News

Gender-based education empowers

November 25, 2007

Having spent more than 20 years as a college professor and more than 40 years as a flight instructor in both the U.S. Air Force and in general aviation, I was particularly interested USA TODAY's editorial on single-sex education ("Single-sex classes may come soon to a school near you," Our view, Gender-based education debate, Aug. 9).

In almost all of the classes I attended or have taught, I either had a lot of interaction with my teachers or, as the teacher, I gave as much attention as possible to my students. But sometimes, teacher interaction isn't enough.

People don't have to rely on gender stereotypes of how girls and boys learn. The fact that they learn differently has been proved by studies.

In her opposing view editorial, Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization for Women, writes that boys and girls can be taught together ("Retire gender stereotypes," Opposing view, Gender-based education debate, Aug. 9).

Maybe they can, but what is the best way to teach them?

I believe that educating girls separately in elementary and secondary school will provide them with a stronger sense of self and prepare them to succeed in higher education and operate more successfully in the real world.

I strongly disagree with Gandy's suggestion that schools simply try to improve the way they operate co-ed classes. They've been doing that for decades. Continuing with a failed experiment is the true definition of insanity.
Program invigorates

David Chadwell, director, Single-Gender Initiatives, South Carolina Education Department - Columbia, S.C.

Single-gender education programs have been in South Carolina's public schools since 2004.

Our state has served as a training ground for others interested in starting their own single-gender programs. It is our belief, based on cutting-edge scientific research and our early experiences, that single-gender classes can offer teachers unique opportunities to support and challenge students.

Boys and girls in our programs learn by using the same state academic standards and are held to the same high expectations, but the instruction practices can be different.

This type of instruction is part of the larger effort by State Education Superintendent Jim Rex to provide more curriculum choices to parents and students within South Carolina's public school system. He recently hired me to help our local school districts research, plan and evaluate single-gender programs.

Having someone at the state level is a first in the country. Currently, more than half of the school districts in South Carolina offer some form of single-gender choice for their parents.

South Carolina's single-gender programs do not necessarily have smaller classes or more resources.

Nonetheless, parents who choose the single-gender route - or any other curriculum option within the public school system - can become more invested in their children's educations. 

 

USA TODAY
Op-ed by: Brook Evans - Camarillo, Calif.