Educating the Human Potential: The American Montessori Society Podcast

The Science of Boys: How They Learn, Feel, and Grow with Michael Thompson

Apr 6, 2026

Michael Thompson, clinical psychologist and bestselling author known for work on boys' development. He explores why boys may disengage in school and how activity, language timing, and hormones shape learning. Short, practical talk about clear limits, psychological ownership, emotional expression, belonging, and school strategies to better connect with and support boys.

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ANECDOTE

Parents At Every Game Can Steal Ownership

Thompson describes parents who attend every game and how constant presence can steal ownership from the child.
A young teacher said she preferred reporting the game's story herself rather than having parents own the narrative.

ADVICE

Create Space For Psychological Ownership

Create physical and psychological spaces where children can own activities, like Montessori drop-off fences.
Thompson praises Montessori's picket-fence separation at drop-off as promoting agency and psychological ownership.

INSIGHT

Societal Risks Disproportionately Hurt Boys

Boys face measurable societal challenges: lower college enrollment, delayed launching, and disproportionate completed suicides.
Thompson highlights troubling stats and that 84% of completed teenage suicides are boys, reflecting impulsivity and masculine expectations.

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What do boys really need from the adults who teach and raise them?

In this episode of Educating the Human Potential, hosts Biff Maier and Nicole Coman sit down with renowned psychologist and author Michael Thompson, whose decades of work have focused on boys’ development, friendships, emotional lives, and school experiences.

Together they explore how developmental differences can shape boys’ experiences in school, why some boys disengage from learning, and how educators and parents can better support their emotional growth and sense of belonging.

In this conversation, they discuss:

Key developmental differences that can impact boys in school
Why some boys struggle with engagement and motivation
How boys often experience and express emotions differently
The importance of belonging, friendship, and psychological safety
How schools can better support boys’ learning and development
Practical ways adults can better connect with and support boys

At the heart of the conversation is a simple but powerful message: boys don’t need to be “fixed” — they need understanding, encouragement, structure, and care to reach their full potential.

Educating the Human Potential is a podcast about optimizing education for a better society, through a Montessori lens. Hosts Nicole Coman, a licensed educational psychologist specializing in school psychology and child development -- and a "Montessori mom" -- and Biff Maier, an American Montessori Society Living Legacy with decades of experience as a Montessori educator and school leader, engage with experts, educators, parents, and students. Each episode explores strategies to unlock human potential, offering thought-provoking conversations on learning, child development, and the evolving landscape of education. This podcast is presented by AMS, the American Montessori Society.

For more information about Montessori education, visit https://amshq.org/about-montessori/

And consider this AMS course for families interested in incorporating the Montessori philosophy into their day-to-day lives and parenting approach:
https://learn.amshq.org/parent-course-early-childhood