Classroom
(cc flickr photo by Shanghai Daddy)

Now let’s think for a minute here if this class were cut in half. Which half would you be on? Well, it’d be boys and girls, of course! What do you think the environment of the classroom would be like? Here’s some research that I found on this subject.

Supporters say splitting students by gender minimizes distractions

I believe this is true because if you are a girl, and you like talking about make-up or whatever, but all you hear is boys talking about sports, then you feel weird. But if you are in a class with all girls, then you can talk about makeup all you want. And Vice-Versa. Also girls think that boys are a nuisance in class, because they can be really distracting when they’re off task, like you! (Point to a boy who’s not really listening) Exactly! On the other side of the coin though, boys like being on their own, they say, because girls don’t appreciate their jokes and think boys are too messy and are also scared of snakes, well, most girls at least. Young males thrive on competition and confrontation, while young females require a more nurturing and cooperative learning environment. “When most young boys are exposed to threat and confrontation, their senses sharpen, and they feel a thrill,” Hankins teachers in Theodore, AL. were directed to create “competitive, high-energy” classrooms for boys and “cooperative, quiet” classrooms for girls.

Guys think differently than Girls

I believe this is also true because boy’s nervous systems are wired differently than girls. Boys, you need to engage their energy. So instead of them raising their hands, they literally stand up. Or ball tosses during a discussion. For girls however, you need to do a lot of meeting in circles to talk about their personal lives. For girls, David Chadwell prescribes focus on “the connections girls have (a) with the content (b) with each other and (c) with the teacher. Also, boys are currently behind their sisters in high-school and college graduation rates. Supporters say splitting students by gender minimizes distractions, helps them learn better and allows boys and girls to explore subjects they may not otherwise take. . In the first year of Foley, Alabama’s single-gender program, a third of the kids enrolled. The next year, two-thirds signed up, and in its third year 87 percent of parents requested the program. Principal Mansell reports that her single-gender classes produce fewer discipline problems, more parental support and better scores in writing, reading and math.

Single gender schools are rapidly growing in popularity

I believe this is also true because I found that in the early 1990’s there were only 2 single gender schools, nowadays there are 49 schools, and 65 percent have opened within the past three years. There are lots of cities that have already made the leap toward single-gender schools. The change could mean a boom in public schools splitting the genders. Leonard Sax, executive director of the National Association for Single gender Public Education, predicts that if public schools follow the path of private schools, where 7% are single gender, some 5,000 single-gender schools could open in the next 20 years. And Milwaukee would join several other large cities where public schools already offer single-gender classes. They include New York City — where there are nine single-gender public schools — as well as Chicago, Dallas, Seattle and Washington, D.C. Among advocates of single-gender public education, there are two camps: those who favor separating boys from girls because they are essentially different and those who favor separating boys from girls because they have different social experiences and social needs.

Let’s review the facts

1. Distractions are a big problem in co-ed (multiple gender) classrooms.
2. Guys think differently than Girls, enough said. And lastly..
3. Single gender schools are rapidly growing in popularity because in the early ‘90s, there were 2 single gender schools, now there are 49.

Editor: This is a very interesting article. What do our Youngziners think -- separate schools or mixed?