Then do we need affirmative action for the gender gap?

[HoldingFolding]

Vaguely related to this thread, is the gender gap becoming an issue in the US?

[hmkpoker]

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is the gender gap becoming an issue in the US?

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This article is worth reading just so you can get a sense on what a phenomenal waste the social sciences are.

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Girls think, and then hopefully do. Boys do, and then hopefully think.

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Thanks a lot, Dr. Phil.

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Classrooms should be socially engineered for the best learning experiences.

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Because forcing a bunch of energetic kids to sit down and shut up in a chair with twenty-five other eight year olds for six hours a day competing for arbitrary zero-sum brownie points is what provides a good learning experience.

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The teacher should decide where a pupil sits with whom he or she will work. Pairs are generally far more effective than larger groups and it is suggested that highly structured tasks for mixed ability pairs will give the best results. Pairs should be swapped frequently. When larger groups are used it is suggested that they contain children who have already worked as a pair. The underlying principle of paired working, as opposed to working individually in pairs, is that it will activate what is called proximal learning. By taking away one worksheet the children share a piece of work. They are forced to co-operate. Each has a shared responsibility for the quality of the work. Boys have been found to use 35% more language skills in mixed gender pairings. Having high and low attainment children paired together encourages the more able to think through a task in order to explain it, gaining insight, and gives the low attaining child an explanation at their own language level. Geoff Hannan suggests a policy over time of one third friendship pairs, one third mixed gender mixed ability pairs and one third single sex pairs.

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If you believe this, you are mentally defective.



Given the obvious genetic differences, is there a reason why we can't simply accept the fact that maybe girls just have more linguistic fluency than boys and are therefore naturally more adept at certain subjects? I'd love to see how the social engineers plan on reconstructing gym class to make girls and boys "equal" on the basketball court.

[BCPVP]

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I'd love to see how the social engineers plan on reconstructing gym class to make girls and boys "equal" on the basketball court.

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I'm taking a winterim class online now about just this type of stuff. It's basically a sociology class and it reads as though the author is seeking approval from someone, likely feminists, homosexuals, and the ivory tower left. Never wastes an opportunity to blather on about how sports should be changed because men have all the power and you can almost feel the charge of sexist bigot brewing if you dare disagree.

[JuntMonkey]

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Classrooms should be socially engineered for the best learning experiences.

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Because forcing a bunch of energetic kids to sit down and shut up in a chair with twenty-five other eight year olds for six hours a day competing for arbitrary zero-sum brownie points is what provides a good learning experience.

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Your contempt for traditional schools is pleasing. Ever read Summerhill?

[hmkpoker]

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Your contempt for traditional schools is pleasing.

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Why thank you [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

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Ever read Summerhill?

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A quick Googling brings me this , which looks interesting. I know nothing about it, but I'd be interested to learn about it.

[JuntMonkey]

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Your contempt for traditional schools is pleasing.

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Why thank you [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

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Ever read Summerhill?

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A quick Googling brings me this , which looks interesting. I know nothing about it, but I'd be interested to learn about it.

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You might want to check out the book by the founder of the school. It completely changed all of my views on school, parenting, and even society and government in general.

Part of is it what you said about the absurdity of making eight year olds sit at desks when they should be running around and thinking on their own, not taught how to "think". There is more to it though. He puts a lot of importance on being honest with kids about things like where babies come from...no need to beat around the bush and make it into something naughty and scary, just tell them like it is.

Anyway, any anarchists/libertarians or just big social liberals should definitely look into it.