Successful Schools

"This was a several part series on public radio about Wamsley Elementary where I did a lot of training (3-4 days onsite, all teachers took the online class and attended Summer Institute). They were strong adopters of the strategies.

"They have been on 'academic watch' (meaning that they were close to being disciplined or reconstituted by the state) for two years and are 51% Latino and Title I. They just got word that they have come off of academic watch with the state - huge news! They were one of only eight schools in the state to accomplish this."

The Gurian Institute was privileged to begin working with CSK during their first year of operation (2007-2008), providing professional development to all administrators, faculty and staff of the newly designed school in creating a girl-friendly learning system. As a choice school, girls who were entering 6th grade had the opportunity of attending this single-sex middle school. The school expanded to 7th grade in year two, and to 8th grade this year.

After much dedication and hard work by the principal, Melody Morgan, and her outstanding staff, CSK made AYP in its second year (2008-2009). CSK exceeded the GA state pass-rate in both Language Arts and Math. CSK team members have participated in the GI Summer Institute for two years, Master Gurian Institute Trainer Lynn Ritvo is a consultant for the school, and CSK is now a Gurian Institute Model School. CSK is currently moving into their new school building.

The BEST Academy opened in the fall of 2007, and our GI Team was privileged to begin helping them create a boy-friendly environment that would allow their new 6th graders to begin closing the gender-gap and move toward academic success. BEST expanded to include 7th grade in year two and 8th grade this year. BEST’s new principal this year, LaPaul Shelton, has a dedicated team of educators and a supportive parent organization that is helping BEST make wonderful progress. They also moved into their new school building at the beginning of this year.

The BEST Academy made AYP for the first time in the 2008-2009 school year. Teams of BEST’s teachers have attended the Gurian Institute’s Summer training two years in a row and are busy implementing what they’ve learned. Gurian Institute Trainer Rick Price and Principal Shelton are excited about the successes they are seeing at BEST, and expect the BEST Academy to be a Model School by the end of the 2009-2010 school year.

I am the superintendent of Avoca School District 37 in Wilmette, Illinois. You conducted a keynote presentation in my district last August that really motivated my staff. Then, in January, two Gurian Institute trainers came to Avoca and conducted an in-depth workshop for all my teachers. This workshop gave my staff specific strategies so they could actually implement many of the ideas you ignited in the keynote address. The keynote address and the specific training triggered great discussions and sharing of ideas amongst the staff throughout the entire school year. We really focused on strategies for boys, especially in the area of reading.

Our test results at the end of the year were quite significant. We use the standardized testing system called MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) by the Northwest Evaluation Association. MAP achievement levels are shared in the form of RIT scores. You can give MAP test multiple times throughout the year, so we were able to do a fall pre-test and a spring post-test.

In the pretest, prior to Gurian awareness and training, the gender gap in reading between girls and boys in grades 3rd-8th averaged 2.35 RIT points per grade level (i.e. 7th grade girls average reading RIT is 230.0 while the boys is 227.65). However, in the spring post test after the Gurian keynote and training, the gender gap average between boys and girls dropped to an average of 0.92 RIT points per grade. In other words, the gender gap between boys and girls in reading was reduced by 1.43 RIT points- a remarkable percentage reduction.

We have a very talented and dedicated staff, and they deserve the bulk of the credit for this wonderful success story. They took your work, and weaved it into their already-successful teaching strategies to made significant improvements in boy literacy. Your message and “spark” in August, followed by the specific training the staff received in January, formed a powerful “one-two” punch. You helped us increase our awareness, generate a professional dialog and launch an important improvement effect. I thought you might like hearing a wonderful success story. Thanks again.

— Dr. Joseph M. Porto, Superintendent, Avoca School District 37

BRECKENRIDGE COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL, HARNED, KENTUCKY

In hopes of improving grades, test scores and numbers of discipline referrals, teacher Missy Critchelow and her colleagues, under the supervision of Principal Snodgrass, received training in male/female differences and Gurian Institute methodology. They instituted single gender 8th grade math and science classes in 2003. Missy reports:

“Before the switch to the new methods, the boys had several Fs and the average was a low C for all of the classes. The girls generally had better grades—only a few Fs--but the overall girl average was high C to low B. In these particular classes were all of our special education students, because we don’t have a resource class for 7th and 8th grade students.

“After the change, both classes had higher grades. And, by the end of the school year, the boys’ average was within 5 points of the girls’ average. In total, at the end of the year, out of 180 students, I had only 3 boys with the F average and 2 girls. I credit this outstanding improvement to the gender specific classes.

