Eighth International Conference on Single-Gender Education
The Westin Galleria Hotel / Houston, Texas
Friday, October 19 2012, 6:30 – 9:00 PM, Registration and Poster Session:
Many presenters have prepared posters describing their work; many will be on hand to
meet attendees. This is a great chance to meet other educators and administrators
whose interests may be similar to yours. Light refreshments will be served.
Saturday, October 20: Registration continues, 7:30 AM  9:00 AM.
Breakfast begins at 7:45 AM
General Session: Keynote by United States Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
Conference Overview: 9:15 AM  10:30 AM
First breakout session: 10:45 AM  11:45 AM
Hot Buffet Lunch: Begins at 11:45 AM
Second breakout session: 1:15 PM  2:15 PM
Third breakout session: 2:30 PM  3:30 PM
Reception: Light refreshments will be served from 3:45 through 4:15 PM
near the conference bookstore, in the Galleria Foyer. Dr. Abigail James
(author of Teaching the Male Brain and Teaching the Female Brain) and Dr.
Leonard Sax (author of Why Gender Matters, Boys Adrift and Girls on the
Edge) will be on hand to sign copies of their books.
Sunday, October 21: Breakfast begins at 7:45 AM.
Fourth breakout session: 9:15 AM  10:15 AM
Fifth breakout session: 10:30 AM  11:30 AM
Conference adjourns at 12 noon on Sunday
Post-conference event: Debate between Dr. Rebecca Bigler and Dr. Leonard Sax:
1:30 PM  3:00 PM, in the Plaza Ballroom. All are welcome to attend this debate,
which is open to the public. Attendees will have an opportunity to pose questions
to Dr. Bigler and to Dr. Sax.
www.singlesexschools.org
www.4schoolchoice.org
www.leonardsax.com
Breakout Session #1: Saturday, 10:45 AM  11:45 AM
All breakout sessions are listed in alphabetical order by the last name of the first presenter.
Return to Learn after Concussion
Barbara Csenge, Director of Learning Enrichment
St. Michael’s College School, Toronto, Ontario
This presentation will provide an overview of St. Michael's College School's innovative step-wise
academic reintegration program for students following concussion. There is general understanding of
the importance of a graduated step-wise return to athletics. The Return to Learn program addresses the
need to provide a similar framework to support and educate school communities with academic
progression following student concussion. Since its inception in September 2011, St. Michael's College
School has supported over 100 students with concussion and academic and athletic reintegration.
Note: this presentation will be repeated Sunday morning.
Are You More Effective Teaching Girls? Or Boys? Or Both?
Dr. Margaret Ferrara
University of Nevada – Reno, Reno, Nevada
The study of single sex education has revealed multiple variables that help a teacher use environmental,
instructional, and social strategies which are more effective with boys, and other strategies which are
more effective with girls. But suppose the teacher is not a good match for these strategies? In other
words: are there teaching styles that are more aligned with boys or with girls? And are teachers who say,
“I want to teach boys [or girls] because that matches my teaching style” truly aware of their own
teaching style? This presentation will provide participants with a close look at teacher reports on their
teaching preferences and how closely those reports predicted their teaching style for males and females.
Note: this presentation will be repeated Sunday morning.
Launching a Girls’ Public School: the Leaders’ Perspective
Paula Harris, Delesa O’Dell Thomas, and Jyoti Malhan
Young Women’s College Preparatory School, Houston, Texas
Paula Harris is an elected member of the Board of Education for Houston public schools. Delesa O'Dell
Thomas is Principal of the Young Women's College Preparatory Academy (YWCPA), a girls' public school
in Houston launched and operated under the authority of the Houston Board of Education. Jyoti
Malhan is Dean of Instruction at YWCPA. Together, they will give a presentation describing the launch
process, the challenges, the strategic marketing and the major milestones of the school's first year.
Launching a Single-Gender Program in a Coed School: the Principal’s Perspective
Iwanda Huggins
Columbus Intermediate School, Bedford Heights, Ohio
Iwanda Huggins, principal of Columbus Intermediate School, will share the process by which she and her
colleagues launched and sustained their single-gender program in grades 4, 5, and 6: why they decided
to offer single-gender classrooms, how they developed the program, how they selected students, and
how they tracked outcomes.
Breakout Session #1: Saturday, 10:45 AM  11:45 AM
Teaching the Male Brain
Dr. Abigail Norfleet James
Rockhouse Associates, Orange, Virginia
As more boys are being identified as having learning problems, more information is being uncovered
which supports the notion that boys learn well when classroom activities are designed for their academic
strengths. This workshop will present findings from recent research and from practices in boys’ schools
and connect that information to teaching strategies which maximize boys’ learning. Participants will
acquire specific strategies to implement in their classrooms to increase student engagement through a
variety of active learning approaches. Each participant will leave with grade- and subject-specific
materials which can be applied in their classrooms. Additionally, they will gain an understanding of the
theoretical basis for the materials so that they can adapt other portions of their courses as appropriate.
