JenPiazza at Internet wrote:
>
> The discussion on single sex classrooms has been more than lively. I have
> learned a great deal from everyone. As I have been reading and having
> discussions regarding this in my own geographical area, I have been coming
> back to one opinion, and since you asked for opinions, I am sharing. I have a
> son who learns best from non-traditional methods of teaching. My son is a
> fourth grade student. He has been taught to dislike reading, math and science
> (as presented in school) even though he is a very good student. I find this
> most interesting (being an elementary educator) because I watch my child in
> the home while playing and everything he likes to do when given a choice is
> math or science related. And he loves it if I read to him and will stop
> anything to be read to. Again, if you ask him if he likes science or wants to
> study math, etc., he firmly and quickly says he hates both. And getting him
> to read independently just doesn't happen without it being a requirement.
>
> My concern here (or opinion) is that, when I have researched single sex
> schools and programs, many of them are teaching reading, math and science in a
> non-traditional way, (some might say using feminist pedagogy). This non-
> traditional praxis is something my male child does not get to take part in (if
> the program is for girls only) and we are losing this very rich scientific and
> mathematical mind as we continually lose and have lost those of women. I
> guess what I am trying to say is that there have been many men in our society
> who have been left behind for a variety of reasons, because they have do not
> fit the "traditional" view for male. I feel we leave this male out in many of
> our discussions on equity. Trust me, I am definitely in support of ALL we do
> and need to continue to do for women in all facets of life to promote a more
> equitable life, however, I do not believe gender equity starts or stops there.
>
> I feel that we should target the way teachers teach and allow all students,
> male and female to benefit from pedagogy that promotes a desire for
> mathematics and science. We forget sometimes that women are not always/only
> the ones left out of these fields. There are many inequities to both sexes
> and besides the legalities of single sex education, it is not solving the
> problems and it may be creating even more.
>
> In our efforts to encourage women and girls in non-traditional careers at my
> institution we have sent out fliers, etc. that encourage these students to
> apply, but not in exclusion of others.
>
> Jenny Piazza
> jenpiazza@aol.com