Single-sex schooling education, and its counterpart co-educational schooling education, are two types of educational setting where male and female students attend either separate-gender schools or mix-gender schools. Before the 19th century, single-sex schooling was commonly constructed due to various traditional or religious background. Especially before the Reformation, education, as a crucial aspect of civilization, was catered for men and privileged classes as the women had few rights to receive education. After Reformation, co-education was introduced to preach the bible to all the boys and girls and then during the 19th century, increasing amounts of co-educational schools were set up in the western Europe and colonial areas. Nowadays, …show more content…
Similarly, D. Leonard (2007) proposed that men in UK who attended single-sex schools were more likely to be divorced in their early 40s than their counterparts in co-educational schools. Besides, opponents of single-sex education who drew on a social justice perspective argued that gender segregation could be viewed as a kind of discrimination similar with race segregation or social class segregation substantially. This kind of setting with more explore to same-sex peers would cause boys tend to be more aggressive (Martin & Fabes, 2001) and both genders tend to be more gender stereotyped (Jackson & Smith, …show more content…
However, the public may be misled therefore. One has to caution that single-sex schools in Hong Kong usually have a long history and good reputation, which gather students who have good academic ability already. It means that students who are predicted to have good academic grade in single-sex schools would achieve a similar effect even though in co-educational schools, since there are pre-existing differences between students in the different types of school in Hong
It seems that single-sex education perpetuates gender stereotypes and promotes gender bias among students (Taylor). Gender-separate education requires schools and teachers to create gender-oriented courses, facilities, and learning environment. As a result, sing-sex schools exacerbate sexist attitudes and “feelings of superiority toward women” (Guarisco). It is fair to argue that the best way to achieve gender equality is to promote rather than eliminate interaction among girls and boys. However, girls in the sex-mixed class receive less attention from teachers than boys, which may lead to gender bias. More precisely, boys always have disciplinary issues, such as interruption; teachers have to pay more attention to boys’ behaviors in order to proceed the lecture more smoothly. Girls may feel less important and supportive in male-dominated classes; boys may think that males are smarter and far superior than females. Single-sex schools can address both girls’ and boys’ issues of gender stereotypes directly and accordingly. Male students may be freer to engage in some activities they have not considered before in mixed schools. For example, boys feel pressure to follow some non-macho interests when girls stay around them; however, the all-boys schools eliminate their pressure toward gender stereotyping to pursue music, dance, and drawing. Single-sex schools would help boys explore and develop themselves. Also, girls in sex-separate schools show more confidence and power (Guarisco). They could receive full attention from teachers and express their opinions in science classes without worrying about the boys’ banter. They may realize that they are as important as boys. Hence, both girls and boys can be free from gender stereotypes and benefit from a same-sex learning
There is a long history of single-sex schooling, in which males and females attend specific classes or schools only with members of their same sex. This separation of genders may be done for educational purposes or in combination with other factors, such as social interactions that occur between male and female students. There is some support for the idea that single-sex schooling can be beneficial, especially for outcomes related to academic achievement and more positive academic aspirations (Lee, 2008). Although, there are many benefits of children attending single-sex schools, evidence shows that sex segregation can also gender stereotyping and legitimizes institutional sexism (Kennedy, 2000).
Education was sex segregated for hundreds of years. Men and women went to different schools or were physically and academically separated into “coeducational” schools. Males and females had separate classrooms, separate entrances, separate academic subjects, and separate expectations. Women were only taught the social graces and morals, and teaching women academic subjects was considered a waste of time.
According to Leonardo Sax, the founder of the National Association for Single-Sex Public Education, “...whenever girls and boys are together, their behavior inevitably reflects the larger society in which they live” (Stanberry, 3). (1) It is a part of nature for girls and boys to socialize and get prepared for the real-world and develop skills to interact with another gender. (2) In the real-world it is conventional for both genders to work together and communicate everyday. (3) According with the journal “Forbes”, when students are separated by gender, they miss an opportunity of working together with different perspectives and developing their own, new, and unique thoughts as well as ideas (Saunders, 1). (4) Advocates often argue for schools to be a reflection of a ‘real’ world to prepare young adults for the future (Jackson, Ivinson, 15). (5) When both genders learn together, they learn from one another and benefit from absorbing various learning styles (Saunders, 4). (6)
In this paper I will use a multitude of research that shows scholarly evidence on why single sex education is harmful to one’s over all wellbeing and physiological health throughout one’s life. Single sex education is defined, as “the practice of conducting education where male and female students attend separate classes or in separate buildings or schools”(Pinzler, p. 785, 2005). The controversy over single sex education involves aspects such as its effectiveness and social ramifications of binary genders. Supports of single sex education believe that there are fewer distractions because everyone is of the same sex. Supporters also believe single sex education is also seen as a way to break down stereotypes such as women not doing well in the math and science field. They believe that single sex education helps males also break out of typical gender roles such as hyper masculinity. However, proponents believe separating girls and boys makes little to no difference in their academic achievement and is actually more harmful to your identity.