Note: this presentation will be repeated Sunday morning.
Multi-Purpose Tools to Single-Gender Success
Maria James, Bryant Hicks, and Chris Fuecker
Ronald E. McNair Middle School, Lake City, South Carolina
Maria James teaches science, Bryant Hicks teaches social studies, and Chris Fuecker teaches
English/Language Arts, at Ronald E. McNair Middle School in Lake City. Together, they will share how
they differentiate instruction in each of these content areas, for girls and for boys, in their single-gender
classrooms. Single-gender strategies incorporating Science, Social Studies, and ELA content will be
discussed and demonstrated in a variety of engaging ways. Among the strategies will be Station
Rotation, Four Corners, Gallery Walk, Role Play, and review games including the Dice Game, Tapout, and
Let’s Make a Deal.
Service Learning: the transformative power of social action
Kate Morin, Bill Hulseman, and Denise Key
Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, Bethesda, Maryland
Kate Morin is head of the Upper School at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart. Bill Hulseman is
Director of Social Action at Stone Ridge, and Denise Key is Upper School Counselor. Together, they will
share what they have learned about the transformative power of service learning for girls, deploying
JoAnn Deak's three C's: competence, confidence, and connectedness.
Developing Young Scientists in an All-Girls Class
Jamie Mullenaux
Mechanicsville Elementary School, Mechanicsville, Virginia.
Jamie Mullenaux teaches 4th-grade girls in an all-girls classroom in Hanover County. In this presentation,
she will share how she used the all-girls format to engage girls to become hands-on learners in science,
conducting their own experiments in collaboration with other girls - for example, testing different
methods to separate and remove oil from water (in the aftermath of the BP oil spill in the Gulf), using
turkey basters, sponges, cotton balls, colanders. Students left the classroom with a greater appreciation
for science, greater mastery of the skills involved in scientific investigation, and more comfortable seeing
themselves as scientists.
Note: this presentation will be repeated Sunday morning.
Developing a Boy-Friendly – and Girl-Friendly – School
Rev. John Roberts
Covenant Christian School, St. Louis, Missouri
Reverend John Roberts is Head of School at Covenant Christian School, a coed elementary school in St.
Louis. In this presentation, Rev. Roberts will explain how he and his staff seek to provide a school which is
"boy-friendly" without being unfriendly to girls. He will describe popular school activities such as
Lightsaber Day - when all students are welcome to whack each other with foam lightsabers (but nobody
is required to). He will also explain the rationale underlying some school policies which are unusual in the
United States, such as allowing students to carry pocket knives.
A Community of Sisters at a K-12 Girls’ Public School
Beverly Hibbler, Carmen Perry, and April Dunn
Detroit International Academy, Detroit, Michigan
Beverly Hibbler is the founding principal of Detroit International Academy, a girls' public school enrolling
girls in grades K-12. This school launched with just 90 girls in 2005 and now enrolls more than 500 girls.
Ms. Hibbler and two teachers from her school, Carmen Perry and April Dunn, will describe how they
create "a community of sisterhood" at their school, both in and out of the classroom, through programs
such as Sister to Sister, Lego League, and Vex Robotics.
Girls Into Physics: strategies to engage girls in your physics classroom
Tim Smith
Mount Alvernia College, Kedron, Queensland, Australia
Tim Smith is a physics instructor at Mount Alvernia, a Catholic girls' school near Brisbane Australia. He
will share his girl-friendly instructional strategies for post-compulsory high school physics, roughly the
equivalent of AP physics in the United States. When Mr. Smith arrived at Nonsuch High School for Girls, a
publicly-funded girls' school in London England, only four girls were enrolled in post-compulsory physics;
but after four years, Mr. Smith had boosted the enrollment to more than 50 girls.
Note: this presentation will be repeated Sunday morning.
What Works for Young Men of Color
Roynell Young, Yolonda Kelley, and Carrie Tate
The Pro-Vision School, Houston, Texas
For nine years, Roynell Young played professional football in the National Football League. After retiring
from the NFL, Mr. Young looked for a way to give back to the community. In 1990, he started an afterschool program for boys in a low-income neighborhood of Houston. In 1995, he created a boys' public
charter school, which has now been in continuous operation for 17 years, during which time it has
undergone many changes as it has evolved into the Pro-Vision Community. In this presentation, Mr.
Young and his colleagues Yolonda Kelley and Carrie Tate will share what has been learned from two
decades of working with boys of color in a low-income neighborhood in Houston.
