School in Sex Shocker! (Single Sex vs Co-Ed Schools)

Member Name: freediveheaven

Product:	Single Sex vs Co-Ed Schools
Date:	22/01/07 (4568 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Benefits to both

Disadvantages: Negatives to both

In the field of education in the UK single sex education has a longer history than mixed sex education however in the present day it is the mixed education system mainly in the form of the state run comprehensive education that is the format that educates the majority of students.

Many people have quite strong views on whether single sex education is better than mixed education even if for the majority there is little option but to send their children to mixed sex schools. Even in a mixed sex school it is still possible to find children in single sex classes for some subjects, in my last school Public, Social and Health Education (PSHE) was taught in single sex groups as well as some Science, Maths and English groups.

I must admit I do not have strong views on either side of the debate. I know that as a parent I would be inclined to have my children educated in single sex schools if I could afford it however this is more to do with the fact that a lot, but not all, of the top private schools are single sex and I would be paying for the level of education rather than a belief that single sex education is better. In my own local authority there is still a Grammar School system for which an entrance exam must be taken and both of these schools are single sex as well and in the case of the girls school regularly finishes in the top 25 state performance tables based upon exam results.

One of the main arguments against single sex schools is that by not having a gender mix the child social development will be impacted upon as they do not encounter peers of the opposite sex and therefore may grow up with a very stereotyped view of the opposite sex. Such a view does have some merit however it should be noted that whilst a child spends a significant amount of time in the classroom it is not the only place that they learn social skills or form opinions of what gender means. The home has a far greater influence where they will encounter members of the opposite sex in the form of parents and siblings. In addition outside interests and clubs will also provide contact with the opposite sex and many single sex schools will arrange such activities and joint ventures themselves and hence the argument that social development will be affected is relevant but not a major argument against in my opinion.

Within the classroom there are some very real benefits to having a mixed sex class. Traditionally boys are seen as being greater risk takers than girls whilst girls often have a more methodical approach to activities. Combining these two qualities can provide a useful learning tool when carrying out group activities as the girls have a calming influence on the boys whilst the risk taking element provides a creative element to the work. Obviously such traits are not present in all and this is a generalisation however it does hold true based upon my own experience in the majority of cases. By removing such elements then group work can suffer however it also can be overcome in a number of ways and in some cases working in a single sex environment can encourage students to undertake roles that they would not otherwise have to do in a mixed group.

One of the benefits advocated by supporters of single sex education is that the distractions of the opposite sex are removed, boys are less likely to do the posturing and showing off in front of the opposite sex in order to look cool and hard and there is definitely some merit in this viewpoint. It is also recognised that girls tend to out perform boys in most measures of academic achievement with boys more likely to become disengaged from the curriculum and switched off to education and as such by having single sex schools there is the opportunity to remove the social pressures and also ensure that lessons contain a subject content that will be more of interest to boys and encourage them to learn. A similar argument for girls applies as at a certain age in mixed class rooms some girls feel that it is not cool to be clever or work hard as it will not make them appealing to boys and they need to ensure that the act and dress in a way that will make them stand out for entirely non educational reasons. A single sex classroom or school to a certain extent removes this pressure and can create a better, safer learning environment.

Inclusion is a key buzz word within education at the moment in a drive to integrate as many pupils as possible into mainstream education and to create a learning environment that is diverse and reflect all parts of society and clearly a mixed education school has a much better opportunity to do this that its single sex counterpart. In terms of preparation for the outside world a mixed sex school has some clear advantages. For a child from a single sex educational back ground then often university or the work place could be the first environment with members of the opposite sex that they find themselves in, given that by now they will be at least 16 and more likely 18 then it is very late in their development to find themselves in such a situation and given that on its own this is a major period of change then also having to come to terms with new social group dynamics is also a an added strain. From my own personal experience of friends who were educated in single sex schools I can think of only two who really struggled with this and to be honest both would have struggled had they come from a mixed sex school as they had naturally shy and with drawn personalities in the first place.

Another key buzz word we hear from the government with regards to education is that of choice. It is this concept that provides support for the existence of both types of educational facility as to do away with one in favour of the other would deny both parents the opportunity to choose what they think is best for their children and also school leaders to decide how best to educate those students trusted to their charge.

Personally I can see benefits in both forms of education and even within a mixed education school some classes are better suited being delivered as single sex classes whilst in others a mix of genders just as a mix of abilities can be a positive thing and encourage a wider and higher level of learning.


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Summary: Debate on education