June 18, 2026
By: Christal Taggart
When my boys were growing up, I sometimes joked about wanting to start a Tom Sawyer School for Boys. Instead of sitting at desks all day, students would learn math while building rafts, science while exploring the outdoors, and reading through stories that captured their imagination. Looking back, I may have been on to something. Raising five boys taught me they often learn best when learning is connected to movement, purpose, challenge, and real-world experiences.
In recent years, growing attention has been given to the challenges many boys face in education. Boys lag behind girls in school readiness, reading proficiency, high school GPA, college enrollment, and degree completion. These trends have led researchers to ask an important question: Why are boys struggling, and what can be done to help them succeed?
Research shows that Boys and girls do not always develop at the same pace, nor do they always respond to the same educational approaches (Reeves, 2024). While every child is unique, recognizing developmental differences can help families and schools provide support that allows all children to flourish.
Positive Youth Development research suggests that young people thrive when families and communities focus on developing strengths rather than simply correcting weaknesses. Supportive relationships, meaningful responsibilities, opportunities to contribute, and positive encouragement help young people build confidence and resilience.
Asking A Different Question
Rather than focusing only on the challenges boys face, families and communities may benefit from asking, What helps boys thrive?
Recognizing the challenges boys face is not a rejection of the progress that has helped girls succeed. Both boys and girls have inherent value and deserve opportunities to thrive. Equal value does not mean identical needs. Boys and girls often face different challenges, develop at different rates, and respond to different forms of encouragement. When we recognize and support this, we are not assigning greater worth to one group over another. We acknowledge that every child deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential.
So what can be done to help boys succeed?
1. Purpose & Responsibility
Research increasingly suggests that boys benefit from clear goals, meaningful challenges, and opportunities to contribute. Positive Youth Development research emphasizes helping young people develop confidence through contribution and accomplishment. When young people are trusted with responsibility and given opportunities to achieve worthwhile goals, they often develop greater confidence, competence, and motivation.
When one of my sons struggled with traditional academics, we found that learning became more motivating when it was connected to goals he cared about. Merit badges provided clear objectives and tangible accomplishments. Reading became an adventure when books were paired with stories and films that captured his imagination.
When his resource teacher recognized that he enjoyed helping others and showed natural leadership abilities, she invited him to tutor some of her younger students. The experience helped him see himself differently. Instead of focusing on what he found difficult, he was allowed to contribute and succeed. As his confidence grew, so did his interest in learning and his ability to lead others. Rather than lowering expectations, we found new ways to help him succeed
2. Mentors
Research suggests that supportive relationships are among the most important factors in helping young people thrive. While mothers, teachers, and other caring adults play vital roles, boys often benefit from having positive male role models as well. Fathers, grandfathers, coaches, Scout leaders, and other trusted adults can provide guidance, encouragement, and examples of responsible adulthood.
A recent RAND study found that many boys lack an adult male they can turn to for help with schoolwork, relationships, or planning for the future . Researchers suggest that increasing access to positive male mentorship may help support boys as they navigate the transition to adulthood.
As our boys were growing up, my husband traveled frequently for work. During those years, I became especially grateful for the positive men who invested time in our sons. Their influence reminded me that while parents play a central role, many boys benefit when caring adults work together to support their growth. While not every boy has an involved father at home, many can benefit from relationships with other trusted adults who take an interest in their lives.
3. Hands-On Learning and Competence
Not every boy learns best through the same methods, but research suggests that many boys benefit from opportunities to apply learning in practical ways. Studies of Career and Technical Education programs have found improvements in graduation rates, college enrollment, and future earnings for male students.
Researchers continue to explore why these programs appear to be particularly effective, but hands-on learning, real-world application, and opportunities to develop competence are likely part of the answer.
When another son of ours was in fifth grade, he wanted to stay home from school to work on an old motorcycle that had been sitting my dad’s garage for decades. My father finally agreed to let him try to fix it. While the other children climbed onto the school bus that morning, my son headed outside with tools in hand. Later that day, I heard the roar of an engine. I looked out the window to see him racing across the field on a motorcycle that many adults assumed would never run again.
That experience taught me something important. Boys often possess talents and interests that are not always recognized in traditional academic settings. While some boys thrive at a desk, others seem to come alive when they are building, fixing, creating, competing, or solving real-world problems.
4. Recognizing Strengths
One of the central ideas of the strengths-based approach is that young people thrive when adults focus on developing strengths rather than simply correcting weaknesses. Too often, conversations about boys focus primarily on where they are struggling. While challenges should not be ignored, boys also benefit from adults who recognize their interests, abilities, and potential.
Looking back, one of the most valuable lessons I learned while raising boys was that growth often began when someone recognized a strength and gave it room to develop. Sometimes that meant encouraging a leadership opportunity, supporting a special interest, or simply helping a child see abilities he did not yet recognize in himself. Boys are far more than a list of challenges to be solved. They are individuals with unique gifts, talents, and potential waiting to be developed.
A Final Thought
I never did start a Tom Sawyer School for Boys. But raising five of them taught me that many boys thrive when they are given purpose, responsibility, positive mentors, opportunities to develop competence, and adults who recognize their strengths. When families and communities provide such opportunities, boys are better equipped to grow into capable, confident, and contributing men.
Christal is a senior at BYU–Idaho, graduating in July 2026 with a Bachelor’s degree in Marriage and Family Studies with an emphasis in parent education. She also holds an Associate’s degree in Family History Research, reflecting her strong commitment to family across generations. Christal is passionate about strengthening and preserving the family and is excited to support United Families International’s mission through her internship. She is a wife, mother of seven, and grandmother of nine, and finds her greatest joy in spending time with her family, gardening, traveling, and laughing.