Putting an End to Little Mama Drama
Dana Zacharko, Jennifer Robinson, and Torrence Broxton
Woodward Avenue Elementary School, DeLand, Florida
Dana Zacharko teaches all-girls classrooms at Woodward Avenue Elementary School; Jennifer
Robinson is a school counselor at Woodward Avenue Elementary; and Torrence Broxton is school
principal. Together they will share strategies which they have deployed to minimize "drama" and social
tension in the all-girls classroom, and to create a warm and relaxed classroom in which everyone feels at
home.
Breakout Session #2: Saturday, 1:15 PM  2:15 PM
The Good, the Bad, and the Questionable: best practices for single-gender classrooms
Elizabeth Albert, Laurie LaMondie
Woodward Avenue Elementary School, DeLand, Florida
Elizabeth Albert and Laurie LaMondie will share what they have learned from eight years of teaching
single-gender classrooms at Woodward Avenue Elementary School.
Strategies for Engaging Boys in Modern Foreign Languages
Luisa Bolen, Iliana Hieger, and Natalie Bock
San Antonio Academy, San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio Academy is a boys' PK-8 school founded in 1886. Luisa Bolen is Chair of the Spanish
Department and also teaches Spanish in grades 6-8; Iliana Hieger teaches Spanish in grades PK2; Natalie Bock teaches Spanish in grades 3-5. In this presentation, they share their boy-friendly
instructional strategies for Spanish. Roughly 50% of the program's 8th-grade graduates consistently
place in the top 5% of the National Spanish Exam.
Measuring the Effects of Single-Gender Classes on Student Literacy and Engagement
Dr. Jackie Button
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Dr. Jackie Button is a professor at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). She will share the
results of her study of the single-gender program at White Oaks Secondary School in Oakville, Ontario.
Her program evaluation included academic achievement, behavior, and perceptions of student
engagement in single-gender and co-ed classrooms.
The Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy
Nakia Douglas and Richard Edison
Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy, Dallas, Texas
Nakia Douglas is the founding principal of the Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy (BOMLA), a
boys' public school in Dallas; Richard Edison teaches history at BOMLA. They will give a presentation
including a short video about the school, describing how they created a school environment in which it's
cool for a boy to be a scholar; how they partner with parents and with the community; and how the
school has transformed the lives of students.
Note: this presentation is in two parts. This is the first of two parts; the second part is in the next
session Saturday afternoon.
Is Single-Gender Working – Qualitatively?
Dr. Margaret Ferrara
University of Nevada – Reno, Reno, Nevada
Participants will have an opportunity to look at their research design to assess to what degree their
strategies are making a difference in terms of learning in their single gender classroom from a
qualitative perspective. Focus group, surveys, and teacher reflection will be discussed as part of the
session. Additionally, tools for qualitative assessment (e.g., Leximancer) will be demonstrated. This
presentation is applicable for all grades K-12.
Breakout Session #2: Saturday, 1:15 PM  2:15 PM
Community Service / Community Partnerships at a K-12 Girls’ Public School
Beverly Hibbler, Carmen Perry, and April Dunn
Detroit International Academy, Detroit, Michigan
Beverly Hibbler is the founding principal of Detroit International Academy, a girls' public school enrolling
girls in grades K-12. This school launched with just 90 girls in 2005 and now enrolls more than 500 girls.
In this presentation, Ms. Hibbler will share how her school has created community partnerships with
entities as diverse as the Michigan Opera House, Girl Scouts of America, Wayne State University, and
Michigan State University; she will also describe some of her school's innovative community service
opportunities. Joined by her school's JROTC instructor, Rocky Mack, Major, US-Army (Retired), she and
Major Mack will explain the role of the JROTC in helping to teach leadership skills.
Research Partnerships at a Boys’ Independent School
Dr. Michael Leatch
Crescent School, Toronto, Ontario
Dr. Michael Leatch is Director of Student Services at Crescent School, a boys' independent school in
Toronto enrolling boys in grades 3 through 12. To date Crescent has been involved in more than 40
research projects through partnerships with leading universities and non-profit organizations. In his
presentation, Dr. Leatch will explain the school's current program of research, including some of the key
findings that have resulted from the research program with regard to boys' education.
Strategies that Work: Social Studies / Mathematics
Glenn Matthews and Camille Moore
Ronald E. McNair Middle School, Lake City, South Carolina
Glenn Matthews teaches social studies, and Camille Moore teaches math, at Ronald E. McNair Middle
School. Together they will share what they have learned about gender-specifc instructional strategies not only for math and social studies separately, but for integrating math with social studies - in girls'
classrooms and in boys' classrooms.
