Blog # 7

Gender and Education Information

http://www.vapta.org/feedback-topics/305-feedbackgender.html

-When on this site, I read something that I disagree with. To be honest, It kind of made me upset. Maybe, my personal background learning and experiences are what made me disagree with it. Maybe, some of you will agree with this technique.

"Proponents say splitting boys and girls up permits the teacher to approach academic subjects in the way that each gender learns best. Elementary-age girls, they say, respond to detail and color; boys process motion and direction better. By middle school, the same-gender argument goes to adolescent social and intellectual development. The distraction posed by pubescent boys and girls can be gated at the classroom door by splitting up boys and girls. And there is also the feminist argument that all-girl classes allow females to engage, compete and excel academically without fearing a “brainiac” stereotype or being thought of as unfeminine. "

Yes, it makes sense if you think about it. Girls sometimes keep to themselves, but they dont want boys, or their "crushes" in the class to think that they are so called nerds. Or boys being a distraction and girls losing focus in the classroom. But, I think that this is what school is all about. Engaging classrooms with BOTH boys and girls. Girls, just need to stay focused, as do boys. I believe as though they learn off of eachother. Not only are the learning classroom material, but they're also learning about eachother. Their differences. The uniqueness. If you segregate them, how are they going to learn about eachother. This exerpt is also stating that they learn in different ways. Rather than segregating them- how about the teacher teaching in both learning tecnhiques. Interacting both genders. Who says males or females should all be taught in ONE way just because its thought that boys like motion and direction more. What if theres a girl in the class who enjoys learning that way too?! Boys and girls should be in the same classroom so that if the teacher ask a question.. students can listen to a males point of view, as well as a females. They can hear eachother out. Learn. Understand. Keep an open mind of over views.

So, what kind of classroom do I want to see more of? What kind of classroom do I want to have when I start teaching?

http://www.atpe.org/resources/Student&ParentIssues/gender.asp points out some good aspects such as: show fairness in your classroom, select a variety of books, choose your words carefully, be aware of cultural differences, encourage non traditional courses. All of this researching has shown me that their are very different views, even in 2009, on gender and education. But, no teaching technique is right or wrong. Whose to say? Its what YOU think from your own personal knowledge and past experiences. Personally, i dont believe in segreating students in any way. Not because of race. Not because of gender. Students should be engaged in a class with people different then themseleves so they can learn from eachother and grow into mature adults. Teachers should have hands on activites, group work (were students can interact with others).. make sure each student in the classroom has worked with another classmate as least once. That way nobody is being singled out. Make everybody feel accepted and loved.

No segregation. But, thats just my opinion.

OKAY so i decided to youtube a video on a segragated classroom since my opinion differs. So will an open mind I watched this video..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_5nJrgnvG0&feature=PlayList&p=E80A1B4FAF53D545&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=13

I ended up getting very upset as soon as I began to watch this video. The guy filming is interviewing a boy and a girl. He ask them what their for thought/reaction was when they walked into class realizing that their sec was seperated. The boy answered, "that its gay." Then the girl laughed, and the guy filming asked, "why is it gay?" (while he is also laughing at the response. Lets forget segreatio nfor a minute. HELLO. what kind of response is that? I HATE when people say "thats gay" when their expressing that they dislike something or that its stupid. Come on people, really..

Back to the video.. Basically the teacher being interviewed is all FOR segregation. She thinks that there will be less drama since girls and boys are now seperated. But, I think that this will cause more drama since.. well i dont want to generalize here.. but a class full of girls is bound to have plenty of drama. Even one of the students being interviewed said that she thought there was going to be more drama since she has classes with all girls. Some students liked segregation in a few ways, and some didnt.

I disagreed with many things that this teacher said. To be honest, I couldnt even watch the entire clip, because I was getting fustrated. Then i read the comments to the video, and one read.. "wow this is throw 6ak. das my girl erica she 18 now. 6ut dis shit was gay as fuk " AGAIN with the use of the word "gay" in a negitve way.