Gender differences have been at issue since Adam and Eve and the beginning of time. Thousands of years later, society is still wrestling with matters that affect gender.

We are concerned with achieving equality between the sexes in the work force and in society at large. Classroom experiences must be designed to meet social and meta-cognitive needs of female and male students in order to provide equality of opportunity for these students as they prepare to take on adult roles.

Classroom teachers must be aware of the possible differences in social interaction and in learning styles that may exist between the boys and girls they teach. Instructional activities can be designed to build on strengths and to improve areas of weakness for both boys and girls.

The project described in this article is a part of an interdisciplinary unit designed to address learning styles generally attributed to girls, as well as those attributed to boys.

Interdisciplinary Learning

Interdisciplinary units can be used to help students learn to make connections. These connections give learning purpose and make it more meaningful to the students. Mosca and Shmurak (1995) found that combining subject areas produced a respect among the students for each other’s talents. A study was conducted by a team of teachers (Williams & Reynolds 1993) in North Carolina in which students combined verbal and communication skills, as well as, math and scientific concepts to learn about and correct a problem in a local stream. The team teachers reported benefits to their students in social areas, as well as academic improvements.

Our team of 48 sixth graders participated in a weeklong intensive interdisciplinary unit designed to teach them about the Incas, past and present, in a fun setting. During Inca Week, students learned about shearing sheep, carding and spinning wool, and how to weave their own Incan mat. They learned about early tribal customs and about how the Incan descendents currently living in Peru have continued some of the customs, but have stopped practicing others. The students also learned how to use scale to enlarge an 8" x 10" picture of an Inca village to create a wall-sized mural.

The team of 48 students was divided into 16 cooperative groups of three and each group was assigned to work on a specific section of the mural. As each group worked, the group members conferred with other groups whose area joined theirs to make sure their work would link correctly. Colors had to be coordinated and flaws had to be worked out before the finished product could be displayed.

Preparing the Grids

The 8" x 10" picture was divided into sixteen equal sections. Each section was labeled with a number on the back beginning with 1 and going across in rows. The sections were then distributed among the groups who were seated at cafeteria tables in a 4 by 4 configuration that corresponded with the rows in the original picture.

The first step was to teach the students to create a grid system that would enable them to transfer the images from a small picture to a wall-sized mural. In order to do this, students identified and marked the top of their section of the picture. Next, they were taught to begin all measurements from the top, left corner so that all picture pieces would transfer consistently. Now, students measured and created a 2 cm square grid on their picture. To finish this first step, each section across the top of the paper was labeled with a number and each section along the left side of the picture was labeled with a letter of the alphabet.

During the second step, students measured a poster board to see how much larger it was than their section of the picture. They found that it was more than 2 times larger, but less than 3 times, and decided that a scaling factor of 2 ½ would be best for the mural. They multiplied the 2 cm measurement by 2 ½ to arrive at a scale of 2:5. Students followed the process in the first step, to make a very light grid on their poster board. Then, they labeled it in the same way as they had labeled their section of the picture.

Preparing the grids for the mural required the use of spatial skills. Spatial ability is a function of the right side of the brain (Wheatly, Mitchell, Frankland, & Kraft 1978). Therefore, students who are strong in spatial abilities are right-brained, or have a more fully developed right hemisphere. Neurologist, Norman Geschwind, hypothesized that high levels of testosterone in utero results in right brain dominance. This hypothesis, if correct, would show a developmental superiority for right brain development in males, thereby an increased ability in the area of spatial skills that girls did not share. Right-brained students were given an opportunity to use their innate ability and to excel at a task. Left-brained students whose strengths lay in language areas were given an opportunity to practice and strengthen a weaker area.

Transferring Images Block By Block

During this stage of the project, students worked to transfer the image from their section of the picture to the poster board, square by square, beginning with A1 and continuing sequentially until the task was completed. As this task began, the noise level increased due to discussion regarding how to proceed. A number of the girls’ conversations were centered on planning and deciding how to begin the task. They seemed more intimidated by beginning the task than did the boys. More of the boys dove right into the drawing; but many of them had to stop and talk about how to fix their sections later in the process.

Our students’ reactions to this part of the process were not unique to our group. Studies have shown that diversity of childhood experiences increases differences in learning styles for boys and girls. Restak (as cited in Hensal 1989) stated that as early as preschool, developmental differences are apparent between boys and girls. His research showed that in general, preschool girls have enhanced hearing abilities, are more attentive, and develop language skills sooner than boys. In contrast, the boys have better visual ability, better body coordination, and show more interest in exploring their environments. When children begin to play, many boys are encouraged to play with erector sets and trucks and to experience natural laws, which increases development of spatial skills. Most girls are encouraged to play with dolls and read books. These activities strengthen verbal and social skills, but give little exposure to natural laws and spatial skills.

Finishing Touches and Assembly

Students consulted a color key before beginning to color their poster boards to ensure a measure of uniformity throughout the mural. Groups had to visit each other and fit pieces together to be sure that images were going to link up properly when the mural was assembled. The collaboration required to finish the mural gave students opportunities to see the strengths of others and a chance to share ideas.

After all the groups turned in their mural sections, a team of volunteers stayed after school to even up the coloring at the seams where the pictures were linked together.

This gave a polished look to the whole project. Finally, the mural was ready to arrange on the wall.

A teacher can build on girls’ needs for relationships and social interaction by employing teaching methods that encourage collaboration and interaction. Cooperative learning experiences address feminine needs to form relationships and reduce competition. In a small group setting, boys learn to use verbal skills to help in problem solving. These verbal skills, considered a weak area for boys, will continue to strengthen as they are given more practice at using them. By working together in small groups with team goals, students learn cooperation, as well as, a respect for others’ ideas and achievements. Slavin (1987) stated that 87% of students provided with cooperative learning opportunities showed significantly greater achievement than those students taught by the rote method.

Through the use of cooperative learning and interdisciplinary planning, the needs of middle grades students can be better met. Opportunities for peer interactions and meaningful learning will increase self-efficacy and improve overall achievement. The students participating in this project learned concepts not taught in books as they worked their way through each step of the process. My teammate and I also experienced growth during the process. We were able to be guides while the children engaged in learning. But for us, best of all were the big grins our students shared when they first viewed their project, finished and assembled on the wall. Now, they believed they could do it!

References

Hensel, R., "Mathematical Achievement: Equating the Sexes," Journal of School

    Science and Mathematics 89 (1989) : 646-653.

Mosca, G. & Shmurak, C, "An Interdisciplinary Gender-Equitable Mathematics Project

    for the Middle School," Middle School Journal, 26 (l995), 26-29.

Slavin, R., "Cooperative Learning and the Cooperative School," Educational              

    Leadership, 18 (l987), 7-13.

Wheatley, G., Mitchell, R., Frankland, R., & Kraft, R., "Hemisphere Specialization and

    Cognitive Development: Implications for Mathematics Education," Journal for

    Research in Mathematics Education, 9 (1978), 20-32.

Back to the intro

Back to Research Home Page

Back to Secondary English