Woodward’s decision was based on research that suggests the brains of girls and boys develop differently. Girls tend to learn better in environments that are more quiet and orderly. Boys tend to learn better when they’re freer to roam about. Test results from the first year of Woodward’s experiment showed significant gains for pupils in the single-gender classes. In some grades, those pupils continue to outperform their counterparts in traditional classrooms…

The key here is choice. Parents can choose which model works best for their child. Research shows that some children may benefit from single-gender education in part because of the differences in brain development between boys and girls. For example, the area of the brain that governs fine motor skills develops earlier in girls. The part of the brain that governs spatial relationships develops earlier in boys.

A teaching strategy that takes these differences into account can help some children learn better. For instance, girls in all-girl classes are more likely to enroll and excel in science and math courses.

Source: Chicago Tribune
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