“Discipline was also a big change. I sent two students to the office all this year, and that is outstanding. With the boys especially, using gender specific methods was helpful for decreasing discipline problems. Boys had to take on leadership qualities.”

CAROLINA DAY SCHOOL, ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

The Middle School of Carolina Day School had two days of training for their staff and administration facilitated by the Gurian Institute in April 2004, including a parent session. After a year of research and study, they implemented single-gender instruction in their core classes (language arts, social studies, math and science) for 6th and 7th grades. In addition, the faculty has used what they learned from their training to make significant changes to enhance their advisory program. Peggy Daniels, Middle School Principal, reports positive outcomes for both gender populations as well as significantly improved dynamics—less social anxiety.

According to Daniels, “Everyone agrees that this is one of the best things we’ve ever done for our school. Students, parents and teachers are more engaged—learning more, accomplishing more. There is a contagious excitement in the air among faculty that gets passed down to our students.

"Sixth- and seventh-grade girls in single-gender classrooms thrive in an environment that feels more nurturing. They are better risk takers when boys are not in the classroom and teachers can directly address girls’ lack of confidence (typical for the age) in the single-gender environment. Teachers are better able to honor the girls’ need for connection and relationship, without boring the boys.

"The boys have loved the freedom to relax and learn and also to feel that they are not being compared to girls. They tend to be more supportive of each other and open to discussing what works and what doesn’t work for them. They are using more words as they discuss and as they write. One teacher mentioned that her boys were not into 'journaling,' but seemed to have little hesitation when asked to write in their 'captain’s log.'

"The whole experience has been fun and rewarding.”

Peggy Daniels reports these key outcomes:

Stronger mentoring relationships among students

An environment which promotes trust and a sense of belonging

Teachers who feel more connected with students and with each other

A stronger and more knowledgeable community of educators who better understand adolescent learners

Decreased stress for students and teachers

More direct ways to deal with the social and emotional pressures of students

Classrooms that allow for more teaching and quality learning experiences

A new energy that causes teachers to be more creative and also more reflective about their teaching.

DOUGLASS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BOULDER, COLORADO

Kelley King, Principal of Douglass Elementary at the time, reported in October, 2005:

In August 2004, the faculty of Douglass Elementary studied our achievement data and noted a gap in achievement between boys and girls in writing. The faculty decided to establish a school improvement goal to close the gap through the implementation of instructional strategies shown to be effective in accommodating the brain differences of boys.

The teachers and principal studied the research in Michael Gurian’s book, "Boys and Girls Learn Differently" and the ASCD article, With Boys and Girls in Mind (Educational Leadership, by Michael Gurian and Kathy Stevens, November 2004). The instructional strategies we implemented are recommended by Michael Gurian and Kathy Stevens and included:

Increasing movement and kinesthetic learning opportunities;
Expanding the selection of reading materials to interest boys in the classrooms;
Teaching and encouraging visual-spatial representations of thinking, especially during the planning stages of writing;
Creating a greater sense of purpose by offering expanded audiences for writing;
Creating a greater sense of relevancy through more freedom with topic choice in writing;
Increasing the use of male role models in the classroom, especially in reading and writing;
Offering some opportunities for single-sex activities within a classroom (i.e.. all-boy literature circle);
Offering real-life simulations, such as re-enactments and debates, to engage boys emotionally.

After one year of implementation of boy-friendly strategies, we saw amazing results in our writing achievement scores – especially for boys, but also for all sub-groups of students. Our special education students are 4 to 1 boys. The results with those students were truly amazing.

Our results for the 2004 - 2005 school year are reported in weighted index scores. Weighted index score gains indicate the amount of growth in one year’s time, from 3rd to 4th and 4th to 5th.

EDINA SCHOOL DISTRICT, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA

Under the direction of Superintendent Ken Dragseth, Edina Public Schools, just outside Minneapolis, has implemented a gender initiative over the last three years that has helped close achievement gaps and improve overall education for its students. As Dr. Dragseth reports, "In 2002, we completed a data analysis of 70 indicators and found that 1) girls were doing much better in our schools than boys on most indicators, thus we had an overall achievement gap that needed addressing, and 2) that there were specific areas of need for girls as well."

The Edina district decided to work on gaining greater knowledge and training on how boys and girls learn differently, finding Michael Gurian's BOYS AND GIRLS LEARN DIFFERENTLY! and the work of the Gurian Institute relevant and helpful. Dr. Dragseth continues, "We contacted the Gurian Institute in order to increase our knowledge and training in issues facing boys and girls specifically, including practical applications of instructional strategies that focus on gender differences."

