Single-Sex Education and the Brain

摘要: Of the various rationales for sex-segregated education, claim that boys and girls should be taught in separate classrooms because their brains differ is arguably weakest. Existing neuroscience research has identified few reliable differences between boys’ girls’ relevant to learning or education. And yet, prominent single-sex school advocates have convinced many parents teachers there exist profound “male brain” “female which support ubiquitous, but equally unfounded belief “boys learn differently” (Gurian et al. 2001; Sax 2005b; James 2007, 2009; Kaufmann 2007). Educators who cite brain hormonal as evidence different pedagogical needs are often misusing misconstruing a small number of studies, when complete data far more equivocal doubtful relevance classroom instruction. Gender hearing, vision, autonomic nervous function modest, with large overlap measures. Similarly, studies neural basis do not premise master reading, calculation, other academic skills differently. Boys differing interests, basic cognitive, emotional self-regulatory abilities vary within each gender than average boy girl. Beyond issue scientific misrepresentation, very logic segregating children based on inherent anatomical physiological traits runs counter purpose principles