Using Cognitive Science & Emotional Intelligence in a Girls’ School:
Putting Theory into Practice
Deb Mueller, Susan Reidy, and Tom Montgomery
Divine Savior Holy Angels High School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Divine Savior Holy Angels High School (DSHA) is a girls' Catholic school. Deb Mueller is Dean of
Students; Susan Reidy is chair of the Science Department; and Tom Montgomery teaches social studies.
Together, they will share their action research in social studies, science, and math classrooms, deploying
recent findings from cognitive psychology - especially the work of Carol Dweck - along with new ideas about
girls and emotional intelligence, implemented in consultation with Rachel Simmons, author of Odd Girl Out.
“My Boys Won’t Sit Still!”
Jodi Notch
Ruben P. Diaz Elementary School, Las Vegas, Nevada
In this presentation, Ms. Notch draws on her four years of experience teaching boys in an all-boys
classroom setting, to share her boy-specific strategies for classroom management. The key idea is to
work with boys' energy, rather than trying to suppress it.
Breakout Session #2 / Breakout Session #3: Saturday afternoon
The Hjallimodel: a new pedagogy
Margrét Pála Ólafsdóttir
Garðabær, Iceland
Margrét Pála Ólafsdóttir is the founder of the Hjallistefnan, the Hjalli model of education, a pedagogy
based on experiential and "adventure-based" learning, which employs single-gender classrooms. She has
found that the single-gender classroom format "liberates the children from traditional sex-roles." In this
presentation, she shares what she and her colleagues have accomplished with regard to breaking down
gender stereotypes: for example, engaging girls in carpentry and engaging boys in making salads!
Dream Big, Think Small: the dangerous adventure of founding a private liberal
arts school for boys in today’s cultural landscape
Jeffrey Presberg
Western Academy, Houston, Texas
Jeffrey Presberg is the founding headmaster of Western Academy, a new boys' liberal arts school in
Houston. He will give a presentation entitled "Dream Big, Think Small: the dangerous adventure of
founding a private liberal arts school for boys in today's cultural landscape." He will focus on several vital
elements to a successful founding, including an attractive educational vision - a dream - and keeping
sight of the small in strategic thinking and implementation, from fundraising to curriculum to budgets.
Single-Gender for Newbies:
What ADMINISTRATORS need to know about single-gender
Dr. Mercedes Tichenor, Dr. Elizabeth “Bette” Heins, Dr. Kathy Piechura-Couture, and Douglas MacIsaac
Stetson University, Deland, Florida
For the past seven years, a team of faculty at Stetson University has partnered with local public schools
to study single-gender classrooms. In two consecutive presentations, they will address the topic of
"Single-Gender for Newbies." The first presentation (this session) will be for administrators, addressing
questions such as: How do you launch a successful single-gender program? How do you get your district
to support such an initiative? How do you get parents onboard? How do you assess your program? How
do you develop and sustain a successful single-gender program in a public elementary school? How do
you overcome challenges such as administration changes, budget cuts, district rezoning, parent
involvement, ongoing staff development, and teacher turnover to keep your single-gender program
alive? The second session will be for teachers.
Breakout Session #3: Saturday, 2:30 PM  3:30 PM
Single-Gender Education in the Early Grades
Lori Clark and Heather Woodruff
Allen Elementary School, Siloam Springs, Arkansas
Lori Clark and Heather Woodruff are teachers at Allen Elementary School in Siloam Springs. They will
share what they have learned from three years of teaching both girls and boys single-gender classrooms
in the early elementary grades, including boy-friendly and girl-friendly instructional strategies.
The Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy
Nakia Douglas and Richard Edison
Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy, Dallas, Texas
Nakia Douglas is the founding principal of the Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy (BOMLA), a
boys' public school in Dallas; Richard Edison teaches history at BOMLA. They will give a presentation
including a short video about the school, describing how they created a school environment in which it's
cool for a boy to be a scholar; how they partner with parents and with the community; and how the
school has transformed the lives of students.
Note: this presentation is in two parts. This is the second of two parts; the first part was in the
previous session Saturday afternoon.
Is Single-Gender Working – Quantitatively?
Dr. Margaret Ferrara
University of Nevada – Reno, Reno, Nevada
Participants will have an opportunity to look at their research design to assess to what degree their
strategies are making a difference in terms of learning in their single-gender classroom from a
quantitative perspective. Test construction (pre/post test) and data tools will be discussed as part of the
session.
Integrating Single Gender, Exceptional Learners, and Technology
Jennifer Gribben and Marcel Marina
Ronald E. McNair Middle School, Lake City, South Carolina
Jennifer Gribben teaches English/Language Arts, and Marcel Marina is a Special Education teacher, at
Ronald E. McNair Middle School. Together they will share how they use community-building activities -games and hands-on learning activities -- differently in girls' classrooms and boys' classrooms, both in
regular and in special education classrooms.
