tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14184878.post624006958854408145..comments2023-10-15T10:29:12.991+01:00Comments on Karyn's erratic learning journey: You want to know how to teach our kids? Ask us!The upsychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06345558899662051670noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14184878.post-1590311655415733672008-01-25T15:37:00.000+00:002008-01-25T15:37:00.000+00:00My younger son never had a male teacher until he g...My younger son never had a male teacher until he got to Year 8. My elder son had his first in Year 7. In the UK, the kids still have one teacher for all (or most) subjects until high school, when they begin to have exposure to subject specialists.<BR/><BR/>As far as I know, the boys are doing worse across the board, although the differential in the sciences is less than in the languages.<BR/><BR/>When I was in high school in South Africe (a LONG time ago), the situation was much as you describe it in the US, except, interestingly enough, in single sex schools. I can't speak for how it is there, now, though.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14184878.post-40407080745165309872008-01-25T15:25:00.000+00:002008-01-25T15:25:00.000+00:00I had no idea how unbalanced the male:female ratio...I had no idea how unbalanced the male:female ratio was there among teachers there. It's unbalanced in the US, especially in younger levels, but I still had several male teachers. Just thinking back, I had 2 or 3 in fourth grade, 2 in 5th, 7 or 8 in middle school, and nearly half of my high school teachers. My experience might be a bit more balanced than others, but I don't think it's completely atypical for the US.<BR/><BR/>Then again, I don't think that the gender difference appears the same way in standardized tests in the US. Generally boys still outperform girls on math & science tests here, but girls outperform boys on verbal tests. Do you see that set of results in the UK, or do boys do worse across the board?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14184878.post-73348109638302824762008-01-25T14:57:00.000+00:002008-01-25T14:57:00.000+00:00Cammy: I haven't come across that one, yet. Sounds...Cammy: I haven't come across that one, yet. Sounds like something I should look into. No doubt it would have me grinding my teeth even more, though!<BR/><BR/>I found James Dobson's book Bringing up Boys quite enlightening, too, but it has a strongly Christian slant that might not sit comfortably with those not starting from that perspective.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14184878.post-64978971355927230542008-01-25T14:31:00.000+00:002008-01-25T14:31:00.000+00:00Have you read Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotio...Have you read <A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/Raising-Cain-Protecting-Emotional-Life/dp/0345434854" REL="nofollow">Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys</A>? Delves into much of what you discussed here: how the current educational system is largely geared towards girls.Cammy Beanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14164253880427035485noreply@blogger.com