Michael Reichert - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Michael Reichert

The Urban Review, Sep 1, 2006

Contemporary boys have become a subject of great concern. Whether it is outcomes in education, he... more Contemporary boys have become a subject of great concern. Whether it is outcomes in education, health or moral development, many boys are at risk for falling victim to cultural norms that compromise their character, connections and development. A recent book, Guyland by sociologist and Men's Studies pioneer Michael Kimmel, paints a troubling picture of the world that boys encounter and the worrisome outcomes for boys who do not find support or opportunities to rise above it. Whatever the relative contributions of nature and nurture to their developmental trajectories, all boys make some personal accommodation to the ubiquitous social pressures of boyhood. The world our society creates for boys-filled with powerful constraints on myriad aspects of their socio-emotional development-exercises powerful effects on their lives. Within the Jewish community in the United States, concerns about boys are focused on lagging post-bar mitzvah affiliation. Boys lose touch with Judaism and the Jewish community with alarming predictability-and at a greater rate than girls. This means, among other things, that the Jewish future is threatened. But more importantly, it also means that boys themselves must navigate their passage to manhood without the guidance or support of the very sort of community critical to their healthy development. Commenting on the sad conclusion that boys' connections to Judaism are more attenuated than girls', one Jewish leader lamented: "The substance of Jewish traditions exists to add color to our lives, and without it too many young men will live in monochrome" (Holtzman, 2003).

Boys as Co-Developers of Initiatives and Experiences. The development, with a representative set ... more Boys as Co-Developers of Initiatives and Experiences. The development, with a representative set of boys, of programming and experiences that are co-constructed and then studied in terms of their success reaching, engaging and retaining a wide range of Jewish boys over time, would be the thrust of this research-based program development project. The goal is for this program development process to be genuine, inductive and resonant for these boys and for a diverse range of Jewish boys. This kind of evidencebased, collaborative, youth-centered experience development is the real hope for engaging Jewish boys in meaningful events and experiences over time. 3. Peer-to-Peer Dialogue Groups. Specifically to explore the experience of boys' talking with each other about their lives, creating in such group dialogue a context on which they can depend for their self-development and emotional self-care, we suggest that a group (or several groups) of boys ages 15-18 be brought together on a regular basis to talk about their feelings, struggles, passions, needs and views of life. The ultimate result of such an action research process would be a greater understanding of how adults can help boys create conditions that allow them to share their experience as boys with each other.

Despite a continuing stream of concern on the part of researchers, demographers, and cultural pun... more Despite a continuing stream of concern on the part of researchers, demographers, and cultural pundits about a crisis in boys ’ social development and schooling, surprisingly little attention has been paid to what is perhaps the richest pool of data: current, observable teaching practices that clearly work with boys. In schools of all types in all regions of the globe, many boys are thriving. Boys of limited, ordinary, and excep-tional tested aptitude; boys of every economic strata; boys of all races and faiths — some of them — are ap-preciatively engaged and taught well every day.

The Journal of Educational Research, 2016

Gender and Educational Philanthropy, 2007

The creation of the Center for the Study of Boys’ Lives by a consortium of historic independent s... more The creation of the Center for the Study of Boys’ Lives by a consortium of historic independent schools was fortuitous for me. A consulting and clinical psychologist with many years’ experience with boys, their families, and their schools, I had nonetheless not had the chance to consider boys’ lives as broadly as I had come to wish. With two sons, I felt considerable personal investment in our society’s man making. Creating an organization to advance our understanding of boys’ lives, I now find myself in the middle of significant and far-reaching debates about learning, justice, and positive youth development. How we see boys’ lives and act to ensure their healthy and moral development are key questions for our society. The questions raised throughout this chapter are questions that not only researchers, but funders too must consider when focusing on building a healthy curriculum for boys.

Men and Masculinities, 2010

A conservation assessment for the three cycad species native to the Bahamas Islands is presented.... more A conservation assessment for the three cycad species native to the Bahamas Islands is presented. Results are based on field surveys on all islands where these species occur. Zamia angustifolia is native to Eleuthera, Zamia integrifolia is native to Abaco, Andros, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama and New Providence, and Zamia lucayana is endemic to Long Island. Z. angustifolia is of the highest conservation concern because of the small number of adult plants, its restricted distribution and the extensive development occurring within its habitat. Z. integrifolia also has a restricted distribution on Eleuthera and Grand Bahama and, although threatened by urban development in New Providence, it is relatively common on Abaco and Andros. Z. lucayana comprises three populations within a narrow strip of land of c. 1 km 2 ; we propose a reassignment of its current conservation status from Endangered to Critically Endangered. We assessed the genetic structure of Z. lucayana based on 15 polymorphic microsatellite DNA loci; this indicated that the three known populations should be considered a single management unit. However, the high number of private alleles suggests that genetic drift, indicative of recent fragmentation, is progressing. We propose in situ conservation strategies, and we also collected germplasm from a total of 24 populations of these three cycad species, for ex situ conservation.

