On barely a moment's notice, we 8th grade teachers decided to assign girls the lockers on the second floor, and boys the lockers on the first floor--instead of mixing boys and girls on both floors. We all consented immediately. Without any research, and little discussion, we made this decision...and it has been significant.
Yes, it's only been 3 weeks, but the "traffic" patterns before and after school, and between class periods have been smoother and calmer, and maybe a little more efficient. The primary objective was to minimize the extraneous and random and chance encounters between boys and girls, which too easily allow--especially in spring--relationally problematic interactions between the sexes.
Was that phrase too euphemistic? Public Displays of Affection (both wanted and unwanted) happen quite a bit in the hallways. We're thinking that certain types of some kinds of difficulties (harassment, bullying, etc., of a boy-girl nature) might be somewhat reduced under our new arrangements.
I doubt we'll have 'data' on this...you'll just have to trust our gut or intuitive sense that it's been a better arrangement than mixing boys and girls.
1 comment:
brilliant idea!
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