Public Education Gender Separation a good idea?

[Dinah]

C-Span Washington Journal this morning has two women, one from www.singlesexschools.org, debating the question whether public education gender division would benefit all children. I've thought for decades it would. Do you agree? Wouldn't educational focus and accomplishment be enhanced by removing the hormonal distraction?

[apbanpos]

Boys and Girls do think and learn differently. I think that if it is to be done, it has to be based on brain research regarding learning, and not hormonal distraction. read: http://www.partnershipforlearning.org/article.asp?ArticleID=2371

I do think that same sex classrooms have a lot of benefits - maybe not for all students, but for some.

My ES piloted an all-boys classroom. The reason way boys was chosen was that boy's test scores were lower and in the grade where they did the pilot program, the ratio of boys to girls was off - there were a lot more boys - therefore creating one all boys class did not create girl-heavy classes in the non-divided classes.

It was very promising. The curriculum was the same, but the teacher used subtle changes in delivery to meet the needs of boys. More physical activity, more competition.

IF it is going to be done, it has to be done by someone that isn't just going to seperate the sexes, but implent strategies supported by brain based research. You have to teach each class a little differently.

And I am in support of same-sex classrooms within a regular mixed sex school. I'm not a fan, for social reasons, of entirely single sex schools.

I think that beyond the hormonal issues, we need to realize and acknowledge that the male and female brain IS different, that some subjects ARE more inherently easier for some sexes, and that unless we take a different approach to help bridge these differences, then you will always have girls that read better and boys that are better in math.

And that is NOT to say that boys and girls aren't as equally capable - but in order to reach that potential they might need different approaches.

[vilgessuola]

I was at a single sex school for seven years, all male students and teachers. I think it simply reinforces every possible macho stereotype - kids are very conservative after all. So it was competitive, rough, coarse and ugly. As for ''hormonal distractions'' for homosexual students, as a homosexual student I had none. I hated boys and macho behaviour and I am uncomfortable in all-male environments even now, more than 30 years later. Segregating the sexes strikes me as unnatural.