NASSPE Southeast Regional Conference

Columbia, South Carolina

October 7, 2006

 

For more information please contact David Chadwell, dchadwel@dm.richland2.org

 

Curt R. Green and Linda Lewis, Principals

Capitol Pre-College Academy for Boys & Girls

TMSF Redesign Schools – University Assisted

Capitol Senior High School is bringing back the PRIDE on N. 23rd in a radical transformation of the existing school. As a member of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund Redesign Network supported through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in partnership with Southern University, Capitol Senior High School has been converted into two small college preparatory gender based high schools.

 

 

Curt R. Green, Principal

Capitol Pre-College Academy for Boys

Personalizing a Male Specific Learning Environment

Reforming the School, while Transforming the Culture: Providing a Personalized Male Specific Learning Environment. In the age of accountability, extra measures are needed for students to achieve at higher levels. Such components include: extra help programs, summer academies/institutes to assist students transitioning from one level of school to the next and meaningful advisement.

 

 

Sara D Wilson, M.Ed.           

Education Specialist, Safe & Drug-Free Schools and Communities  

Lubbock Independent School District

Not Better nor Worse, but Different

Have you ever wondered what’s going on inside the head of a teenage boy or girl?  Why do they do the things they do?  This workshop discusses the latest research in how the male and female brain develops and how it affects the way we do things and how we learn.  Topics include differences in spatial skills, language and communication, and hormones.  Join us as we look at innovative ways in teaching our boys and girls.

 

Sandra Allison, Teacher Boys Academy

Dent Middle School

Space Cadets in Geometry

Participants will receive lessons that introduce the concepts of “space” in geometry to 8th grade boys. Grouped in discovery teams of space cadets, geometry students investigate the basic properties of lines, planes, and angles. Engaging, movement activities will be presented in technology-based lessons.

 

 

 

Elizabeth Heins, Mercedes Tichenor, Kathy Piechura -- University Professors

Stetson University

Single-Gender versus Mixed-Gender Classrooms: 

What Have We Learned After Two Years?    

Presenters will discuss information about professional development workshops held for teachers in single-gender classrooms and how university faculty and teacher candidates work with these classes.  Results of interviews with teachers and students, as well as results from standardized test data collected after two years of implementation will be shared.  Suggestions for implementing similar programs will also be presented.

 

 

JoAnne Rodkey - Principal; Joan Plavchan, Ida Parkman, Debbie Roberts, Jim Roberts -  Teachers

Woodward Avenue Elementary School, Volusia County Schools      

Single-Gender Classrooms in the Elementary School:  Insights and Strategies from Teachers           

This presentation will provide an overview of and rationale for implementing single-gender classrooms at the elementary school level.  Teachers who have implemented single-gender classes will provide insight on what they have learned and how this information can be utilized as strategies and methods for working with boys and girls generally.  Presenters will also share

information about professional development workshops held for teachers working in single-gender classrooms.

 

 

Rosemary Agnew-White, Doctoral Student

Newport-Mesa Unified School District

The Effects of Single-gender Education on the Affective, Academic, and Social behavioral Development of Inner-city, Adolescent, African American Males:  A Recent Study to Consider.           

This session will cover the results of a research project, which reflects the title.  Participants will be able to review data collected and participate in a roundtable discussion concerning the results, implication, application, and use of that data in a public school learning environments.

 

Abigail Norfleet James, Consultant to Schools

The Advantage of Gendered Education for the High Risk Population

Ethnic and racial differences among students create specific difficulties for educators trying to serve the high risk population.  This presentation will examine reports of single sex programs providing educational opportunities targeted for students of color.  The success of these programs is based on meeting the differential developmental levels and cognitive gender needs of the participants thereby increasing engagement in the learning process.

 

Abigail Norfleet James, Consultant to Schools

Teaching the Male Brain

A brief overview of the cognitive gender differences between boys and girls will lead into a discussion of specific strategies which work with boys in both the single sex and coed classroom.  The emphasis of this session will be on giving the teacher the tools to interpret how s/he structures the learning climate for each discipline and each level of students highlighting approaches for elementary and middle schools.

 

Leonard Sax, MD, PhD, Executive Director, NASSPE

Classroom Management for Single-Sex Classrooms

In an all-boys classroom, the boy who is most disruptive may raise his status in the eyes of other boys.  Conversely, the boy who asks the teacher for help may lower his status in the eyes of the other boys.  When single-sex programs fail, the most common reason for failure has to do with classroom management of all-boys classrooms.  Teachers who understand how to manage a boys’ classroom will be rewarded with a dramatic drop in discipline referrals and a renewed focus on learning.  Teachers who don’t understand these nuts and bolts may waste classroom time playing the game we call “whack-a-mole”:  trying to get one boy to behave and stop disrupting the class – while another boy is becoming disruptive.

In this session, we will focus on practical, nuts-and-bolts strategies for managing all-boys and all-girls classrooms, beginning on day one, with attention to best practices for prevention of bullying, and effective deployment of team strategies.

 

Lee Mansell, Principal; Karen Frederick, Michelle Gay, William Bender, Teachers

Baldwin County, Alabama

4th and 5th Grade Single Gender Pilot Program

We have had a short CD prepared about our program and the results of the first year of our pilot. It shows the students and includes interviews with students and teachers. The CD was shown to 3rd graders who will come to us next year. 82% of those students have signed up for single gender classes next year.  Three teachers who have just completed the second year of teaching single gender classes will present teaching strategies that worked best with each gender.

 

Linda Lewis, Principal

Capitol Pre-College Academy for girls

Transforming Education at CPCA:  A Focus on Achievement

An interactive presentation designed to present an overview of transforming a comprehensive public high school to a single sex school.  Strategies for increasing student achievement in a single sex class.

 

Cynthia Bullard

Kernodle Middle School/Guilford County Schools

Girls in Science Clubs

I started our Girls in Science Club at Kernodle Middle School in 2002.  Our primary focus is environmental education.  Studies of environmental issues provide many opportunities for observations and hands-on learning experiences.  We purposely chose simple, inexpensive activities that rely heavily on inquiry and observation skills.  All Girls in Science Club activities are designed to play to the strengths of girls while boosting their confidence in science skills.  We use journaling as a way to record our activities and observations.  The journal entries also serve to encourage our girls as they continue their science education.  Our one hour presentation will walk participants through two or three of our Girls in Science Club activities.  Due to our vendor support, each participant will receive a journal, and a Private Eye® loupe which are two of the materials that we use in our club meetings.