Subtle and profound differences

Mac has been musing on single-sex education here and I have to say I much prefer teaching boys and girls separately. Boys rush headlong into things without thinking, girls are timid starters but much more methodical once they get going. How do you keep a mixed class going, catering for two such different needs? Slow the boys down and they loose interest, push the girls and they will sometimes become even more timid. Naturally, this isn't always the case, these differences are not absolute. However, if for no other reason than the faster biological/sexual maturity of girls over boys, in my opinion it is a very good idea to keep their classes apart.

Since getting back from the Eucharistic Congress, Joe has posted some thoughts from the participants.
I am still meditating on the comments Joe noted off one of the participants:

Reflecting on the Eucharist as a memorial in the sense of the Jewish liturgy, we could encourage boys to use the words of St Thomas when he recognised Jesus after his Resurrection,"My Lord and my God", as their prayer of adoration just after the consecration at Mass. Girls could be encouraged to use the greeting of Mary Magdalen when she recognised Jesus in the garden on the morning of the Resurrection: "Rabboni". (Cardinal Barbarin)

The differences there are so subtle yet so beautiful. Reaching out to Our Lord as Thomas or reaching out to Our Lord as Mary Magdalene, both were granted such special favours from God, one so utterly masculine, the other so utterly feminine. Sometimes it is best not to make a list of what makes little boys and what makes little girls becuase if you do you'll only end up with stereotypes. Sometimes it is best just to put yourself into the heart of the Gospel and just dwell there just as God made you.

When you've spent some time with Thomas and Mary Magdalene, try Peter and Martha and their professions of Faith.