Multimodal Project

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By Jenna Mari Baptista

CO-ED VS. SINGLE SEX

Personal Experience

Disadvantages

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Should we Separating Boys and girls

Conclusion

Introduction

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Your intRoduction to single-sex and co-ed

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The Collegiate School, a boys' school in New York City that has been single-sex since 1638.

Single-sex education, separating kids by their genders in institutions of education. This method of education was common in the United States until the 19th century. This style of education even went up to collegiate levels. This was originally because males were given the access to education first, then women.

single-sex education

Oberlin College in Ohio was the first coeducational college to open in the United States in 1833.

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Co-ed education became more prevalent after the Revolutionary War, introducing women being more responsible enough to seek an education. Co-ed education prepares students for interactions with the other gender in the long run. This style of education improves an individual’s social skills and relations with the opposing sex. Co-ed education embraces equality and encourages students of different genders to discuss and debate other’s perspectives respectively.

Co-ed education

Critics argue that single-sex schools are now created due to male and female differences in development and performance over educational achievements, as well as reducing disciplinary problems. As of now, there is a debate on if our education system should separate boys and girls in school. However, there is research and long term studies from scientists and personal experience that prove single-sex education is not an appropriate environment for education. With single-sex educational institutions, students are lacking a sense of the real world therefore they are not properly prepared. Every day of an individual’s life is filled with different genders. Separating males and females in an educational setting will reinforce gender norms and stereotypes, taking away a student’s opportunity to interact properly with the opposing gender.

The argument

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Disadvantages of a single-sex education

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Disadvantage 1

Upon the idea of a single-sex education, boys and girls’ education is adjusted based on their gender. This suggests there are learning differences upon young boys and girls. Supposedly, “There may be differences between girls and boys that benefit from different teaching styles” (Science 2.0). Advocates of single-sex schools are inferring that the curriculum is adjusted to the gender of the student being taught. With the change in curriculum, employing educators who are willing to change their teaching methods to accommodate a specific gender may be hard.

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Disadvantage 2

In an article from Arizona State University News, Richard Fabes, a professor, and director of the School of Social and Family Dynamics states, “Other disadvantages include the costs of training teachers to teach girls and boys differently and the resource demand of staffing both single-sex classes and coed classes at a time when resources are stretched very thin” (Arizona State University News). Fabes is strictly stating that the supply of teachers who are willing to teach at single-sex schools are lesser than co-ed schools, especially when there is a teacher shortage in the United States. With an adjusted curriculum, this infers that there is a significant difference in brain development between boys and girls.

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Disadvantage 3

In addition to learning differently in single-sex schools, stereotypes about different genders are reinforced in single-sex environments. But how are students separated by gender able to learn effectively on how to not promote gender stereotypes if they do not have much interaction with the opposing sex? The more time boys and girls spend apart from each other, they will both tune into a one-sided story upon the opposing gender. In an article from the American Psychological Association, covering the debate about co-ed versus single-sex, Amy Novotney writes, “Co-ed education advocates and researchers report that segregating students by gender – be it the entire school or simply classrooms – can lead to greater gender discrimination and make it harder for students to deal with the other sex later in life” (Amy Novotney).

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Disadvantage 4

There is not a single day in an adolescent’s life where they do not interact with the opposite sex. This is an extremely normal occurrence in one’s life as that is how the world works. In order to bring individuals together and conversate in a positive way, a co-ed school is a safe place to do that. School is an institute that prepares its students for their future as adults, why not let boys and girls grow as equals in their interactions within school? Stated in an article about co-ed classrooms versus single-sex classrooms, David Robertson, headmaster at Shawnigan Lake School, a co-ed boarding high school in Shawnigan Lake, writes in an article on Our Kids, The Trusted Source, “Boys and girls ultimately have a more enriching educational experience when they get to learn together” (Our Kids, The Trusted Source). Girls and boys in a co-ed environment work together with the guidance of their teacher to navigate their differences and learn right from wrong through their interactions with each other.

Disadvantage 5

Robertson also states, “The diligence and attentiveness of girls positively affects boys, while the liveliness of boys inspires girls. They can learn from and are inspired by each other” (Our Kids, The Trusted Source). The two genders break barriers for each other and are learning through each other. This prepares students for employment by providing them with opportunities to learn their differences and be able to work together. At a co-ed school, students are learning to agree and disagree with each other in a safe environment.

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Personal Experience

Personal Experience

As a student who graduated from an all girls school, I believe that I lack social skills with the opposing sex. Not having so many interactions with the opposite gender leaves me helpless as I am transitioning into adulthood. All throughout my elementary to middle school years, I found myself to be more outgoing and social. This was because I was surrounded by the opposite gender, learning from what they have to say. Exchanging ideas and opinions with the opposing sex was a significant experience for me. As of now, I am more quiet and my circle of friends has lessened into being one gender. Through my personal experience, learn to support a co-ed education to improve an adolescent’s knowledge and interaction with the opposite sex.

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Conclusion

Conclusion

Single-sex education limits an individual’s learning experience with other genders that is significant and necessary for the real world. Girls and boys sharing an education breaks learning differences and encourages them to be open to opposing ideas, respectively agreeing or disagreeing with others. Segregating gender in school could reinforce stereotypes, straying adolescents from working with other individuals and having a limiting mindset when interacting with the opposing gender. Ultimately, boys and girls learn from each other when they are taught how to properly conversate with each other. The best and safest place to learn about this is in a school that does not cater into separating the two genders.