The Urban Review, 2006

A neighborhood in Philadelphia, PA, hard hit by violence, approached the local chapter of Physici... more A neighborhood in Philadelphia, PA, hard hit by violence, approached the local chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility on behalf of its youth. The chapter responded by developing a psychosocial after-school intervention for early adolescent males, which participants named Peaceful Posse. Youth showed up consistently for the groups, after school and on their own, sometimes for years. Yet the program recognized that there was a great deal not fully understood about the lives of its participants. The present study used a careful analysis of individual interviews conducted with a sample of boys to extend the program's understanding. Including the perspectives of these participants offered a deeper appreciation of the challenges youth face when exposed to chronic violence and of their resourcefulness at finding relationships to help themselves through these challenges. Their perspectives helped the program to broaden its understanding of healing. The key role of identity as an embodiment of the hopes of the young men helped the program to better appreciate this particularly important locus of healing for urban youth exposed to violence.

Teachers College Record, 2004

In the last decade, boys’ lives, and particularly their school achievement, have come under incre... more In the last decade, boys’ lives, and particularly their school achievement, have come under increasing scrutiny. While dominant discourses have stressed boys as victims, schools as failing boys, and an essentialist view that boys will be boys, few take account that boys develop their self-concepts in the looking glass of the variously gendered academic and social curricula of schools. Yet understanding how boys form their sense of self is crucial, as much research has shown that students’ self-concepts have a strong relationship with their grades. This exploratory study attempts to address this need, finding that the addition of a measure of boys’ social anxiety significantly enhanced the statistical explanation of self-concept. Follow-up interviews with 27 boys helped us to understand the nature of their social anxiety and its relationship to the power dynamics and traditions of the particular school we studied. We conclude by suggesting ways such schools may be able to help boys r...

Mind, Brain, and Education, 2009

In a previous issue of Mind, Brain, and Education , Hinton and Fischer (2008) argue that educatio... more In a previous issue of Mind, Brain, and Education , Hinton and Fischer (2008) argue that educational research needs to be grounded in the lived realities of school life. They advocate for research schools as a venue for accomplishing this. The Center for the Study of Boys ' and Girls ' Lives represents an alternative model-a research collaborative among independent schools and university-based scholars. This article describes the Center ' s experience with democratic, participatory action research. It discusses major roadblocks encountered doing such work, including diffi culties selecting research topics collaboratively, epistemological differences in methods and design, the scarcity of time, and resistance to results when they challenge gender stereotypes or the status quo or involve student researchers. The article concludes with strategies for overcoming these roadblocks, including clearer, upfront negotiations with schools and a compact that specifi es roles and responsibilities for both school and Center personnel.

Journal of Social Issues, 2003

ABSTRACT How do boys from diverse backgrounds manage in an elite boys' school? Interviewi... more ABSTRACT How do boys from diverse backgrounds manage in an elite boys' school? Interviewing a representative sample of 27 boys, blocked for race, class, and academic performance, we found that they navigated the school's academic geography by mastering “a drill” that included hard work, unwavering commitment, a will to win, a cool style, and self knowledge as learners. Some developed a transformative love of learning. But many marginalized boys struggled with the school's social geography. African American boys managed most effectively as they developed intra-group discourses of race and class enabling them to take up the school's offers of “hegemonic habitus” without “selling out.” We discuss the liberating implications of helping students in both independent and public schools develop similar critiques.

Thymos: Journal of Boyhood Studies, 2012

Extended editorial introduction to a double special issue on boys and schooling. Adopting a devel... more Extended editorial introduction to a double special issue on boys and schooling. Adopting a developmental perspective on boyhood, the editors frame these special issues on boys' education by reviewing research on their experience of schooling. In particular, they endeavor to illuminate boys' agency and opportunities they can find in schools for resistance to restrictive masculine regimes.

