According to Wikipedia, single-sex education, also known as single-gender education, is the practice of conducting education where male and female students attend separate schools or classes. The practice was predominant before the mid-twentieth century.
Single-sex schooling was traditionally used for secondary schools in the United Kingdom, but most UK schools are now coeducational. The number of single-sex state schools has fallen from nearly two thousands and five hundred to just over four hundred in 40 years.
On the contrary, in the USA, single-sex education is on the rise. There were only two single-sex public schools in the 90’s; today there are more than five hundred public schools in that offer some single-sex classes.
The movement is based on the belief that there are differences in the ways that male and female brains develop and function. It requires classrooms in which boys and girls are not only separated by gender, but also taught according to radically different methods.
But can we consider that girl schools are a form of segregation ?
We’ll see on one hand that single-sex education reinforces sex stereotypes then we’ll see on another hand that it’s also a bad preparation for “the real life”
I. Single-sex school is a reinforcement of the sex stereotypes
By treating them differently, it can create some inequality between the two genders. We had already tried in the past to separate people depending on their differences: It creates inequality and frustration.
Great Depression Teachers School Education
During the Great Depression receiving an education was becoming more and more difficult for southerners. From not being able to afford the required supplies needed, to not being able to pay the tut ions, many people found it nearly impossible to attend school. The novel, To Kill A Mockingbird written by Harper Lee shows how the lack of education in society during the Great Depression affected ...
Boys who spend more time with other boys become more aggressive and in the same way, girls who spend more time with other girls become more sex-typed.
The single-sex education’s advocates argue that boys are more receptive to loud and confrontational teachers while girls prefer to be approached by a gentler touch. But for a sensitive boy or an assertive girl, this teaching style could be ineffective (at best) or detrimental (at worst).
For example, a sensitive boy might be intimidated by a teacher who speaks loudly.
There are other disturbing gender stereotypes such as :
– Teachers should not smile at boys because they are biologically programmed to read this as a sign of weakness,
– Girls should not have time limits on tests because, unlike boys, girls’ brains cannot function well under these conditions,
– Boys are better than girls in math because boys’ bodies receive testosterone
Although these ideas are considered as “new discoveries” about brain differences, they are, in fact, only dressed up versions of old stereotypes. In my mind, it’s not true that boys and girls learn differently. In the past, we used to believe that the races learn differently, too. And I think we all agree that it was a perfect non-sense.
II. Single-sex school is a bad preparation for “the real life”
School’s role is to teach the kids how to write, how to count but it is also to prepare them to live in society. But in the real life, we try to delete all the differences and inequalities between people. So I think it’s contradictory to create single-sex school and it’s not a good example for the kids.
If boys are separated from girls, it reduces their opportunities to work together and they will not be used to be around the opposite gender. It does not help children to get ready for ‘real life’ and the ‘real world’ where, of course, the two genders do co-exist.
It may cause some problems in their relationships because they will not learn to understand and respect different views and opinions. In fact the teenage years are known for being important periods of development and this type of education makes it harder for children to naturally relate to members of the opposite sex. They will not know how to behave with each other and there might be a lack of comprehension.
The Essay on Sex Education School Schools Sexuality
Many parents are against sex education being taught within the schools. Sex is a very sensitive subject. Many parents feel that it is not appropriate to teach children these facts of life at such a young age. Shouldn t one wait for marriage to learn about these things any way The overwhelming fact is that a growing number of teens especially are thinking about and even having sexual encounters. ...
The article from the Independent, which we had to study for this week, gives us some idea of the consequences of this type of education, especially for men. A research, led by Professor Diana Leonard, shows that boys in such school are more likely to be divorced or separated from their partner than those who attended a mixed-school. They are also more likely to have spoken of a dislike for their school days.
Creating sex-segregated schools and classrooms is a waste of time and effort. We could use those resources for initiatives that actually will improve the education of both boys and girls. For instance, to reduce class sizes and to increase teacher training.
Moreover, these sex-segregated classes deprive students of important preparation for the real worlds of work and family. Rather than offering choice, sex-segregated programs limit the education of both boys and girls.
III. Conclusion
To conclude, as I said, Sex-segregation in public education perpetuates old gender stereotypes, and it deprives both girls and boys of the benefits of co-education.
I think we should raise the children by making them aware of their diversity and by making them able to live together peacefully
