redefine masculinity.
Communication: Key to Countering Toxic Masculinity
The second critical skill is communication.
Communication is key to countering toxic masculinity.
Boys need to learn how to communicate their emotions and needs effectively.
They need to learn how to listen actively and to empathize with others. When boys learn to communicate effectively, they can build deeper and more meaningful relationships with others.
Community: Building a Support System for Redefining Masculinity
Boys need to learn how to build and sustain healthy relationships. They need to learn how to collaborate and work in teams.
When boys learn to work in communities, they can develop leadership skills, empathy, and a sense of responsibility.
They can also learn how to challenge toxic masculinity and promote healthy and equitable relationships.
The Importance of Middle School in Redefining Masculinity
Middle school is a time like no other.
It's a time when adolescents undergo significant biological, neurological, and emotional changes that impact their identity formation.
It's also a time when they can learn critical skills that can help them redefine masculinity.
By teaching confidence, communication, and community, middle schoolers can build healthy and equitable relationships, challenge toxic masculinity, and lead us to a more just and equitable society.
