Glamorous equals Reckless and Dumb

My twenty-six year old son sent me this article from the National Review partly because he knows I am involved in single-gender education and partly because our family watched the television show The Wonder Years regularly when it was on the air. In the article, Danica McKellar implies that our young females are still combating the urge to dumb themselves down for the sake of being attractive. It is this implication that I want to address, as well as get your opinions and feedback.

In the four years I have taught single-gender mathematics classes, the female classes have all said they benefited from being in a math class without their male peers. My all-female classes have said over and over again that they are more comfortable asking questions, they feel support from their female companions, and they like the relationship we develop. Some female students have said they earned the highest grade in math when they were in a single-gender class. Now I wonder if the experience of being in a single-gender math class, for only one year, can change the way female students view themselves. I think it can. And, I think it is the best way to help female students overcome the stereotype of glamorous equals reckless and dumb.

Because I also teach co-ed classes, I have tried to figure out how to develop this same reaction in a mixed-gender class. It takes constant prodding and praise to teach female students that it is OK to be smart. It takes continuous effort to battle the cultural belief that being nerdy is unattractive.

So what do you think about the article? What have you discovered about students’ view of intelligence?

Are we doing the right thing?

I read an article from Time magazine titled The Boys Are All Right and it was reassuring regarding what we are doing at Arapahoe High School. The article investigates the notion that the boy crisis is only a myth, and concludes that there is hope for males of today because we are paying more attention to them. The books that call for a change in how society in general, and schools in particular, deals with the male population were the result of statistics and behavioral indicators from the 80's and 90's. During that time a large percentage of boys were in trouble with the law, drinking too much, having sex without protection, and performing low in all academic areas in school. The article claims that these trends are now leveling off and, in some cases, taking a turn in the other direction.
Investigations four years ago at Arapahoe High School showed our male population was falling behind in academic performance as well as participation in leadership roles. As a result, we began offering single-gender classes in some subjects along side of their co-ed counterparts. Teachers, administrators, and parents have met regularly over the past few years to discuss ways to meet the different educational needs of our male and female students. It has been this continual investigation of best practices that has contributed to the success of this group. It is my belief that the trend here is also taking a turn for the better. I believe we are doing the right thing. Now, how can we prove it is working??