The day that students arrive back from Winter Break is a professional day for faculty, and this year's program focused on the psychology of boys--the majority of our student population. (Past initiatives have dealt with almost every conceivable subset of the population.)

Michael Thompson, our speaker, didn't need to tell us that the lives of boys in our lives are distinct. Try, as we do, to not leap to generalizations when dealing with large groups, personal experience is supported by growing reams of data regarding the special challenges presented by gender. The author of Raising Cain, a book that will be presented as a documentary on public television this week, Thompson confirmed and illuminated dozens of insights that--he acknowledged--we know through first-hand experience. Even the most intelligent boys are bound to explore play adventures that are dangerous beyond belief. Many of us can recall them from only a few years or decades ago....

The need for physical outlet is well documented. In fact, while co-education was roundly supported today, we acknowledged that the best schedule for boys would include longer periods between classes for physical outlet.

The psychology of adolescsent males contains some surprises. In order to take risks, boys need to know the rules to the immediate game. Is it safe--here--for me to take a public risk? For example, boys need to assume that their peers approve of public praise before they will strive to receive it.

The key point: above all, we are more human than gendered. Male or female, kids need to feel permission to have internal lives with the full range of human emotioins. At least one meaningful connected relationship with an adult decreases all risk factors (drug/alchohol use, unsafe sex, self-descructive behaviors, academic failure) in teenagers.

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