Over the last three years, Edina Public Schools has seen qualitative and quantitative improvement in student performance. As Dr. Dragseth puts it, "The gender-friendly instructional theory and techniques have helped us to significantly improve student achievement and meet the individual needs of both genders. For instance, when our seventh and tenth grade MCA Reading and Math mean scores are now compared with our surrounding districts, we notice higher scores in our district for both boys and girls. We also notice the gap between boys and girls beginning to close. Furthermore, we have found that teacher and parent heightened awareness of gender differences in learning styles and appropriate strategies has been well received by students themselves.”

Jarrod Lamshed made contact with the Gurian Institute earlier this year about the highly successful boys’ class at Hackham East School in Adelaide, South Australia. For his report, please click here. To see his report about engaging more boys in the arts, specifically the school choir, click here.

Jarrod shared: “We have based our single sex programs around your texts. We are very excited about the progress we are making here, and are looking forward to another great year in 2009.

It has been successful enough that they have structured a second boys’ class for the 2009 school year and they will keep the original boys’ class together for a second year. This second class will be a year 1 and 2 class.

July 30, 2008

This letter is in support of the Gurian Institute and its effort to obtain recognition as a training site for gender difference and brain based science initiatives from the Colorado Department of Education.

I am employed as a Counselor at Roncalli Middle School in Pueblo, Colorado and first had the opportunity to experience training offered by the Gurian Institute in a professional development workshop offered through Pueblo School District No. 60. We then sent a team to the Gurian Institute’s Summer Seminar in July of 2005. Rarely had we been exposed to a professional development experience that was infused with such rigor, relevance, and research based data.

We at Roncalli then initiated single gender classrooms in 6th grade Reading, Language Arts, Science and Math the following fall. Kathy Stevens, the Director of Training for Gurian, provided full-day training at our school for the entire staff and remained available for consultation and guidance throughout the year- long implementation of our single gender option for parents and students.

Gurian returned again in the fall of 2006 to provide another day of strategies for our teachers as we moved the single gender option into the 7th grade and created additional sections in the 6th. Those students who have been engaged in the single gender program at Roncalli have consistently demonstrated the highest class averages, GPA’s, and achievement levels since the inception of the program.

All of our contact with the Gurian Institute over the years has revealed an organization consistently professional, committed, and dedicated to advancing brain based theory and practical application in educational settings for the advanced achievement of both boys and girls with the aim of firming their success and providing more effective foothold and access to the global economy.

Practical motivation of students and teaching in ways that respects and recognizes their diversity and gender remains a priority at Roncalli Middle School. We have greatly benefited from our exposure to the trainings offered through the Gurian Institute and their wonderful and highly competent trainers.

They are a cutting edge leader in the field of brain based science, educational and leadership research, and in gender differences as they impact learning and work environments. The practical applications are relevant for schools seeking to enhance the achievement levels of all students.

At such a critical juncture for our educational system, indeed for our society, we should acknowledge and embrace those agencies and institutes who can assist us. I would recommend their trainings to any and all that have the success of our young people at heart.

Sincerely,

Michael Horton
Roncalli Middle School

ROOSEVELT MIDDLE SCHOOL, OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA

Submitted by Marilyn Vrooman, Principal.

In 2005, we had a gender gap in reading achievement of 17%. Our boys scored 55% satisfactory on the 8th grade CRT reading test and our girls scored 72%. I began looking for strategies that would correct this problem and came up with gender separation in classrooms. The teachers agreed, the parents agreed and we separated the boys and girls in language arts, math and technology education.

Immediately, we saw positive results with the girls. They took to it like ducks to water. We are 100% free lunch; 65% Hispanic, 25% white, 8% black, 2% other. We are an urban school district with 900 students grades 6, 7 & 8. The boys were not so quick to work. They complained that they needed the girls, the classes were louder, and the maturity differences in the boys caused problems in class.

So, researching more, I came upon the Gurian Institute that had many books written about learning differences in males and females. I contacted Kathy Stevens and had her come for two days. T he first day, she just observed classes, took notes and studied behavior. The second day, she conducted an all day in-service for our faculty. She helped us understand the differences in boys and girls regarding brain based learning, behavior and strategies for success. After she left, our teachers were charged up again. The teachers realigned their classrooms to meet the needs of the genders and changed the materials used to teach.

