BeaknEye_ISSUU_5_10_
2/11/2011
4:00 PM
Beak ‘n’ Eye
Page 1
Volume 51 Issue 5
West High School
3505 W. Locust St. Davenport, Iowa 52804
Friday, February 11, 2011
Same sex classes show improvements on test By Felicia Raymond
When you walk into a welding, auto or engineering classroom, the first thing you notice is that there are one or two girls in the room. This classroom set up is how it’s always been but some schools are breaking the rules and having all girl tech classes, to attract more girls into technological fields. Some official’s say that the I think the idea isn’t all ultimate isn’t cracked up goal of to be. But same-sex research has been done classes is and they are finding that to improve single sex the grades classes may be helping. of students” In Fairport, New York, the middle school started a two year program of all female classes. Reportedly more than 50 students participated in the class for the first year. The previous year more than 92 percent of the technological classes were males. About 540 public schools around the United States offer single sex classes according to the U.S Department of Education. Boys may also benefit in an all boy class.In 2008 a study was done by NBC Nightly news, Kathy Piechura-Couture, Professor at Stetson University, stated that over the four years they had been doing the research, the conclusion was that 55 percent of boys in co-ed classes did worse on the FCAT, Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, compared to the 85 percent that scored high-
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er in an all male class room. West High school does not offer any single sex classes; they are more labeled as ‘a boy’s classes or ‘girl’s class’. “I would take an all girl’s class if West offered it,” said Alisa Thach, senior, said, “If West offered it I would be really interested. I think that it would help some girls learn in a different environment.” Girls at single sex schools are more likely to take non- traditional courses. Such as computer, welding, auto, carpentry, wood working classes. “I would not take an all female class,” said Audrey Anderson, senior, “I would feel weird being in an all girl class. I don’t think a lot of girls are interested in taking tech classes. So I don’t think that it would really matter because if a girl really wants to take a class then they would, not just because the school is offering something different.” But studies have shown that girls and boys learn differently and learn better in different settings. In same sex classes, teachers could assess different needs of different sexes. Girls learn differently than boys. Girls are drawn to texture and colors, like reds, yellows, and oranges. They pay a lot of detail to the face and learn best if put into a circle to work with peers. Girls hear higher frequencies than boys so if a teacher raises their voice to get attention the girls feel as though the teacher is yelling and they begin to shut down. Males learn better with forceful voices and pay attention to darker colors. Browns, blacks, and grays. The males’ eyes are drawn moving objects. The teacher should keep moving around the room. They need to use different tones and almost sound excited when teaching. Boys’ autonomic nervous system makes them more alert when they are moving around, standing, or being active. When the room is around 69 degrees they work the best. Females work the best if the temperatures is 75 degrees.
Photo by Brandon Rostenbach
GIRLS TAKING CHARGE IN CLASS - Ashley Castle, junior, does all the work that the boys do in the welding class.
Women have represented about 57 percent of enrollments at American colleges since at least 2000, according to a recent report by the American Council on Education. Women may be going to college more than men are but they still feel intimated by men not to enter male-dominated professions, such as computer analysis, programmers, web designers and scientist. These are the jobs that the United States desperately needs. “I think the ultimate goal of same sex classes is to improve the grades of students,” said Victoria Essary, senior, “In the long run I think more females will enter male professions. It is just a matter of time.”
poll
Do you think West should offer some all-girl technology classes? Yes 67% No 33% SOURCE: Beak ’n’ Eye survey of 131 students
Tuscon shooting hits home
President, Barrack Obama gave a memorial speech, Jan. 12, to consol the family’s of those who were lost. The citizens who helped The assassination attempt on Rep. or survived the Tucson Arizona shooting sat Gabrielle Gillfords on Jan. 8 in Tucson with Michelle Obama in the Gallery box to Arizona, took not only Arizona but the United watch the president. He mentioned the reason states by surprise. The Tucson shooting why each and every victim was there. seemed to hit home everywhere. “There is nothing I can say that will fill the “I don’t feel unsafe anywhere, but that’s sudden hole torn in your hearts,” said just me,” said Miranda Pfannestiel, senior. “I President Barack Obama at the Tucson memothink it can happen anywhere though. rial service, Jan. 12, “But know this: the Shootings in my opinion have always been a hopes of a nation are here tonight. We mourn problem with you for the fallen. We join and as this you in your grief. And we add world our faith to yours that becomes Gabrielle crazier they ‘I can’t believe that Representative Giffords and the other living will most someone could do victims of this tragedy pull likely through.” that, I feel scared become shooting shocked more freknowing someone manyThe people and left some quent. speechless. And the after math could do that.’ Because of the hit man pleading not people are guilty has left some scared and losing mad. regards for human life.” “When I first heard about him shooting so Kendall Tawney, senior, also said she felt many people I was in shock. It’s still really unsafe.“I can’t believe that someone could do hard to believe,” said Tawney. that. I feel scared knowing that someone Some are not as weary as others. could kill so many people and just laugh “I don’t think that this could happen in about it.” Davenport. There are stupid people here but The shooting happened at a meet and greet at not to this extreme,” said Tyler Smith, junior. a local supermarket where Rep. Gabrielle But some have differing views. Giffords was talking to the town. “Lately Davenport is getting really bad,” Jared Loughner allegedly opened fire among said Alice McCalester, senior. “I believe that citizens at a meet and greet at a supermarket, something like this could happen. You can tell killing six and 13 injured. by the way students treat others at school.” Those who were killed were U.S. District Professors say that he seemed mentally Judge John Roll, 63; Dorthy Murray, 76; unstable. This raises the question of gun perDorwin Stoddard, 76; Christina Greene, 9; mits and safety, and the mental health checks. Phyllis Scheck, 79; Gabe Zimmerman, 30. “I’m frustrated that unstable people can get He was arrested and has been charged with weapons,” said Deborah Hall, literature five federal offenses, including the attempted assassination of Rep, Gabrielle Giffords. What teacher, “But I don’t know how anyone could recognize unstable people. Something has to might have motivated the shootings remains be set in place to notice that they are unstable unclear without stepping on privacy rights. Because Christina Greene was born on another professors could recognize he was unstable. tragedy. Sept. 11 2001, and died on another. No doubt about that,” she finished. Jan. 8 2011. She was at the meet and greet Loughner, has pled not guilty last week. because she was interested in politics. And her “He just plead not guilty, after what he did neighbor had taken her along for the ride. they are going to let him slide. That’s not right Giffords is still in the hospital recovering from the gun shot to the head. She was moved at all. Something should be done,” said McCalester, “I don’t care if he was mentally to Hermann Memorial hospital in Houston unstable. If a healthy regular person killed six Texas. The doctors are saying that she is people they would die. I believe they should recovering and making progress everyday. have the same punishment.” By Felicia Raymond
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Photo by Will Seberger/MCT
SORROW - People grIeve over the six persons who were killed after a gunman attempted to shoot Rep. Gabrielle Gillfords on Jan. 8 in Tuscon, Arizona.
Photo by Will Seberger/MCT
WOUNDED Bill Badger shows the scar left by the bullet the barely scraped his head while he was trying to assist stopping a gunman. The wound is a lasting reminder of the tragedy that took place in the supermarket parking lot on Jan. 8 in Tuscon, Arizona.