The creation of the Center for the Study of Boys’ Lives by a consortium of historic independent s... more The creation of the Center for the Study of Boys’ Lives by a consortium of historic independent schools was fortuitous for me. A consulting and clinical psychologist with many years’ experience with boys, their families, and their schools, I had nonetheless not had the chance to consider boys’ lives as broadly as I had come to wish. With two sons, I felt considerable personal investment in our society’s man making. Creating an organization to advance our understanding of boys’ lives, I now find myself in the middle of significant and far-reaching debates about learning, justice, and positive youth development. How we see boys’ lives and act to ensure their healthy and moral development are key questions for our society. The questions raised throughout this chapter are questions that not only researchers, but funders too must consider when focusing on building a healthy curriculum for boys.

Contents Preface * Part 1: A Trauma-Organized Society? * Where the Violence Occurs * Active Suppo... more Contents Preface * Part 1: A Trauma-Organized Society? * Where the Violence Occurs * Active Support for Violence * Our Response to Violence * Part II: Trauma Theory * Normal Reactions to Abnormal Stress * Psychological Trauma Denied * The Fight-or-Flight Response * Learned Helplessness * Loss of "Volume Control" * Thinking Under Stress: Action not Thought * Remembering Under Stress * Learning and Trauma: State Dependent Learning * Emotions and Trauma: Dissociation * Health and Trauma * Character Change and Trauma * Looking for an Antidote * Attachment Behavior * Failures of Attachment * Endorphins and Attachment * Endorphins and Stress: Addiction to Trauma * Trauma-Bonding * Traumatic Reenactment * Issues of Meaning and Spirituality * Trauma-Organized Systems * Changing Patterns of Thought * Part III: A Public Health Approach * Defining a Public Health Approach * Tertiary Prevention: Fixing What is Broken * Secondary Prevention: Containing the Traumatic Infection * Primary...

Phi Delta Kappan

Positive relationships should come first in efforts to improve boys' learning and engagement ... more Positive relationships should come first in efforts to improve boys' learning and engagement with school. Teachers can make the difference.

Phi Delta Kappan

If there is a crisis in boys' education, answers are not hard to find. Thousands of teachers ... more If there is a crisis in boys' education, answers are not hard to find. Thousands of teachers around the world have found the secret to making lessons successful for boys.

Sh Ma a Journal of Jewish Ideas, Feb 1, 2009

Reaching Boys Teaching Boys Strategies That Work and Why Michael Reichert Richard Hawley, 2010

Phi Delta Kappan, May 1, 2013

The Urban Review, Sep 1, 2006

Contemporary boys have become a subject of great concern. Whether it is outcomes in education, he... more Contemporary boys have become a subject of great concern. Whether it is outcomes in education, health or moral development, many boys are at risk for falling victim to cultural norms that compromise their character, connections and development. A recent book, Guyland by sociologist and Men's Studies pioneer Michael Kimmel, paints a troubling picture of the world that boys encounter and the worrisome outcomes for boys who do not find support or opportunities to rise above it. Whatever the relative contributions of nature and nurture to their developmental trajectories, all boys make some personal accommodation to the ubiquitous social pressures of boyhood. The world our society creates for boys-filled with powerful constraints on myriad aspects of their socio-emotional development-exercises powerful effects on their lives. Within the Jewish community in the United States, concerns about boys are focused on lagging post-bar mitzvah affiliation. Boys lose touch with Judaism and the Jewish community with alarming predictability-and at a greater rate than girls. This means, among other things, that the Jewish future is threatened. But more importantly, it also means that boys themselves must navigate their passage to manhood without the guidance or support of the very sort of community critical to their healthy development. Commenting on the sad conclusion that boys' connections to Judaism are more attenuated than girls', one Jewish leader lamented: "The substance of Jewish traditions exists to add color to our lives, and without it too many young men will live in monochrome" (Holtzman, 2003).

Boys as Co-Developers of Initiatives and Experiences. The development, with a representative set ... more Boys as Co-Developers of Initiatives and Experiences. The development, with a representative set of boys, of programming and experiences that are co-constructed and then studied in terms of their success reaching, engaging and retaining a wide range of Jewish boys over time, would be the thrust of this research-based program development project. The goal is for this program development process to be genuine, inductive and resonant for these boys and for a diverse range of Jewish boys. This kind of evidencebased, collaborative, youth-centered experience development is the real hope for engaging Jewish boys in meaningful events and experiences over time. 3. Peer-to-Peer Dialogue Groups. Specifically to explore the experience of boys' talking with each other about their lives, creating in such group dialogue a context on which they can depend for their self-development and emotional self-care, we suggest that a group (or several groups) of boys ages 15-18 be brought together on a regular basis to talk about their feelings, struggles, passions, needs and views of life. The ultimate result of such an action research process would be a greater understanding of how adults can help boys create conditions that allow them to share their experience as boys with each other.