We have found that our boys do not like touchy feely stuff. They like non fiction, cars, action, etc. Keeping totally with our state standards for each class, the teachers used different materials to teach the standards, and the boys took off. And in terms of discipline success, our total fights on campus went from 125 to 30. On our CRT scores, at the end of last year, our boys scored 71% satisfactory on the reading CRT and the girls scored 80%; narrowing the achievement gap to 9% in one year. This year is the first year we have been off the states "at risk" list in four years. This year, we have students separated by gender in all core subjects and in computers. In order to overcome the maturation problem with the boys, we have the students grouped by ability, using last year's test scores.

Honestly, we would not have had the success we had if the Gurian Institute had not come in a worked with us on teaching strategies by gender.

Dan Colgan, Superintendent of St. Joseph, Missouri School District, asked the Gurian Institute to provide on site training for Edison Elementary School, in St. Joseph, Missouri. Dr. Colgan commented, in 2000:

"We focused the Gurian Institute training on one school, Edison Elementary, headed by Principal Debbie Murphy, who took the helm at Edison in 1993 with the difficult job of improving an elementary school that had consistently tested at the lowest ends of the academic spectrum. Debbie applied a number of core training models, culminating in an immersion of her key staff in the Gurian Institute in the 1999 - 2000 school year. Something amazing happened.

"Edison, which had previously tested at the bottom of 18 District elementary schools, now tested in the top five slots, sometimes in 1st and 2nd. Statewide, Edison outscored state data in every subject area, sometimes doubling or tripling the number of students in the top achievement levels. Instead of the usual large number of children at the bottom end of achievement testing at Edison, there were now only two who would require state-mandated re-testing. Two failing students out of 400 total students in the school is the best number we've yet achieved.”

According to Superintendent Colgan: “We've also seen a drastic drop in discipline problems. Principal Murphy told me, 'I used to have pages and pages of failure and discipline reports on my desk. That has changed.” She was also amazed to notice that the difference in gender-specific discipline and academic failure reports—boys generally make up the larger number of discipline and academic failures than girls—had decreased. Discipline problems had dramatically declined, the discipline gap was not as wide between the genders, and now both boys and girls were performing at the top academic levels in our state.”

Further Comment:
"We believe the Gurian Institute training in the specific learning styles of boys and girls, and in gender-specific teacher, student and parent bonding strategies, were so effective that we now have tools as educators to fully educate all our students. This training has changed the way we do the business of education in St. Joseph."

Humboldt Elementary School

In February of 2005, Dr. Colgan followed up on his earlier assessment of the influence of Gurian Institute Training on St. Joseph School District. Dr. Colgan wrote:

"Since your extensive training sessions here, our district has made great improvement in Missouri's statewide assessment test. We are particularly excited about our progress in closing the gap that existed between male and female students.

"One of our schools, Humboldt Elementary, has had exceptional results in the area of literacy. When the Gurian Institute's work in our district began, 56 percent of the students were reading at or above grade level as per the state test. Today (2004), 90 percent of our students are at that level. Furthermore, in 1999, Humboldt's girls were outperforming boys as indicated on the statewide achievement test: 21 percent of girls were scoring in the top levels of this test, while only 11 percent of the males were in the upper levels. Today, this gap has closed."

Dr. Colgan continued, "We believe the reason for our district's dramatic improvement is twofold: improvements in teacher/student relations (especially in teachers' abilities to understand and teach to those boys who might first appear to be difficult) and best instructional practices in the classroom (practical methodologies that make instruction work)."

STATE OF ALABAMA, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

In 2003, Carol Crawford, Director of Programs for the Alabama State Dept. of Education, initiated statewide training by the Gurian Institute for Alabama administrators and school principals. From this training, administrators then took Gurian Institute resources and methods to their individual schools.

Within six months, these schools began reporting increased test scores and grades for both boys and girls, as well as decreased discipline referrals.

In the summer of 2004, Principal Jackie Dye of Rudd Middle School, in Pinson, Alabama, brought the Gurian Institute training to her middle school. Faculty, administrators and parents were trained in how boys and girls learn differently. According to Jackie, “We immediately see teachers reporting decreased disciplinary referrals and improved academic performance for both our boys and the girls.”

At Warrior School (a K-8 public school), in Warrior, Alabama, Pam Horton, principal, implemented gender specific teaching strategies and reported, “We saw fewer discipline problems and we saw higher grades.”

Horton is now principal of the brand new North Jefferson Middle School, where she is piloting gender-specific teaching strategies and classes in core subjects, utilizing Gurian Institute methods and training.