Sokol, Marlene. "ADVOCATES DEFEND SINGLE-GENDER EDUCATION; Criticism of the Approach as Being Ineffective Will Only Heighten, a Proponent Predicts." St. Petersburg Times [St. Petersburg, FL] 9 Oct. 2011: 1B. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 21 Dec. 2013.
After going to an all-girls school for fifteen years, I have noticed and become more appreciative of my education. It is often argued that single-sex schools prevent a lot less pressure and instill confidence. In single-sex classrooms, girls and boys are encouraged to explore subject areas not normally identified with their gender. Teachers will usually adjust their instruction to better fit how a boy or girl learns, which can be more advantageous in a single-sex environment. There are benefits to attending a single-sex school; boys and girls learn differently and should be taught in separate environments to have a better focus on his or her learning style.
Students are more focused and therefore have better test scores in single-sex classrooms. Although stereotypes are formed because of separating genders, a study in the 2009 British Educational Research Journal concluded that in single-sex classrooms, girls achieve more in math and science while boys achieve more in English (Kwong). Stereotypes have been developed early on of what girls and boys are more proficient at. Naturally girls are better at English; boys, math and science (compound sentence: elliptical construction). Single-sex classes encourage girls to pursue more in science and math and boys in English because it takes away gender stereotypes. If a boy and a girl are in the same science class working together, the girl becomes the scribe to write down data while the boy is doing the experiment (Kwong). Math and scien...
The issue of single- sex education and mixed- sex education have occupied the minds of almost all the professors of the educational process all over the world for centuries. To deal with this issue, there must be many sayings and arguments. Also, other studies related, should be put into consideration. There are many more opinions that support single-sex education, others support co-education. Most world countries are following the opinion that says that coeducation is better and more effective than single sex education. Theoretically, co-educational process is more fruitful than single-sex education that's because of three main factors that affect greatly; firstly, the students' behavior; secondly, the educational level; thirdly the socialization in society and how students emotionally affected..
The proponents of single-sex education argue that boys and girls have differing needs and that their styles of learning are different. Education which respects personal differences must take this into account. ( Mullins 124) Single-gender schools seem logical, than, to a public that accepts that gender differences are real and likes the idea of expanding choices. (Silv...
Education is a vital tool that every young person needs to be able to start a life of their own. Without education it becomes harder to find a steady job and a stable income. As with any important resource, there are so many debates surrounding different styles of education. One major style of education being debated today is the idea of single sex education. The idea of essentially segregating students based on sex seems outrageous to some people. However, dividing the sexes may be a necessary and important new way to heighten the learning experience.
Single-sex school is a school in which males and female attend school exclusively with members of their own sex. Some single-sex schools have separate classes other have separate buildings. It has been incorporated as the foundation of educational systems from many years ago. Now, Educational environment has brought back a strong enthusiasm toward single-sex schools. It is an old approach that is picking up new momentum. Schools have an important role to play in preparing girls and boys to listen and communicate effectively. Single-sex schools are very bad because it affects children attitude, learning skills and make them think negatively.
Single-sex education has shown to be effective in helping students maintain their focus inside the classroom and learn better by doing so. The distraction of the other gender is not present in the classroom environment which enables the students to primarily focus on what they are learning. According to Pahlke's article titled "The effects of Single-Sex Compared With Coeducational Schooling on Mathematics and Science Achievement: Data From Korea", s...
This problem occurs in schools everywhere and is starting to become more evident in today's society. The problem is that boys and girls learning potential are not being reached when put into the same teaching atmosphere. Girls seem to be out smarting boys in many classes. While boys excel in math and sciences and girls seem to be better in English. The styles in which boys and girls feel comfortable with are extremely different. The learning styles of girls usually contain socializing and context. For instance, most girls like to talk in small groups about the current discussion. They also like hands on activities or real life situations to compare things to. Boys are confrontational and formal. They need to be challenged by their teachers to help motivate them to become better students and be prepared. In contrast girls do not like to be confronted by teachers who are asking for an immediate answers. In most cases, girls seem to be more reserved and modest than boys about their intelligence ("What are someÉ) are. Their differences may not seem evident but make a difference to reaching their highest learning potential.
The single gender classrooms allow them to ask questions and more freely give answers, without feeling they would be ridiculed. One 7th grade girl “reported a definite improvement in her grades, noting that “I can concentrate better. I am not afraid to raise my hand” (p.6), in the single gender classes. For one boy the single gender classes allowed him to feel ““more challenged” in his all-boy classes because he enjoyed the competition” (p.6). The girls in this study gained greater benefits and were able to get past the social issues that came up from single-gender classrooms better than their male