It’s a Girl’s World
Cheryl Hamilton, Patricia Jackson, and Sara Caesar-Williams
Columbus Intermediate School, Bedford Heights, Ohio
Cheryl Hamilton, Patricia Jackson, and Sara Caesar-Williams are teachers at Columbus Intermediate
School. They will share what they have learned about girl-friendly instructional strategies and girlfriendly classroom management in an all-girls elementary classroom (grades 4, 5, and 6).
Active Lessons for Active Brains
Dr. Abigail Norfleet James
Rockhouse Associates, Orange, Virginia
Educators are aware that many boys and some girls thrive when lessons are presented using an active
pedagogical approach. Kinesthetic curricular approaches are now recommended to help these students
succeed in school. However, it can be difficult for teachers to translate content into meaningful lessons
using such an approach, especially for language-based material. Dr. James, co-author of the book Active
Lessons for Active Brains, will demonstrate some of the approaches and practices contained in the book
in language arts, math, science, and study skills. Attendees will gain an understanding of how
experiential learners benefit from a hands-on approach as well as how to adapt material from their own
classes to an active approach.
Breakout Session #3: Saturday, 2:30 PM  3:30 PM
Beyond Bits and Bytes: Technology in single-gender classrooms
Jodi Lewitt, Elizabeth Senez, and Doug MacIsaac
Woodward Avenue Elementary School, DeLand, Florida (Lewitt and Senez)
Stetson University, DeLand, Florida (MacIsaac)
Jodi Lewitt teaches 5th-grade single-gender classrooms at Woodward Avenue Elementary
School; Elizabeth Senez is a media specialist at Woodward Avenue Elementary; and Doug MacIsaac is an
instructor at the Hollis Institute at Stetson University, also in Deland. Together, they will describe how
they use technology - iPads, iPods, and Kindles - differently in girls' classrooms than in boys' classrooms.
Engaging Girls in STEM through Community Service
Janet Mambrino and Claire Bond Choquette
Xavier College Preparatory, Phoenix, Arizona
Xavier College Prep is a girls’ Catholic school in Phoenix, Arizona. Janet Mambrino is co-chair of the math
department at Xavier. She and her colleague Claire Bond Choquette will share how they engage girls in
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) through community service. Girls solve real-world
engineering and environmental science problems, in service to, and accountable to, one of several local
non-profit organizations.
Looking at School through the Eyes of Boys
Darnise Stephens and Maggie Joyce
Columbus Intermediate School, Bedford Heights, Ohio
Darnise Stephens and Maggie Joyce are teachers at Columbus Intermediate School. They will share what
they have learned about boy-friendly instructional strategies and boy-friendly classroom management in
an all-boys elementary classroom (grades 5 and 6).
Student Engagement in Math, in Single-Gender and Co-Educational Classrooms
Leah Taylor
J. Paul Truluck Middle School, Lake City, South Carolina
Leah Taylor is a teacher at Truluck Middle School. Because she teaches the same mathematics content in
all-girls classrooms, in all-boys classrooms, and in coed classrooms, she enjoys a unique perspective on
how to customize her instructional strategies for each of these classroom formats. In this workshop she
shares some of the gender-aware strategies she has developed for teaching middle school math: the
same content, but different pedagogy.
Single-Gender for Newbies: What TEACHERS need to know about single-gender
Dr. Mercedes Tichenor, Dr. Elizabeth “Bette” Heins, Dr. Kathy Piechura-Couture, and Douglas MacIsaac
Stetson University, Deland, Florida
For the past seven years, a team of faculty at Stetson University has partnered with local public schools
to study single-gender classrooms. This year, in two consecutive presentations, they are addressing the
topic of "Single-Gender for Newbies." The first presentation (the previous session) was for
administrators. This session is for teachers, addressing gender-specific instructional strategies and
motivational strategies which have been successfully deployed, for various content areas, in grades K
through 5. Sample materials will also be shared.
Doing Whatever it Takes: A Six Year Journey of Single-Sex Classrooms in a
Rural, Public Elementary School
Dr. Debra Yates
College of Idaho, Caldwell, Idaho
Dr. Debra Yates is associate professor of education at the College of Idaho. She will share the results of
six years of collaboration with a local public elementary school offering single-gender classrooms,
addressing questions such as: What do parents and teachers think about the program? How have these
perceptions changed over time? Are there differences between effective teaching strategies for girls and
for boys? Has the single-gender program been effective? Also: in the spring of 2012, national media
focused their attention on the Idaho public school with which Dr. Yates is working, and the ACLU sent a
hostile letter to the district. Dr. Yates will describe how she and her colleagues respond to the ACLU’s
demands and arguments.
Don’t forget the afternoon reception,
3:30 – 4:00, by the bookstore,
in the Galleria Foyer
Breakout Session #4: Sunday, 9:15 AM  10:15 AM
Why Single-Gender?
