A Feb. 17 article by Tisha Thompson of foxla.com provided the following details about effect that the gender-specific initiative at Virginia's Woodbridge Middle School is having on female students in one teacher's math classes:
"Before, the girls never spoke up," [Math teacher Sara McLaughlin] said. "They never talked. It was the boys that dominated the class." Now, McLaughlin says she gets lots of girls volunteering, like sixth grader Erin Andre. "Boys they can just make you feel so little. And you don't have to feel so little in here."
Teaching methods are different. Girls always work with partners or in groups. We do more girly type things like I'll try and use an example of going to the mall," says McLaughlin.
In between problems the girls get a surprise quick break to chat with friends. But then, its right back to the numbers, without the distraction of boys. "Now in my math class I feel like the entire 90 minutes is focused on math," says McLaughlin.
Labels: single-sex education, math
Posted By: Aspen/CRC
