Gender Bias?

Earlier this month, I lead a wetland hike at my church (Waterford Mennonite) for the Venture Club. I had suggested to the leaders that it might be beneficial to divide into two groups, as they had another activity planned for the evening. The leaders of the group gave the students an option as to how they wished to divide, and they immediately suggested boys and girls. I wonder, after reading this article, if I in fact was able to modify my teaching to more effectively engage both groups. Even among the groups, there was a spectrum of comfort level and interest in the activity. The boys seemed much more interested in exploring, but it was one of the girls that walked out on a fallen tree, and then slipped stepping into quite a bit of muck. The girls weren't inclined to move as quickly, so I actually only went part way down one trail, did some activities and then returned. The boys were ahead of me from the start, and so I decided that we might as well keep moving, and we completed a loop around one of the ponds. This article would seem to support the notion, that allowing the boys room to explore and continue to move was more beneficial for their experience. I enjoyed both experiences, but they were also both unique. This study shows that the flexibility of EE allows a teacher to respond to all types of learning styles, without needing to intentionally place boxes. While it is important to respond to the needs and abilities of each individual learner, I feel it is also important not to presuppose their desires or abilities due to gender.