Why are boys disciplined more frequently than girls beginning as early as preschool? Why are boys of color disproportionately affected by school discipline? And how can educators support boys in developing healthy, positive masculinity while improving behavior, communication, and leadership skills?

In this episode of the Have a Life Teaching Podcast, host John Schembari sits down with Robert Cooper Jr., founder of Young Men Becoming Men and author of The Authentic Man: Embracing Your Journey.

Drawing from his own experiences growing up without a father figure and his years of mentoring young men, Robert shares practical strategies for helping boys navigate trauma, build self-worth, develop emotional regulation, and become leaders in their schools and communities.

This conversation challenges educators to move beyond behavior management and focus on relationship-building, validation, and understanding the lived experiences of young men.

✅ Why boys are disciplined more frequently than girls beginning in early childhood

✅ The impact of trauma, absent fathers, and lack of validation on young men

✅ Why relationship-building is the foundation of effective teaching

✅ What educators often misunderstand about boys and boys of color

✅ The difference between toxic masculinity and positive masculinity

✅ How schools can create leadership opportunities that empower young men

✅ Practical ways teachers can connect with students in just a few minutes each day

✅ How parents can counter negative social media influences

✅ Why accountability and self-worth must be taught together

✅ Strategies for helping boys develop healthy identities and emotional resilience

• Boys often want to be understood before they are corrected.
• Validation and connection are powerful tools for behavior improvement.
• Leadership is about service, growth, and accountability—not control.
• Young men need opportunities to explore their identities in healthy ways.
• Positive adult relationships can alter the trajectory of a student's life.
• Schools can support boys by embedding relationship-building and social-emotional learning into daily practice.

Robert Cooper Jr. LinkedIn Page

Young Men Becoming Men

Book: The Authentic Man: Embracing Your Journey

Music by Aylex