2015 Youthbuild Graduation

Designing Ideal School Environments for Boys and Young Men

By Anthony L. Hubbard

Studies, surveys and research over the last few decades have proven time and again that single sex schools function better to serve students in a more wholesome way as compared to coeducation schools. It is a proven and widely known scientific fact that boys and girls develop differently at different ages, both physically and psychologically. Single sex schools are better able to modify their assessment and training systems to accommodate these developments, since they have to only optimize it for either boys or girls, instead of for both.

The central idea behind this discussion is that urban boys, especially those of color, should have access to high quality public school education on par with private educational institutions to help them succeed academically and professionally. African American children should have high quality single sex education centers, which concentrate on developing them as unique individuals and provide them good role models from within their own community who they can readily identify with.

Designing and creating a good single sex school for young African American men

What are the parameters and factors that need to be considered, analyzed and customized to create single sex schools that can provide unique learning ecosystems to young urban African American boys and men? We discuss a few vital parameters here that need to be considered when designing a single sex school for boys, and how to go about doing it right.

Developing a vision and mission – It is the first and most important step in designing a good single sex school for boys. Knowing the reason behind starting a school and the results you wish to achieve, forms the foundation for designing a good school.

Your vision should enumerate why you wish to start a single sex school for African American boys in the city. It should clearly state what your idea is, why you wish to pursue the idea and what you plan to achieve by pursuing and implementing your idea.

Your mission should talk about how you plan to achieve the results and impact you have detailed in your vision. It should also talk about the values you wish to incorporate at the core of all your work.

The mission should take into consideration the following differences in genders and optimize educational plans for boys:

• Boys take more time learning vocabulary, writing and language skills.
• Boys are better in computation and motor skills related activities.
• Boys tend to move around a lot, prefer playing outdoors and using touch and physical handling to discover new objects.
• Boys also tend to be more aggressive, which means you will have to plan for avoiding or discouraging fights at school.

Teaching/learning/academic support and assessment systems – This refers to the various systems in place to ensure the school moves successfully towards fulfilling its vision and mission. The school education system should be designed such that it helps both students and teachers to develop their skills and grow over time, making the education system beneficial for all those involved.

It should have programs for teachers, educators and other academic staff at schools to help them understand the changing social, economic and legal structures related to education. This could include regular training and workshops, along with tickets for local, national and international educational conferences.

Sports should be given a lot of importance in the curriculum and boys should be encouraged to engage in healthy competition. Physical education and exercise should be made an intrinsic part of the entire education setup. Such physical activities help boys deal with all the youthful energy in a positive way so that they can concentrate better during classes.

It should have special programs and assessment systems in place to ensure students learn to the best of their ability and teachers are able to provide high quality education. Assessment systems should help better learning among students, should be fair to all and should be constantly reviewed and updated as students’ requirements change.

School climate and culture – The school environment should be inspiring, comfortable and ensure safety for all students. No matter how young or old, big or small, strong or weak a student, he should not feel endangered at school. He should be able to feel safe and secure within the premises and gain confidence to feel that way in the outside world as well. The school should feel comforting and nurturing to every student who comes to study.

Creating such an atmosphere at our school requires careful thought and consideration during the initial stages of designing a school, with detailed reviewing of plans on a regular basis to ensure it serves the purpose of good education well. You need to talk to students about concerns they might have about going to school, instances of bullying and feeling left out due to interests that are different from most other students, so that you can think of all that needs to be included in your design to make your school student-friendly.

A conducive environment for a boys' school should also incorporate a lot of physical activity. The seating arrangement should be such that they can keep moving around, as that would help them concentrate better.

Culture at the school should be one that is inclusive and unbiased. Cultural differences and uniqueness should be celebrated, encouraged and upheld as an asset to the school than as a liability. Diversity helps students get acquainted and be comfortable with differences among people, helping them adapt to the outside world much better and more easily.

School counseling and guidance – Most young boys go through developmental phases, where they are unsure of who they are, what they want to do with their lives or what choices they need to make in life. It is essential to be able to address these concerns at school, so that every student can perform well academically without being bogged down by problems and lack of guidance.

There needs to be a dedicated space with experts, where students can go to talk about their problems, ask questions and get help regarding personal, academic and professional queries. This space needs to inspire students to feel comfortable and open up about things that are bothering them, to actively seek out guidance and counseling without fear of rejection, ridicule or judgment.

Overall, single sex schools for boys need to take into consideration the following factors during planning and implementation of the school design and curriculum:

• Vision and mission that takes into account gender differences, so that the school is optimized for boys to study well, learn better and excel in life.
• Teachers should be made aware of gender differences and trained to teach boys in a way that they understand and learn.
• The school climate should be conducive for boys to move around, be physically active. It should be a place where they feel physically and emotional safe and secure.
• Counselors and guides who understand boys well should be appointed to talk to boys who may be facing problems at home, school or with other facets of life. They should feel understood and have someone to guide them the right way.

Well-designed single sex schools for urban African American boys and men can go a long way in putting them on an equal platform with their urban peers and help them succeed professionally. It can assist them with making informed decisions about their career and life, enabling them to pursue their goals with absolute passion and dedication.