Best way to prep for grammar school entry in Year 3

theoretica

fred246 said:

My sister went to a single sex school. She reckoned they either ended up terrified of boys or nymphomaniacs. Nothing in-between. The only males in the school were one teacher and the caretaker. All the girls had a crush on one or the other. They were both over 50. Just all seemed very strange to me.

My experience was different - I went to a girls' school and don't think any of my cohort had unusual problems relating to or talking to boys.  School was far from our whole life with what I see as a sensible attitude of work really hard on academics during the school day and then most of the evenings/weekends and holidays are your own for other things and there were plenty of non-school clubs as well as neighbours and brothers.

Single sex school was my choice - I might have chosen differently had the school I was leaving and parents taught the boys there to be less sexist little whatsits. 

maman

An aspect of single sex schools that I noted, at least in my all girls' school, was attitudes. Every girl was encouraged to aim high in all subjects including all STEM subjects. There was none of the sexism that can infiltrate. So no silly girls saying 'I can't do maths' just for feminine effect. 

theoretica

maman said:

An aspect of single sex schools that I noted, at least in my all girls' school, was attitudes. Every girl was encouraged to aim high in all subjects including all STEM subjects. There was none of the sexism that can infiltrate. So no silly girls saying 'I can't do maths' just for feminine effect. 

Also hopefully no head of maths saying 'girls don't do double maths A-level'.  I didn't go to that 6th form.

maman

theoretica said:

maman said:

An aspect of single sex schools that I noted, at least in my all girls' school, was attitudes. Every girl was encouraged to aim high in all subjects including all STEM subjects. There was none of the sexism that can infiltrate. So no silly girls saying 'I can't do maths' just for feminine effect. 

Also hopefully no head of maths saying 'girls don't do double maths A-level'.  I didn't go to that 6th form.

Definitely not. Mostly women staff so good role models. 

onwards&upwards

maman said:

An aspect of single sex schools that I noted, at least in my all girls' school, was attitudes. Every girl was encouraged to aim high in all subjects including all STEM subjects. There was none of the sexism that can infiltrate. So no silly girls saying 'I can't do maths' just for feminine effect. 

I hope that isn’t the case in most mixed schools now.

Also, do you not think it’s rather sexist for you to refer to them as ‘silly girls’ for being a product of the society they were raised into?

theoretica

onwards&upwards said:

maman said:

An aspect of single sex schools that I noted, at least in my all girls' school, was attitudes. Every girl was encouraged to aim high in all subjects including all STEM subjects. There was none of the sexism that can infiltrate. So no silly girls saying 'I can't do maths' just for feminine effect. 

I hope that isn’t the case in most mixed schools now.

Sadly it goes on a lot still, the Institute of Physics did some good research into it and have been sponsoring programmes combatting it throughout schools, it isn't just down to the STEM teachers.  The assumption it doesn't happen any more is one of the things that helps it continue because people stop trying to combat it.

onwards&upwards

theoretica said:

onwards&upwards said:

maman said:

An aspect of single sex schools that I noted, at least in my all girls' school, was attitudes. Every girl was encouraged to aim high in all subjects including all STEM subjects. There was none of the sexism that can infiltrate. So no silly girls saying 'I can't do maths' just for feminine effect. 

I hope that isn’t the case in most mixed schools now.

Sadly it goes on a lot still, the Institute of Physics did some good research into it and have been sponsoring programmes combatting it throughout schools, it isn't just down to the STEM teachers.  The assumption it doesn't happen any more is one of the things that helps it continue because people stop trying to combat it.

Well I’m not helping it continue thanks very much!! I have zero role in combating it in schools so maybe I was over-optimistic.  

Single sex schools aren’t the answer though, in trying to solve one problem it just introduces lots of different problems. 

maman

Sadly onwards&upwards, there are still girls who still say that sort of thing not just women from an earlier generation. I think they're very silly to perpetuate that sort of stereotype. Only this week I read an article from a, presumably well educated, journalist who trotted it out in a piece about her experience of home schooling and both her children were under 10!
I'm not advocating single sex schools, just pointing out they have some plus points which should be transferred. 🙂

onwards&upwards

maman said:

Sadly onwards&upwards, there are still girls who still say that sort of thing not just women from an earlier generation.

Of course there are, we still live in a very gendered world, and referring to young women as ‘silly girls’ is sexist and patronising, as well a bit victim blaming.  

maman

Probably best we agree to differ. I'm convinced they do it for effect. I'm not talking about people who genuinely explain they find maths difficult, just those who make a flippant remark, almost boasting about it. You don't hear people making similar remarks about not being able to read.