I applaud my local Evansville Courier and Press for running such a politically incorrect (i.e. accurate) article in its education section.
This article chronicles what Hillary Krantz, program manager at Youth Resources of Southwestern Indiana, learned at a recent educational conference:
He [Eric Rowels, president and CEO of Leading to Change] said, “We treat our young boys like defective girls.” After looking at my own list of misunderstandings, I could not agree more. I felt speechless upon hearing this because I admit to being guilty of it.
Boys are kinesthetic learners, and this is the way they refine their fine motor skills. Ironically, kinesthetic learning occurs through movement. Thus, touching things and wrestling does have purpose. Boys need the rough and tumble play and the physical activity for their brain development. They need space to learn and play, and the more space they have, the better.
They always must be on their guard and aware of their proximity to the exit for their protection. This also explains their desire to sit in the corner of the room; having the ability to see the room in its entirety guarantees no one can sneak up on them.
Video games are appealing because when they win, they win, but when they lose, the defeat is private. By playing video games, boys can avoid any public embarrassment if failure arises.
In my own journey to understanding boys, I have a long way to go before I will feel confident in my ability to work with young males in a setting that allows for their natural way of learning and development to take place.
Perhaps even more valuable, is the way Ms. Krantz ended the article: “Thank you, Eric Rowels, for this proverbial slap in the face; it is one that will not be ignored or forgotten.”
In other words, “Thanks for undoing college for me and reminding me that there are real differences between men and women beyond genitalia.” Now, if only we can get this message to infiltrate college indoctrination orientation programs.
Anything that helps get rid of this foolish idea that men and women are somehow interchangeable except for a few physical differences, is good in my book. Obviously, not every man or every woman share the exact same traits, however there are definitely some general differences we can point out and acknowledging these can be helpful. I know it has definitely helped my marriage to learn and appreciate how different my wife is from me and her unique (read: wonderful) way of thinking and approaching situations.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAs a teacher I'm always intrigued by the idea of single-gender classes/schools. I can see where the all-boy class would lead to effective teaching and learning. Dirty and smelly, but effective. What I can't see is anything would ever be taught in the constant drama of an all-girls setting.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseDave, by the same token, one might wonder how anything would ever be taught in the constant noise and movement of an all-boys setting.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI live in England where single sex schools are more common. But apparently research has shown that while girls flourish in a single-sex environment, boys do better in a mixed gender setting. I don't really understand why... it does seem a bit counter-intuitive to me.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAs a female kinesthetic learner, I would say that it would be more useful to divide classrooms by learning style then by gender. I may be able to sit and read in class, or sit at my desk at work, but sitting still will always be just beyond my grasp. A thirty minute reading assignment will see me changing position at least five times. I was able to learn in a traditional environment, but I do wonder if I would not have learned better if I was in classes that more closely correlated to my learning style.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Boys are kinesthetic learners"
- uh huh, and I'm an Aquarius born in the Year of the Dragon.
How many folks really believe in this kinesthetic learner business?
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Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse(you'll can decide whether or not the man's confusing Chad w/ Algeria in one of his examples impinges on his credibility for the point he's making - seems like an irrelevant but silly mistake in this case)
Let them wiggle! As a substitute teacher I am appalled at the attitude that way too many teachers have: that to be a "good" student the child has to sit still in their seat and do everything they are told, immediately and without question.
As for the girl drama I think it would be reduced without the male audience.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI homeschool/ have homeschooled a whole mess of boys precisely because we couldn't find single sex classrooms for them as teenagers. They are poorly socialized in that they respect girls, enjoy the company of their female friends, and have male friends who are kind, pleasant and interesting to be around.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIts nice to read an article that might indicate people are coming around to the idea that our culture of sexualization combined with the bizarre notion of gender neutrality has created nothing more than a lot of unhealthy ideas about the relationships between men and women and academic environments that simply aren't.
I homeschool/ have homeschooled a whole mess of boys precisely because we couldn't find single sex classrooms for them as teenagers. They are poorly socialized in that they respect girls, enjoy the company of their female friends, and have male friends who are kind, pleasant and interesting to be around.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIts nice to read an article that might indicate people are coming around to the idea that our culture of sexualization combined with the bizarre notion of gender neutrality has created nothing more than a lot of unhealthy ideas about the relationships between men and women and academic environments that simply aren't.