Many young boys find that their active, rough-and-tumble approach to life doesn’t score points in the classroom. Their high-running motors leave them less prepared to handle key classroom tasks like sitting still, focusing on the teacher, and organizing materials.

And because boys develop at a different pace than girls, they may fall behind in key areas like writing and reading. Nationwide surveys of new kindergartners show that girls are slightly better than boys at recognizing letters. Throughout the early grades, girls continue to be better readers.

The good news is, there are some simple ways to give your son the strongest start:

1. Teach him responsibility.

"Following directions is a big part of schooling," says Margaret King, an early childhood education specialist at Ohio University. Give your son lots of practice.

At younger ages, the instructions don't have to be elaborate. Something as simple as "Please put your truck away" or "Wash your hands before dinner" will be good preparation for the classroom.

2. Practice being quiet and focused.

Help your son understand that there's a time and a place to be rambunctious – and the classroom isn't that place. While King says ideally the classroom should accommodate active kids, "teachers have a lot of trouble handling boys' activity levels."

You can help your son succeed in school – and do his teacher a big favor – by taking him to the library, museums, and other places where he can practice the important skills of staying calm and quiet.

3. Make his teacher your teammate.

Work closely with your son's teacher to make sure he's getting the most out of school. At parent-teacher conferences, ask the teacher to describe your son's strengths and weaknesses. And be sure to air any concerns you have.

If, for instance, your son has been missing recess as a punishment for rambunctious classroom behavior, ask the teacher if there's any alternate penalty. Boys need a chance to burn off energy, King says, and missing recess will only make the problem worse.

If your son is antsy in the classroom, ask the teacher if the kids have opportunities throughout the day to be active and move around.

4. Tempt him with hands-on science.

Boys and girls alike tend to get excited about the natural world, especially if they can touch it or see it in action. A hands-on approach is especially important for boys because it satisfies their need for action and movement.

Simple experiments or a field trip to a frog pond or an ant farm will mean more to your son than a worksheet. Ask his teacher about the curriculum. If these sorts of experiences aren't happening at school, create them for him on the weekend.

5. Make sure story time is action-packed.

Boys want to get caught up in a story. If your son is reading to you, don't get so hung up in his word-by-word pronunciation that the stories lose their meaning.

Talk about characters and the exciting plot developments – Uh oh, it looks like those brown barbaloots are in trouble! When you're reading to your son, use different voices for the characters to keep things animated and his interest piqued.

6. Get it in words.

Encourage your son to put thoughts into writing, even if he's just dictating while you type.

Because the part of the brain that organizes thoughts tends to develop more slowly in boys than in girls, boys often need extra help with writing. Putting ideas on a page will help him appreciate the importance of his words, and you'll have a nice memento of this time in his life – goofy ideas and all.

7. Break up homework.

Structure the day so that your son can do his homework in chunks. Twenty minutes can be a long time for a little boy to focus on a math worksheet. Let him tackle five problems at a time instead of 15 all at once.

8. Support, don't shame.

When your son misbehaves, pull him aside or whisper in his ear what you'd like him to do rather than scolding or criticizing him in front of others.

Use positive language: Instead of saying "Don't run," say "Let's walk." Talk to your son's teacher about disciplining in a way that doesn't shame but encourages good behavior.