Dr. Michon Benson
The WALIPP Preparatory Academy, Houston, Texas
Dr. Michon Benson is Executive Principal of the WALIPP-TSU Preparatory Academy, a charter school
which consists of a boys’ middle school and – on a separate campus – a girls’ middle school. Dr. Benson
will lead a discussion of the rationale for single-gender education in urban schools, for girls and for
boys. (WALIPP is an acronym for the Walter A. Lawson Institute for Peace and Prosperity.)
Single-Gender: taking it to the next level
Skyles Calhoun
Woodbridge Middle School, Woodbridge, Virginia
In 2005, most students attending Woodbridge Middle School were from middle-income families. Then
the district changed the school's catchment boundaries. Roughly half of the student body now qualifies
for free or reduced-price meals. Nevertheless, grades and test scores of students at Woodbridge Middle
School, compared with 2005, have improved significantly. Single-gender classrooms were instituted at
Woodbridge Middle in 2006 only after the faculty had carefully and jointly studied best practices for
single-gender classrooms; and Mr. Calhoun has closely monitored what works and what has not worked
over the past six years. In this informal session, Mr. Calhoun will share strategies which he and his team
have developed which have boosted academic achievement for both girls and boys, and which have also
reduced discipline referrals.
Are You More Effective Teaching Girls? Or Boys? Or Both?
Dr. Margaret Ferrara
University of Nevada – Reno, Reno, Nevada
The study of single sex education has revealed multiple variables that help a teacher use environmental,
instructional, and social strategies which are more effective with boys, and other strategies which are
more effective with girls. But suppose the teacher is not a good match for these strategies? In other
words: are there teaching styles that are more aligned with boys or with girls? And are teachers who say,
“I want to teach boys [or girls] because that matches my teaching style” truly aware of their own
teaching style? This presentation will provide participants with a close look at teacher reports on their
teaching preferences and how closely those reports predicted their teaching style for males and females.
How Does a Boy Become a Man of Faith?
Fr. John Huber, Mitchell Hancock, and Mark Gagnon
Detroit Catholic Central High School, Novi, Michigan
Father John Huber, C.S.B., Ed.D., is principal of Detroit Catholic Central High School, a boys' Catholic
school. He will describe what is required for a boy to become a man of faith. Unlike the acquisition of
knowledge in an academic curriculum, spiritual formation requires: a sound understanding of theology;
an environment which encourages and honors mature responsibility, and teachers and coaches who
challenge each student not only to be his personal best, but to be motivated to be an active part of a
community. That faith-based community must equally esteem academics, and athletics, and the arts as a
way of encountering the sacred. Dr. Huber will be joined by Mitchell Hancock, Dean of Students
and Mark Gagnon, Chair of the Science Department.
Teaching the Female Brain
Dr. Abigail Norfleet James
Rockhouse Associates, Orange, Virginia
The idea that math is difficult for girls - and the corresponding idea that most girls are not 'naturally'
interested in mathematics - is pervasive. According to widely-held beliefs, girls should not be expected to
do well in math or science because their academic strength lies in words. This workshop will present
recent research and connect that information to teaching strategies which maximize girls’ learning.
Participants will gain a clear understanding of best classroom practices for girls in math and science.
Engaging Girls in STEM through Community Service
Janet Mambrino and Claire Bond Choquette
Xavier College Preparatory, Phoenix, Arizona
Xavier College Prep is a girls’ Catholic school in Phoenix, Arizona. Janet Mambrino is co-chair of the math
department at Xavier. She and her colleague Claire Bond Choquette will share how they engage girls in
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) through community service. Girls solve real-world
engineering and environmental science problems, in service to, and accountable to, one of several local
non-profit organizations.
Developing Young Scientists in an All-Girls Class
Jamie Mullenaux
Mechanicsville Elementary School, Mechanicsville, Virginia.
In this presentation, Ms. Mullenaux will share how she uses the all-girls format to engage girls to become
hands-on learners in science, conducting their own experiments in collaboration with other girls - for
example, testing different methods to separate and remove oil from water (in the aftermath of the BP oil
spill in the Gulf), using turkey basters, sponges, cotton balls, colanders. Students left the classroom with a
greater appreciation for science, greater mastery of the skills involved in scientific investigation, and
more comfortable seeing themselves as scientists.
Secrets of a Successful All-Boys Elementary Classroom
Tamara Perry and Diana Wagner
Palmetto Elementary, Poinciana, Florida
We began the 2009-2010 school year with all-boys classrooms, without any training in single-gender
education until we attended the 2009 NASSPE conference in Atlanta. After the conference, we
implemented many strategies and gender-specific classroom management techniques that we learned at
the conference. Some of the changes that we made, and which we will share, include: classroom layout;
increased opportunities for movement; timed activities; increasing opportunities for teamwork, including
team competitions; posted procedures and directions; and additional hands-on projects. We will also
share test results from the FCAT (Florida state test) and other assessments showing amazing growth and
mastery of skills.
