Single-sex middle school aims to divide and conquer

[The Straight Story]

Single-sex middle school aims to divide and conquer


Eleven weeks after opening, Los Angeles Unified's newest middle school still gleams. Science classrooms sport chemical eyewashes and emergency showers. Teachers deliver lessons in surround-sound with hands-free microphones. Kids play basketball on rooftop courts.

Yet what stands out most about Young Oak Kim Academy is that it is the district's only single-sex middle school. Classes are either all male or all female.

During "biology Jeopardy," the girls stood on tiptoe, quivering hands stretched to the ceiling, as science teacher Amber Green called out categories -- organelles for 200, types of cells for 500. For their four-person "edible cell" group projects, students pulled out their building materials -- licorice, jelly beans and other candies -- and after a brief buzz of consultation, each member heads to a computer or the supply closet to complete her assigned task.

In the next class, Green had the boys display their answers on whiteboards, but the noise level crescendoed, punctuated by students yelling "Shut up!" One boy danced down the aisle. When directed to start on their cell projects, some groups argued over their tasks, unaware the roles had already been assigned. Many had not brought materials for the project.

"Boys are impulsive," said science teacher Shambo Lerer. "Their hands go straight up. They ask questions like, 'What happens if a planet explodes?' "

Girls thrive in the collaborative atmosphere, Green said, while "the boys require a lot of classroom management."



http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-singlesex30-2009nov30,0,1860355.story

[donco6]

1. That's what we've found, too.

The girls do OK most of the time (except when one tries to steal another's boyfriend, who is also seeing two other girls anyway, but I digress . . . )

The boys, however, are a handfull. Our jury is still out as to whether this is worth it or not. It makes scheduling a nightmare.

[xchrom]

2. i am not categorically opposed to sex separate schools.

i think we have to make changes like these -- curriculum changes -- etc.

[NYC_SKP]

4. Be Aware that this School has Single Sex Classes, but has Both Boys and Girls.

Not that you weren't, but others who don't read the full article might get the wrong impression.

Only classes are segregated.

"The Young Oak Kim Academy, located at 615 S. Shatto Place, is designed to serve 810 students in sixth to eighth grades. It is the first Los Angeles Unified School District school that provides single-gender classrooms."

and:

"Central Los Angeles Middle School #3 is adjacent to an urban housing development in a commercial area of Central Los Angeles next to the Vermont Metro Red Line Station. The school will consist of two Small Learning Communities with shared facilities such as a library, multipurpose room, cafeteria and a gymnasium. The School will include a grass playground and roof-top athletic facilities as well as underground parking structure."

http://www.laschools.org/project-status/one-project?project_number=55.98024

30 New Classrooms, cost: $71,923,764

A bargain compared to $340,000 for each cell of a new jail in Suffolk County, NY.

http://realcostofprisons.org/blog/archives/2005/02/340000_per_cell.html

:patriot:

[Sarah Ibarruri]

3. I think it's great to have single-sex schools as long as they're equally well equipped

and receive the same amount of funds. In single-sex classrooms girls don't feel they have to look and dress like they're in a beauty contest.