Despite a continuing stream of concern on the part of researchers, demographers, and cultural pun... more Despite a continuing stream of concern on the part of researchers, demographers, and cultural pundits about a crisis in boys ’ social development and schooling, surprisingly little attention has been paid to what is perhaps the richest pool of data: current, observable teaching practices that clearly work with boys. In schools of all types in all regions of the globe, many boys are thriving. Boys of limited, ordinary, and excep-tional tested aptitude; boys of every economic strata; boys of all races and faiths — some of them — are ap-preciatively engaged and taught well every day.

The Journal of Educational Research, 2016

Gender and Educational Philanthropy, 2007

The creation of the Center for the Study of Boys’ Lives by a consortium of historic independent s... more The creation of the Center for the Study of Boys’ Lives by a consortium of historic independent schools was fortuitous for me. A consulting and clinical psychologist with many years’ experience with boys, their families, and their schools, I had nonetheless not had the chance to consider boys’ lives as broadly as I had come to wish. With two sons, I felt considerable personal investment in our society’s man making. Creating an organization to advance our understanding of boys’ lives, I now find myself in the middle of significant and far-reaching debates about learning, justice, and positive youth development. How we see boys’ lives and act to ensure their healthy and moral development are key questions for our society. The questions raised throughout this chapter are questions that not only researchers, but funders too must consider when focusing on building a healthy curriculum for boys.

Men and Masculinities, 2010

A conservation assessment for the three cycad species native to the Bahamas Islands is presented.... more A conservation assessment for the three cycad species native to the Bahamas Islands is presented. Results are based on field surveys on all islands where these species occur. Zamia angustifolia is native to Eleuthera, Zamia integrifolia is native to Abaco, Andros, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama and New Providence, and Zamia lucayana is endemic to Long Island. Z. angustifolia is of the highest conservation concern because of the small number of adult plants, its restricted distribution and the extensive development occurring within its habitat. Z. integrifolia also has a restricted distribution on Eleuthera and Grand Bahama and, although threatened by urban development in New Providence, it is relatively common on Abaco and Andros. Z. lucayana comprises three populations within a narrow strip of land of c. 1 km 2 ; we propose a reassignment of its current conservation status from Endangered to Critically Endangered. We assessed the genetic structure of Z. lucayana based on 15 polymorphic microsatellite DNA loci; this indicated that the three known populations should be considered a single management unit. However, the high number of private alleles suggests that genetic drift, indicative of recent fragmentation, is progressing. We propose in situ conservation strategies, and we also collected germplasm from a total of 24 populations of these three cycad species, for ex situ conservation.

The Urban Review, 2006

A neighborhood in Philadelphia, PA, hard hit by violence, approached the local chapter of Physici... more A neighborhood in Philadelphia, PA, hard hit by violence, approached the local chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility on behalf of its youth. The chapter responded by developing a psychosocial after-school intervention for early adolescent males, which participants named Peaceful Posse. Youth showed up consistently for the groups, after school and on their own, sometimes for years. Yet the program recognized that there was a great deal not fully understood about the lives of its participants. The present study used a careful analysis of individual interviews conducted with a sample of boys to extend the program's understanding. Including the perspectives of these participants offered a deeper appreciation of the challenges youth face when exposed to chronic violence and of their resourcefulness at finding relationships to help themselves through these challenges. Their perspectives helped the program to broaden its understanding of healing. The key role of identity as an embodiment of the hopes of the young men helped the program to better appreciate this particularly important locus of healing for urban youth exposed to violence.

Teachers College Record, 2004

In the last decade, boys’ lives, and particularly their school achievement, have come under incre... more In the last decade, boys’ lives, and particularly their school achievement, have come under increasing scrutiny. While dominant discourses have stressed boys as victims, schools as failing boys, and an essentialist view that boys will be boys, few take account that boys develop their self-concepts in the looking glass of the variously gendered academic and social curricula of schools. Yet understanding how boys form their sense of self is crucial, as much research has shown that students’ self-concepts have a strong relationship with their grades. This exploratory study attempts to address this need, finding that the addition of a measure of boys’ social anxiety significantly enhanced the statistical explanation of self-concept. Follow-up interviews with 27 boys helped us to understand the nature of their social anxiety and its relationship to the power dynamics and traditions of the particular school we studied. We conclude by suggesting ways such schools may be able to help boys r...