Girls Into Physics: strategies to engage girls in your physics classroom
Tim Smith
Mount Alvernia College, Kedron, Queensland, Australia
Tim Smith is a physics instructor at Mount Alvernia, a Catholic girls' school near Brisbane Australia. He
will share his girl-friendly instructional strategies for post-compulsory high school physics, roughly the
equivalent of AP physics in the United States. When Mr. Smith arrived at Nonsuch High School for Girls, a
publicly-funded girls' school in London England, only four girls were enrolled in post-compulsory physics;
but after four years, Mr. Smith had boosted the enrollment to more than 50 girls.
Tried and True Tips for a Boys’ Classroom
Denise Wilmott, Tammie Murray, and Rachel Hickman
Southside Elementary School, Siloam Springs, Arkansas
Denise Wilmott, Tammie Murray, and Rachel Hickman, are teachers at Southside Elementary School.
They will share what they have learned from three years of teaching single-gender classrooms, regarding
boy-friendly instructional strategies in late elementary grades (3rd grade through 5th grade).
Breakout Session #5: Sunday, 10:30 AM  11:30 AM
Launching a Boys’ Public School
Dameion Crook and Jonathan Trinh
Young Men’s College Preparatory Academy, Houston, Texas
Dameion Crook is principal of the Young Men's College Preparatory Academy, a boys' public school in
Houston established by the Houston public school district; Jonathan Trinh is the assistant principal.
Together, they will describe some of the challenges and success stories involved in launching the first
boys' public school in Houston which is not a charter school.
Return to Learn after Concussion
Barbara Csenge, Director of Learning Enrichment
St. Michael’s College School, Toronto, Ontario
This presentation will provide an overview of St. Michael's College School's innovative step-wise
academic reintegration program for students following concussion. There is general understanding of
the importance of a graduated step-wise return to athletics. The Return to Learn program addresses the
need to provide a similar framework to support and educate school communities with academic
progression following student concussion. Since its inception in September 2011, St. Michael's College
School has supported over 100 students with concussion and academic and athletic reintegration.
Teaching the Male Brain
Dr. Abigail Norfleet James
Rockhouse Associates, Orange, Virginia
As more boys are being identified as having learning problems, more information is being uncovered
which supports the notion that boys learn well when classroom activities are designed for their academic
strengths. This workshop will present findings from recent research and from practices in boys’ schools
and connect that information to teaching strategies which maximize boys’ learning. Participants will
acquire specific strategies to implement in their classrooms to increase student engagement through a
variety of active learning approaches. Each participant will leave with grade- and subject-specific
materials which can be applied in their classrooms. Additionally, they will gain an understanding of the
theoretical basis for the materials so that they can adapt other portions of their courses as appropriate.
Searching for Self, Searching for the Heart of God:
Developing the Spiritual Lives of Girls
Sr. Lynne Lieux, RSCJ
Schools of the Sacred Heart, Grand Coteau, Louisiana
Sr. Lynne Lieux, RSCJ, is Headmistress of the Schools of the Sacred Heart: a PreK3 -12 girls' school and a
PreK3 - 10 boys' school. In this presentation, Sr. Lieux explores the spiritual needs and desires of young
women, pre-adolescent through young adulthood, with attention to the question of how adults can help
to nurture faith. In the quest to find oneself, young women (and men) often turn to the transcendent as a
means of better understanding the complex and complicated world in which they find themselves. Adults
can play a pivotal role in developing the spiritual lives of young people; but this is not easily done, for
most young people today are not inclined to embrace institutional religion. In this presentation, Sister
Lieux will share some of what she has learned from 25 years of working with teenagers about how to
help young women discover God within them and around them.
Co-Education with a Gender Perspective: going beyond gender stereotypes
Laura Malagón and Constanza Peña
Gimnasio Vermont, Bogotá, Colombia
Laura Malagón and Constanza Peña teach at Gimnasio Vermont, a co-ed independent school in Bogotá
enrolling students in pre-K through grade 12. The school was founded as a girls' school in 1945; when boys
were enrolled, beginning in 1997, the boys were taught in boys' classrooms while the girls continued to be
taught in girls' classrooms. The school continues to offer single-gender classrooms on a co-ed campus. In
this session, the presenters will share some of their gender-specific strategies for teaching Spanish as a
mother tongue; for teaching social studies; and for teaching English as a foreign language.
“My Boys Won’t Sit Still!”
