Single Gender Parent Meeting

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Single Gender Parent Meeting

• Please take handouts and enjoy your snacks

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Agenda for Today

• Brief Presentation and overview of Single Gender
  Instruction
• Resources
• Vision for SMS
• Questions and Answers

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Opportunities for Single-Gender Education
The majority of this presentation has been made
in conjunction with Mr. David Chadwell his
information is as follows

• David Chadwell
• Single-Gender Initiatives
• South Carolina Department of Education
• 803-734-6261
• dchadwel_at_ed.sc.gov
• ed.sc.gov/sgi

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What is Single-Gender Education?

• Teaching boys and girls separately and in
  different ways.
• Boys and girls learn the SAME standards (content
  and skills) but often learn through different
  activities or lessons.

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Why Do Single-Gender Education?

• Provides a choice for parents and students
• Students may be more comfortable and enjoy
  learning more in a single-gender environment
• Teachers can address the typical needs of boys
  and girls more effectively
• Teachers can challenge the typical strengths of
  boys and girls more effectively
• Social distractions between boys and girls tend
  to decrease
• Academic performance tends to increase

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As of March 1, 2008

• There are 68 districts implementing or pursuing
  single-gender programs in their schools
• There are 92 confirmed schools with single-gender
  programs
• The number of specific schools doing, pursuing,
  or interested in single-gender programs is 257
• 117 Primary and Elementary Schools
• 115 Middle and Junior High Schools
• 25 High Schools

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(No Transcript)
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South Carolina Student Survey DataPercent of
Students Who Agree that Single-Gender Improves or
Increases Their
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Are there any gender differences?

• Are there gender differences between boys and
  girls?
• Yes, there are a few differences that can have a
  large impact in the classroom.
• Absolute differences?
• No, there is a spectrum with regard to
  differences. Boys and girls are capable of the
  same achievement and performance, but they can
  learn in some different ways.

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They see differently

• Boys and girls see the world in different ways.
• The eyes of boys are drawn to cool colors
  (silver, blue, black, grey, brown) and girls
  eyes are drawn to warm colors (red, yellow,
  green, orange)
• Boys eyes tend to focus on the motion of objects
  and girls eyes focus on the description of the
  object

• Teachers will provide structured movement
  opportunities for boys.
• Discussion will be in a circle for girls.
• Teachers will not emphasize colored illustrations
  for boys.
• Colored objects learning manipulatives will be
  used with girls

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They hear differently

• Boys do not hear as well as girls, particularly
  at the 1000 4000 Hz range (speech
  discrimination).
• Girls are more sensitive to sound. They
  interpret loud or deep voices as yelling at
  them.

• Teachers are calm and patient when talking with
  girls.
• Teachers accept tapping time or use squish toys
  with boys.
• Male teachers are mindful of their tone.
• Teachers have boys call back during lectures
  and taking notes.

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They are alert differently

• Girls are given a long period of time to complete
  a task.
• Boys are allowed to stand while taking notes or
  participating in class.
• Girls are active with many writing activities,
  discussions, and hands-on activities.
• Boys toss soft balls during discussions.

• Different nervous systems are dominant for boys
  and girls.
• For boys, their nervous system is active when
  standing and the temperature is cool.
• For girls, their nervous system is active when
  sitting and the temperature is warmer.

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They process information differently

• The brain of a girl tends to be more connect
  than the brain of a boy.
• The feeling and thinking parts of the brain are
  connected for girls around age 10.
• The two hemispheres of the brain have a stronger
  connection for girls.

• Teachers will organize many discussions for
  girls.
• Boys will do a quick write before discussions.
• Teachers will make personal connections between
  girls and the content.
• Teachers will support boys need for organization.

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They deal with stress differently

• Stress affects males and females differently.
• Stress tends to increase the blood flow to the
  brain of a male and helps him remain alert and
  focused.
• Stress tends to decrease the blood flow to the
  brain of a girl. It goes to the gut. She is
  not as ready for learning as she could be.

• Teachers will use rapid-fire questions with the
  boys.
• Teachers will take the time to answer questions
  of the girls and explain directions thoroughly.
• Activities will be broken into timed segments for
  the boys.
• Girls will do partner reviews often.

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They approach risk in different ways

• Boys will do many team building activities to
  learn to work together.
• Girls are provided leadership opportunities and
  supported.
• Boys track their performance and effort and
  reflect on it.
• Teachers listen to girls, reassure them, and help
  guide them.

• Boys enjoy taking risks and they tend to
  overestimate their abilities. They believe that
  they are successful because they are smart. They
  think uncertainty is a game/challenge.
• Girls tend not to like risks and tend to
  underestimate their abilities. They believe
  success is from hard work. They think
  uncertainty is unsafe.

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Resources

• Our website at SMS http//www.oconee.k12.sc.us/sm
  s/
• Once you access this page, click on the Single
  Gender Education highlighted box under our
  school picture on the main home page
• Why Gender Matters by Dr. Leonard Sax

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Our Vision at SMS

• Opt-in this year for core classes, opt-out
  for PE/Health
• Study the programs benefits in 08-09 and publish
  information to the community as the year
  progresses
• For 08-09 it all depends on the choice
• Possibilities single gender teams, single gender
  classes within teams, single gender within
  content (ELA, Math, Science, or Social Studies)