Heavy eyelids, nodding heads and total disinterest in the classroom: countless students experience these feelings. It may have to do with the ways in which students, or even genders, learn. Mr. Brown thinks genders learn differently, which prompted him to create an all-boys class.
Mr. Brown, who has taught eight years, teaches an all-male English class named “Men of Tomorrow.” The class setting allows Mr. Brown to incorporate different teaching methods and lessons, such as teaching young men how to become better men now and in the future.
“I hope they gain more maturity and are better prepared for college and their career path,” Mr. Brown said.
According to Satoshi Kanazawa, who writes for Psychology Today, male and female brains differ in the way each thinks. The male brain thinks systematically, meaning it analyzes and explores certain aspects in a situation and tends to draw conclusions, while the female brain focuses more on emotions and evidence given while solving problems. The two brains function differently during the learning process, so the boys in the class may find more common ground while working together.
“I definitely notice the difference in the way boys learn,” Mr. Brown said.
Kanazawa also says male and female brains work differently in everyday life, such as the way they perceive colors, interpret tones in speech and the way they focus. Even the way the male nervous system works suggests boys are more alert when moving and interacting with their surroundings. Although this does not apply to all cases, it proves true for most males and females.
“Boys love to be active,” Mr. Brown said. “The boys take an active role in assignments, which leads to project-based learning where the assignments are built from various discussions.”
A couple of the students enrolled in the class have chosen to take the class for all four years of high school such as senior Dylan Garrett, who also helped co-create the class with Mr. Brown.
“The value of this one program has made me a ten times better man than I was when I was just starting out,” Garrett said.
Mr. Brown strives to inform the students in his class about how to become better men in life and in their careers by not only teaching them, but by also incorporating certain virtuous characteristics in daily lessons. Jacob Petrie has noticed a difference not only in Mr. Brown’s class, but in his other classes as well.
“He expects more from us,” Petrie said. “I have noticed a change in all my classes. He teaches us for different classes.”
The overall impact of this program remains well received by those involved. The specialization of this class allows for the use of new methods that may not have worked in a co-ed class, and these new methods and environment benefit those involved in a positive way.
“[Mr. Brown] cares about the students he teaches, and he applies his teaching methods to fit the needs of his young men,” Garrett said.
