Educator and Gender Diversity Guru Speaking in Bryn Athyn

Renowned educator and New York Times bestselling author Michael Gurian, a pioneer in the field of gender diversity and its effect on learning, will address how children of all ages can succeed in school and life at a public forum June 3 in Bryn Athyn.

Presented by the Academy of the New Church Secondary Schools, Gurian’s address, “The Minds of Boys and Girls: Helping Our Sons and Daughters Do Their Best in School and Life,” will be held at 7 p.m. at the Mitchell Performing Arts Center, 800 Tomlinson Rd.

In a presentation described as “inspirational, practical and humorous,” Gurian, a family counselor and co-founder of the Gurian Institute, will explore how the minds of boys and girls develop distinctly, and how parents, educators and the community at large can care for and support the needs of both daughters and sons.

Based on 20 years of research in brain science, education, and practical parenting, Gurian’s address will trace how a child’s learning mind grows, how girls and boys learn and grow differently, how acculturation influences boys and girls, and how crucial school success has become to life success. Gurian will discuss not only the developmental science of girls’ and boys’ minds, but practical methods by which to raise and educate those minds. He also will share the learning and life difficulties that boys and girls suffer as distinct groups.

Gurian’s presentation launches two days of professional development for Academy of The New Church faculty, facilitated by trainers from the Gurian Institute. ANC operates two secondary schools within a school, The ANC Boys School and the ANC Girls School.

The schools are seeking to become a Gurian Model School, using the resources of the Institute to enhance student achievement, teacher effectiveness and parent involvement.“The Academy of the New Church, with its combination of single sex and coeducational classes – two schools in one – has been developing and practicing this unique approach for many decades,” said ANC Director of Studies B. Erikson Odhner.

By associating with the Gurian Institute, attending workshops and seeking to become a Gurian Model School, he said, ANC hopes to refine its methods and theories and those of the institute. “Of particular interest is not just the reality of learning differences between boys and girls, but how we and Gurian can use the classroom and social environment of the school to teach students how the opposite sex thinks and reacts, and how to take advantage of the distinct nature of each to develop complementary behavior,” said Odhner.”

Gurian is the author of 26 books published in 21 languages, including “The Minds of Boys,” “The Wonder of Girls” and “Boys and Girls Learn Differently.” His work has been featured in professional journals and major media, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes Magazine, Time, Educational Leadership and Newsweek. He has appeared on the Today Show, Good Morning America, CNN, PBS and National Public Radio.

Tickets for Gurian’s address are $5 and may be purchased in advance at ANC’s Benade Hall, 2815 Benade Circle, Bryn Athyn. Due to limited seating, advance ticket purchase or reservations are encouraged. Reservations may be made by calling the ANC office at 267-502-2504. For additional information, visit www.ancss.org.