Jodi Notch
Ruben P. Diaz Elementary School, Las Vegas, Nevada
In this presentation, Ms. Notch draws on her four years of experience teaching boys in an all-boys
classroom setting, to share her boy-specific strategies for classroom management. The key idea is to
work with boys' energy, rather than trying to suppress it.
Sugar and Spice and EVERYTHING Nice? Classroom strategies for all-girls
Tamara Perry, Diana Wagner and Ashley Porter
Palmetto Elementary, Poinciana, Florida
We began our single gender experience three years ago. The girls have shown outstanding academic and
social growth and we would like to present the strategies and classroom procedures that have led to the
successes in our school and have begun to stir interest in single gender classes throughout the county.
An Analysis of the Impact of Single-Sex Education on Seventh-Grade Math and
Reading Scores
Tarawa Redwood, Ed.D.
Houston Independent School District, Houston, Texas
Dr. Tarawa Redwood will share her research on the impact of the single-sex classroom format in public
schools on mathematics and reading performance of seventh grade students based upon the state
assessment, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). This research was conducted under the
auspices of Texas Southern University in Houston.
How Do Black Girls Get to College – Successfully?
Nina Smith, Ph.D.
Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Washington, DC
Dr. Smith will share what she has learned about Black girls from low-income neighborhoods, and their
preparedness for college. Many of these girls are the first in their families to attend a four-year college.
Feeling good about oneself is not enough to be prepared for successful college matriculation. In this
presentation, Dr. Smith shares her research into the question of how best to prepare Black girls for a
successful experience at college.
Conference Adjourns at 12 noon on Sunday October 21
Please stay in touch: email us at mcrcad@verizon.net or call us at 1 610 296 2821
If you can stay after the conference adjourns, you might consider attending a public debate between Dr.
Rebecca Bigler and Dr. Leonard Sax, beginning at 1:30 PM in the Plaza Ballroom.
Debate between Dr. Rebecca Bigler and Dr. Leonard Sax: 1:30 PM  3:00 PM
Plaza Ballroom
Rebecca Bigler Ph.D. is Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. Professor Bigler is also cofounder and executive director of the American Council for CoEducational Schooling (ACCES). At the conclusion of
the conference, Sunday afternoon beginning at 1:30 PM, Professor Bigler will debate Dr. Leonard Sax, founder of
the Association and host of this Conference. Professor Bigler will argue that the single-gender format - including
both single-gender classrooms and single-gender schools - "lacks scientific support and may exaggerate sexism
and gender stereotyping." Dr. Sax will argue that when teachers have appropriate training, single-gender
classrooms and single-gender schools can break down gender stereotypes, boost academic achievement, and
broaden educational horizons for both girls and boys. Attendees at the debate will have the opportunity to pose
questions both to Professor Bigler and to Dr. Sax. A recording may be available after the event: please check with
us at mcrcad@verizon.net if you are interested.
www.singlesexschools.org
www.4schoolchoice.org
www.leonardsax.com
What about next year’s conference?
We will not be able to sponsor a conference in 2013. We hope to sponsor a conference again in
2014. The 2014 conference most likely will not take place in a grand hotel like the Westin
Galleria Hotel. If we are going to have a conference in 2014, we would like to explore the
possibility of having the conference take place at a school, or perhaps a collaboration among
several schools in one city.
If the Ninth International Conference on Single-Gender Education in 2014 is going to take place
at a school, we will need:
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A school which has an auditorium which can comfortably seat at least 400 adults
A school which has at least 12 classrooms, each of which can comfortably seat at least
36 adults, for our breakout sessions
A school which has cafeteria facilities which can comfortably seat at least 400 adults, so
that our attendees can have a healthy lunch without having to scatter in a rush to
McDonald’s or Burger King or Taco Bell etc. The Saturday lunch has always been a great
time to compare notes with other professionals who are interested in single-gender
education, so we would like to keep all the attendees together on one campus for lunch.
Maybe there will be one school which meets all three criteria; or, we could arrange transportation
between two or more schools, in order to fulfill all three criteria above. If we use two or more
schools, we would be interested in working with schools which have their own school buses.
If you are associated with a school which meets any of the three criteria above, please speak to
your school administrators and ask whether they have any interest in helping to host a Ninth
International Conference on Single-Gender Education some weekend (Saturday and Sunday) in
2014. If they do, please ask them to contact me (Leonard Sax). Here’s my contact information:
Leonard Sax MD PhD
64 East Uwchlan Avenue, #259
Exton PA 19341
Telephone: 610 296 2821
Facsimile: 610 993 3139
Web site: www.leonardsax.com
Office email: mcrcad@verizon.net
Personal email: leonardsax@prodigy.net
If they send an email but don’t receive a response, please ask them to call. We find that many
emails are blocked, often for reasons nobody can explain. Don’t assume the email went through.