I have heard about schools that solved discipline problems by moving to single-sex classrooms. Not because the girls needed to be protected from anyone or anything, but because the immaturity levels of the boys. Putting the boys in an all-male classroom at least part of the time meant that there was no incentive for them to clown or act out - basically, no incentive for them to play Alpha-Male - because there was no perceived audience for that. Net result, the boys settled down and studied when in class. Importantly, the girls neither wanted nor encouraged such antics.
Of course, a single anecdotal new story does not a scientific study make. I've also heard about schools that solved discipline problems by reintroducing corporal punsishment. *shudder*
Fancy meeting you here...sdragonOctober 24 2006, 17:25:29 UTC
The thing is that bio-centrically speaking, males will still try to one-up each other, even when there are no girls.
Converse: When the Navy was all-male, there was little concern for professionalism, grooming, civility, etc. It was only after women were introduced onto ships that a renewed effort was made to actually act like human beings rather than monkeys on the floating tin cans in the middle of nowhere.
Also, the implication is that "boys will be boys" and the "boys can't help being turds" - also worrisome.
Re: Fancy meeting you here...hansandersenOctober 24 2006, 18:00:52 UTC
...and my mom was scandalized by the notion that Stanford had coed dorms, because her dorm-life experience was in an all-female sorority, which featured little regard for civility, grooming, or even clothing.
Dad had to explain to her that mixed-gender dorms force everyone - regardless of gender - to by more civilized.
I'm not really bothered by the notion that "boys will be boys" so long as you tack on the caveat: "but they can grow past that given proper role models and environments". It's safe to say that the Navy was NOT such an environment, and neither was my Mom's sorority.
Can single-gender classrooms, in concert with disciplined, even-handed teachers, be such an environment? Maybe, but only if these kids come to school with little understanding of civilized behavior to begin with. It's a pretty drastic environmental change, IMO on par with introducing school uniforms. I'm not sure how I think about that one either.
Re: Fancy meeting you here...firestorm717October 24 2006, 18:18:47 UTC
I am continuously amused by the contrast between your experiences in the Navy and all those idealized ads with the smart-dressed, disciplined, professional military man in uniform.
I think the discipline problem that Hans referred to can be better solved by taking out the ringleaders specifically, rather than just going on the all-around assumption that "boys will be boys" and so forth. I can assure you that there was probably more horsing around in the classes with a greater majority of boys in my school.
And in such a time when we have the president of Harvard University saying that women are less made for the sciences than men *shakes head*
Kids already have those cliques naturally, no need to reinforce them.
I'm with you. I think boys and girls need to grow up learning to see each other as friends and rivals and peers, e.g., everyday people like themselves, not Mysterious Creatures. Prejudices flourish in isolation and are weakened by constant exposure to reality.
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Of course, a single anecdotal new story does not a scientific study make. I've also heard about schools that solved discipline problems by reintroducing corporal punsishment. *shudder*
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Converse: When the Navy was all-male, there was little concern for professionalism, grooming, civility, etc. It was only after women were introduced onto ships that a renewed effort was made to actually act like human beings rather than monkeys on the floating tin cans in the middle of nowhere.
Also, the implication is that "boys will be boys" and the "boys can't help being turds" - also worrisome.
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Dad had to explain to her that mixed-gender dorms force everyone - regardless of gender - to by more civilized.
I'm not really bothered by the notion that "boys will be boys" so long as you tack on the caveat: "but they can grow past that given proper role models and environments". It's safe to say that the Navy was NOT such an environment, and neither was my Mom's sorority.
Can single-gender classrooms, in concert with disciplined, even-handed teachers, be such an environment? Maybe, but only if these kids come to school with little understanding of civilized behavior to begin with. It's a pretty drastic environmental change, IMO on par with introducing school uniforms. I'm not sure how I think about that one either.
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And in such a time when we have the president of Harvard University saying that women are less made for the sciences than men *shakes head*
Kids already have those cliques naturally, no need to reinforce them.
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Have I told you lately how much I adore your way with words? They're like a perfectly plated gourmet dish. ^_^
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