ABSTRACT
At the age of the loss of innocence, at around age 11 to 12, boys choose what sort of boy and man they are going to be as individuals and as a group in school. By intervening at school at this age, we can encourage boys to choose a masculinity that is ‘gentle’ rather than ‘sour’. Through guided-reflection lessons, teachers show boys the benefits of being mutually supportive, compassionate and generous. Teachers hold up a mirror to behaviours that are over-competitive, harsh and aggressive. The Working with Boys lesson topics cover all the aspects of boys’ lives that influence their choice of masculinity.
