Girls, Boys - What's the difference?

A new posting by Glenn Sacks takes the AAUW to task for its latest research report, “Where the Girls Are: The Facts About Gender Equity in Education." Not enough solid research; not enough proof in their pudding, says Sacks, who pokes holes in the report’s data as nothing more than a thin layer of gloss on the argument that boys and girls are actually equals in school – or, worse, that a) boys so-called gains are made at girls’ expense and b) that, if there is a crisis, it is limited to minority and low-income children.

Considering the obvious facts that children within narrow age ranges or individual grades cover a wide developmental and intellectual spectrum, not to mention that all kids simply are not created equally, such definitive, attention-getting reports as this new one do a disservice to efforts to “teach to the child” that should be the goal of today’s education system.

As I listened recently to a friend explain why she is pulling her 7th grader from our public school system in favor of a private school where the entire faculty is trained in an individualized-teaching philosophy, I cringed at what this says about our best-in-town school. In a world that has increasing demands for multifaceted individuals who can think creatively and resourcefully, who understand collaboration and cultural difference, who have facile minds, is it even remotely good enough to “teach to the middle” or not to recognize the differences among individual students and put education resources in place for each student – boy or girl – to find his or her own way to succeed?

As the product of an all-boys high school (who absolutely hated it at the time), I am today envious of schools that separate boys from girls at middle school or high school. It’s not just the removal of the distraction of the opposite sex that matters (though that helps too). It’s the recognition that boys and girls do learn differently – at different rates, in different ways, at different times – and by separating them you have a slightly better shot at teaching each child. It seems so simple. Yet, hurdles keep being put in the path. Apparently, thanks to the AAUW, now we have another one.