• DOI:10.1080/00940771.2006.11461573
• Corpus ID: 153302028

Considerations for Gender-Friendly Classrooms

@article{Kommer2006ConsiderationsFG,
  title={Considerations for Gender-Friendly Classrooms},
  author={David Kommer},
  journal={Middle School Journal},
  year={2006},
  volume={38},
  pages={43 - 49}
}

• D. Kommer
• Published 1 November 2006
• Education
• Middle School Journal

have to write this sentence. But gender and its implications on the academic success of the learner is a somewhat controversial subject. It seems to be the “elephant” that most teachers take for granted but do not do much about. After all, boys are the way they are and girls are, too. What can we do about that? In the early 1990s, gender and its classroom implications made a significant appearance as a result of the publication of the American Association of University Women’s (1992) How Schools Shortchange Girls. There was a flurry of work that followed in that vein (AAUW, 1998, 2001, 2004). However, a minor backlash appeared that suggested that it was boys who were being shortchanged (Hoff-Sommers, 2000). To debate who is worse off seems futile. I prefer not to take part in that debate because I personally feel that schools shortchange both genders. Frankly, even the fact that the debate occurs may prove my point. This article is not intended to convince you that schools might have advantages or disadvantages for either or both genders. Instead, I hope to show you ways to meet that challenge and make your classroom more gender friendly.