Leon Taylor Junior High seventh-graders Felicia Cavazos (from left), 12, Briana Flores, 13,
and Nancy Hernandez, 13, work during science class. Classes are separated by gender.
Posted on 04/08/2009 10:44:33 PM PDT by Paleo Conservative
INGLESIDE
INGLESIDE — Students at Leon Taylor Junior High School say while there are “no cute faces to look at,” they feel more comfortable participating in classes divided by gender.
Educators at the 320-student campus say separating boys and girls this academic year has improved grades and reduced discipline issues.
Seventh-grader Leslie Veloz, 13, said she concentrates more in class because of fewer distractions.
“Before, boys would try to show off and make us laugh so we didn’t pay attention,” Leslie said. “But now even though the girls are chatty, I get my work done and listen to the teacher.”
Principal Reymundo Gonzalez said he decided to separate the boys and girls this school year in math, science, reading and social studies classes to increase academic success and decrease discipline problems.
The community and school board has been supportive, he said and so far, the results are positive.
The school has had 87 disciplinary referrals this academic year, compared with 139 during the same time last year.
“Boys are still the ones receiving (the most) referrals, but discipline has improved,” Gonzalez said.
The number of students with A and B grade averages has increased each of the six-week grading periods, compared with last year, officials said. And preliminary results for the reading portion of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills show an increase in passing rates, with 90 percent of students passing, compared with 86 percent last year.
Complaints about all-boy and all-girl classes mostly come from the adolescent male students who say their core classes are boring without girls, Gonzalez said.
Teachers have embraced the divided classes.
Eric Miller has taught mainstream science classes for 13 years.
“The pros outweigh the cons,” he said.
Miller said the most positive difference is that the hormonal distraction is taken out of the learning equation.
He said boys aren’t trying to impress girls during class.
In anonymous teacher surveys, many said classes with girls tend to be louder because girls are more talkative, and classes with boys can be physical as they tend to roughhouse with each other. But most teachers said the divided classes have helped increase class participation.
Gonzalez said three years are needed before administrators can assess whether the change has made a difference in test scores and student success. District trustees in the summer will decide whether the program continues. One factor could be Naval Station Ingleside’s closure on Sept. 30, 2010, when the district may lose both students and faculty, Gonzalez said.
Eighth-grader Justin Deleon, 14, said he is not as embarrassed in a boys-only class to answer questions, as he would be around girls.
“It’s OK to act dumb around your guy friends,” he said. “But not around the girls.”
Photographer Rachel Denny Clow contributed to this report. Contact Elvia Aguilar at 886-3678 or aguilare@caller.com.
Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills Preliminary Results
2008 — 86 percent passed
2009 — 90 percent passed
Disciplinary referrals during first semester
2008 — 139 students
2009 — 87 students
Leon Taylor Junior High seventh-graders Felicia Cavazos (from left), 12, Briana Flores, 13,
and Nancy Hernandez, 13, work during science class. Classes are separated by gender.
The feminists will love it. They hate anything male.
If I had gone to an all-male school, I would have been a Rhodes Scholar!
this is a good study. I think there may be some truth to it
The lefties love to divide people into “groups”. These were the people who fought against... Seperate but Equal??
Me, too.
I am not in favor of generally separating male and female students. However, it might make sense in the early adolescent years. Perhaps there could be a mixed family relations class to help boys and girls that age understand each other and what it means to be a grown up and responsible family maker.
2008 — 86 percent passed
2009 — 90 percent passed
This study is a wash. If that's the improvement, it's a bogus premise IMO. A four percent change in one year is statistically meaningless. Any given year there is probably a variance similar to this up or down.
This is just busy work, the education system trying to impress the mommies and daddies that they are doing everything possible for the good of the children.
There has been a complaint for years that boys distract the girls, prevent them from participating, and generally prevent them from getting as good an education. Well, the stats don't exactly impress when push comes to shove.
Thanks for the report. One of the reasons why I have a problem with it, is that boys need to interface with girls. Good grief, when are they supposed to meet and interact with girls for the first time, in college?
They have done this in Alabama with similar results. I cannot remember the school or its location. I have two teens, this is a great idea.
It’s a terrific idea. Both genders will be able to concentrate better on what’s most important to them right now. And boys work harder when they are competing against other boys.
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