Mind, Brain, and Education, 2009

In a previous issue of Mind, Brain, and Education , Hinton and Fischer (2008) argue that educatio... more In a previous issue of Mind, Brain, and Education , Hinton and Fischer (2008) argue that educational research needs to be grounded in the lived realities of school life. They advocate for research schools as a venue for accomplishing this. The Center for the Study of Boys ' and Girls ' Lives represents an alternative model-a research collaborative among independent schools and university-based scholars. This article describes the Center ' s experience with democratic, participatory action research. It discusses major roadblocks encountered doing such work, including diffi culties selecting research topics collaboratively, epistemological differences in methods and design, the scarcity of time, and resistance to results when they challenge gender stereotypes or the status quo or involve student researchers. The article concludes with strategies for overcoming these roadblocks, including clearer, upfront negotiations with schools and a compact that specifi es roles and responsibilities for both school and Center personnel.

Journal of Social Issues, 2003

ABSTRACT How do boys from diverse backgrounds manage in an elite boys' school? Interviewi... more ABSTRACT How do boys from diverse backgrounds manage in an elite boys' school? Interviewing a representative sample of 27 boys, blocked for race, class, and academic performance, we found that they navigated the school's academic geography by mastering “a drill” that included hard work, unwavering commitment, a will to win, a cool style, and self knowledge as learners. Some developed a transformative love of learning. But many marginalized boys struggled with the school's social geography. African American boys managed most effectively as they developed intra-group discourses of race and class enabling them to take up the school's offers of “hegemonic habitus” without “selling out.” We discuss the liberating implications of helping students in both independent and public schools develop similar critiques.

Thymos: Journal of Boyhood Studies, 2012

Extended editorial introduction to a double special issue on boys and schooling. Adopting a devel... more Extended editorial introduction to a double special issue on boys and schooling. Adopting a developmental perspective on boyhood, the editors frame these special issues on boys' education by reviewing research on their experience of schooling. In particular, they endeavor to illuminate boys' agency and opportunities they can find in schools for resistance to restrictive masculine regimes.

The creation of the Center for the Study of Boys’ Lives by a consortium of historic independent s... more The creation of the Center for the Study of Boys’ Lives by a consortium of historic independent schools was fortuitous for me. A consulting and clinical psychologist with many years’ experience with boys, their families, and their schools, I had nonetheless not had the chance to consider boys’ lives as broadly as I had come to wish. With two sons, I felt considerable personal investment in our society’s man making. Creating an organization to advance our understanding of boys’ lives, I now find myself in the middle of significant and far-reaching debates about learning, justice, and positive youth development. How we see boys’ lives and act to ensure their healthy and moral development are key questions for our society. The questions raised throughout this chapter are questions that not only researchers, but funders too must consider when focusing on building a healthy curriculum for boys.

Contents Preface * Part 1: A Trauma-Organized Society? * Where the Violence Occurs * Active Suppo... more Contents Preface * Part 1: A Trauma-Organized Society? * Where the Violence Occurs * Active Support for Violence * Our Response to Violence * Part II: Trauma Theory * Normal Reactions to Abnormal Stress * Psychological Trauma Denied * The Fight-or-Flight Response * Learned Helplessness * Loss of "Volume Control" * Thinking Under Stress: Action not Thought * Remembering Under Stress * Learning and Trauma: State Dependent Learning * Emotions and Trauma: Dissociation * Health and Trauma * Character Change and Trauma * Looking for an Antidote * Attachment Behavior * Failures of Attachment * Endorphins and Attachment * Endorphins and Stress: Addiction to Trauma * Trauma-Bonding * Traumatic Reenactment * Issues of Meaning and Spirituality * Trauma-Organized Systems * Changing Patterns of Thought * Part III: A Public Health Approach * Defining a Public Health Approach * Tertiary Prevention: Fixing What is Broken * Secondary Prevention: Containing the Traumatic Infection * Primary...

Phi Delta Kappan

Positive relationships should come first in efforts to improve boys' learning and engagement ... more Positive relationships should come first in efforts to improve boys' learning and engagement with school. Teachers can make the difference.

Phi Delta Kappan

If there is a crisis in boys' education, answers are not hard to find. Thousands of teachers ... more If there is a crisis in boys' education, answers are not hard to find. Thousands of teachers around the world have found the secret to making lessons successful for boys.

Sh Ma a Journal of Jewish Ideas, Feb 1, 2009

Reaching Boys Teaching Boys Strategies That Work and Why Michael Reichert Richard Hawley, 2010

Phi Delta Kappan, May 1, 2013