Advantages and Disadvantages of Single-Gender and Co-ed Schools

Over the years, there has been a debate on who between single-sex schools and co-ed institutions is the best for education. Each side of the divide has developed an argument on the advantages and the disadvantages of each system. However, the decision on which school to join depends on the parent and his or her child.

Background

Historically, only men could be educated and thus there existed only one-gender schools for men. With advancement in human and women rights, women started being educated and thus developed a new dilemma of whether to incorporate them in the existing schools or start special schools for them. This discussion has continued to date with more and more research being carried out on the topic. The proponent of single-gender schools argue that there are fewer distractions and students are able to concentrate on studies while the proponents of co-ed schools argue that the students are able to form social relationships easily. This paper argues that despite co-ed institution having various advantages, single-gender schools remain the best schools with a recorded higher success rates.

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A single-gender institution will result in reduced distractions

Source: (Kozma)

Gender distraction: all-boy, all-girl schools let students focus, advocates say Is an article on the Southcoast Today.  The article follows two schools, Nativity Preparatory, which is an all-boys school and our sisters school, which is an all-girls schools and follows the experience of the educators and students.

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“I’ve worked in a co-ed setting and now I am working in a single-sex setting,” she said. “I can see that it allows our students to focus more on their academics and less on outside distractions.”

Summary

Sarah Herman, who is the head of Our Sisters School states that eliminating distraction by using single-sex classroom will enhance student intellectual and personal growth.

Connect the ideas in the quote to your paper.

Removing distractions in a leaners life will improve their concentration in academics.

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Girls and boys have a difference in preferences in activities and subjects

Source: (Colley and Comber)

This research by Colley and Comber follows 931 teenagers and test them on their preferences on various areas.

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Stables & Wikeley re-examined approaches to subject choice by 13 and 14 years olds originally studied in the mid-1980s. Their more recent data on preferences show some evidence of continuing gender differences. PE, technology, then science, math and art, occupied the top rankings of boys. For girls, the rankings show that art was liked best, followed by English, then

drama, technology and PE. RE, music and modern languages were among the least preferred subjects for both girls and boys.

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The preference of subjects for boys and girls

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Different preferences in subjects mean the teacher must always compromise one category of the class in particular subjects. Single-gender classes will harmonize each gender with their preferences.

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A single gender school offers a student to develop a constructive friendship with peers based on common interests.

Source: (Grossberg)

4 Advantages of Single-Sex Schools is an article by Blythe Grossberg and explores the diverse advantages that learning in a single gender institution offers to their students.

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At the same time, students in single-sex schools are often more willing to take risks because they do not fear falling on their face in front of the other sex. As a result, the classrooms in these schools are often dynamic, free, and bursting with ideas and conversation, all hallmarks of a great education.

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Single-sex institutions have offered kids a place to create friends with common interests.

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The capability to form the right friendships in a single-sex institution is an advantage by itself.

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Single-gender students have time to participate in athletics.

Source: (Joe)

St. Catherine’s Montessori  is an article that gives various descriptions of the school history, program and affiliations. It is a guide to prospective parents.

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St. Catherine’s hosts after-school athletics programs for primary through adolescent community students. Students may participate in soccer, volleyball, basketball, track, and field. St. Catherine’s is a member of the Greater Houston Catholic Athletic Association, which is made up 52 Houston area Catholic schools.

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St. Catherine is a single gender boy’s high school in Houston, and every day after classes they have a time for athletics.

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The student always finds time to participate in athletics having completed their homework during class time.

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Being in a single-sex classroom increases the learner's confidence in class

Source: (Ransome)

Single-Sex Schooling Cultivates Confidence in Girls is an article published in the Baltimore Sun by Whitney Ransome. The article critically reviews the role played by single gender schools in improving a students confidence.

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An all-girls experience, be it the Girl Scouts, a girls' athletic team, a girls' camp or a girls' school can be a spring board to achievement and a sense of self-worth.

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Being in a single-sex institution elevates a learner’s confidence

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Being in a single gender classroom will assist a learner to develop academically and connect with his or her peers.

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Different curriculum for each gender

Source: (Chadwell)

Single-Gender Classes Can Respond to the Needs of Boys and Girls Is an article by David Chadwell that looks into the ways of increasing students’ academic achievements and motivation by considering single gender classrooms.

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Although experience clearly affects the development and wiring of the brain, growing evidence suggests that gender also seems to be a contributing factor in brain development. In general, researchers agree that boys have a higher physical activity level and develop self-control later than girls. Girls seem to show stronger verbal skills and demonstrate empathy more readily than boys. This means that there are probably more boys who are more active more often in the classroom and more girls who more often show strengths in using words verbally and in writing.

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Male and female development does not occur at the same time and each gender has different strengths compared to the other.

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The single-gender school can develop a curriculum that fits each gender perfectly.

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Girls in single-gender school perform better than those from co-education schools.

Source: (Coughlan)

Girls 'get better GCSE results in all-girl schools'  is an article that looks into the performance of girls in Britain. The author notes that girls in single gender have consistently being performing better compared to their counterparts in mixed institutions.

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Girls at single-sex state schools in England get better GCSE results than those in mixed schools, according to an analysis of the most recent exams. And the advantage for girls' schools remains even when other factors are taken into account, such as social background or a selective intake.

Girls from poorer families in single-sex schools got better GCSEs than their counterparts in mixed schools.

Summarize:

Notwithstanding other contributing factors, girls in single-gender schools are performing better than their fellow in co-ed schools

Connect the ideas in the quote to your paper.

Single-gender schools perform better than co-educational schools.

Works Cited

Chadwell, David. "Single-Gender Classes Can Respond to the Needs of Boys and Girls - ASCD Express 5.12." Ascd.org. N.p., 2018. Web. 4 Mar. 2018.

Colley, Ann, and Chris Comber. "School Subject Preferences: Age and Gender Differences Revisited." Educational Studies 29.1 (2003): pp.59-67. Web. 4 Mar. 2018.

Coughlan, Sean. "Girls 'Better Gcses in All-Girl Schools'." BBC News. N.p., 2018. Web. 4 Mar. 2018.

Grossberg, Blythe. "4 Reasons Why Single-Sex Schools May Be Right For You." ThoughtCo. N.p., 2017. Web. 4 Mar. 2018.

Joe, Shelby. "St. Catherine’S Montessori." Thesismag.com. N.p., 2013. Web. 4 Mar. 2018.

kozma, Carol. "Gender Distraction: All-Boy, All-Girl Schools Let Students Focus, Advocates Say." southcoasttoday.com. N.p., 2014. Web. 4 Mar. 2018.

Ransome, Whitney. "Single-Sex Schooling Cultivates Confidence in Girls

            [Commentary]." baltimoresun.com. N.p., 2014. Web. 4 Mar. 2018.