Abstract
Statement of the Problem
Building a sense of community in the classroom, in which all students experience a sense of belonging and ownership, and all students voices are heard and respected, can be accomplished through understanding the gender differences in learning and intentionally designing activities and instruction to address those differences. Although teacher training does periodically attempt to address the diversity of students in the modern classroom, it often lacks the inclusion of gender as a specific lens through which students view the world. Female and male students have different learning styles that affect the ways they learn and interact within the world, and subsequently, the classroom.
Sources of Data
Relevant research was reviewed in the areas of: postmodernist theory, feminist theory, reconstructionist theory and gender theory. In addition, the inclusion of the research of scholars within the fields of education, gender studies and sociology offered insight into the research problem. Moreover, sixth grade students in the teacher/researcher's classroom from the northern California area participated in a community-building study for nine weeks in the Spring of 2005-2006. The results of the pre-/post-survey data are included in the study.
Conclusions Reached
When students are given the opportunity to relate in ways that acknowledge variations in learning styles, as they relate to gender, they perceive a classroom as a positive place to which they can belong and contribute. Building community through the use of particular methods and activities in the classroom allows students to express themselves and relate to others' stories, to build trust with teachers and peers, and to build critical self-esteem as learners. The inclusion of gender-balanced community building activities in the classroom, contributes to students' perceptions that school is a place where they can be successful.