As with anything in life, you can’t expect stellar results if you resort to using a cookie-cutter mold. One of the reasons many of us as adults still remember certain teachers with fondness and gratitude is because they took the time to understand and recognize the individual strengths and abilities found in each of us and helping us to use those talents to succeed where we might otherwise not.

If we look at how those teachers were able to take a diverse set of students, of different genders and aptitudes, and guide them towards achieving a high class average, it’s clear that business leaders can also embrace the diversity of their workplace and help everyone in their team to succeed as well.

After reading and processing both your thoughts my spin is the real challenge is recognition. Our teachers, our leaders need to start listening/observing more carefully and recognize that people receive information differently by gender, by age, by environment, thus adapt accordingly. The result would be stronger academic institutions and more team oriented business organizations. To accomplish recognition skill sets takes training, time and patience. Remember the old saying, different folks, different strokes.

Like you, I've heard about those studies that indicate that boys and girls get better grades when separated; those findings are often the reason why most schools are considering such a move. The part I find most frustrating is the lack of interest in trying to understand why this is since these boys and girls are going to have to learn to work together once they join the workforce.

Referring again to my daughter's first grade teacher, she clearly understands that there is a difference in how to get boys and girls interested in reading. And yet, her strategy is not to allocate separate time to address each gender to encourage reading. Instead, she integrates into her teaching approach how to train and motivate both boys and girls to want to read. Thanks to her efforts, our children have the highest reading level in our school board, with many high school teachers knowing right away which kids came from our school.

Certainly it's feasible for such efforts to be replicated at other grades and other schools, as well as in workplaces everywhere. The first step, of course, is doing like our first grade teacher did and acknowledge that differences do exist in how the genders learn and share information.

Thanks again, Dorothy for adding your thoughts to the discussion.

I am not fan of separating boys and girls in the education system, even though much of the research suggests that currently both sexes actually perform better when educated apart. I think the real challenge is to establish how boys/girls and men/women perform best… together … whether in the same schools or workplaces.

I agree that these decisions are going to take time to implement and even longer to be effective, but it’s important to recognise there are gender differences, that this is actually OK and then take the necessary steps to ensure that both men and women maximise their performance and achieve their potential.