Single-sex education is a type of learning where male and female students are separated by classes, schools, and buildings. It is also called same gender education. It was practiced as from 20th century and is still practiced today. This paper focuses on why females or girls must go to separate schools and colleges.
In United States, single-sex schools started in early 1970s to weigh the girl student performance. Girls were separated from the boys and were put into different classes. This was done to determine whether girls could perform well in subjects like mathematic and sciences (Graeme & Moore 1).
Today, although some schools separate girls and boys through classes, there are many single-sex schools that aim to support students, especially girls who have had low performance in sciences.
Females tend to perform well in single-sex schools because they have total concentration without distractions from boys. They drop shyness and turn out to be more competitive. Girls perform better in subjects like mathematics and sciences, especially when teachers understand how to teach them.
According to studies from National Institute of Mental Health, female and male brains learn at different rates. When female students are left on their own, they become curious and enthusiastic.
Leonard, Suvilla, and Joshi concurs that in a survey carried out by the South Carolina education departments, where students, parents and teachers were involved, the results showed that there was a positive impact on female schools (15).
The survey reviewed student’s participation in class, school work, and self confidence, where 65 percent of students said that the single-sex class improved their attitude towards learning with academic success. 75% indicated that these classes increased their self-confidence and 80% of parents admitted that the classes contributed to class performance improvements.
A teacher feels free when teaching adolescents on matters relating to sex education. The students do not suffer the academic competition which occurs between sexes, which is unhealthy and can make weaker students to have lower grades. In girls’ schools or colleges, the teachers use the latest learning techniques while adapting to female teaching style.
In class discussions, they are able to participate more with the absence of boys and they become more confident while developing good leadership skills. A study done by Professor Robin Robertson showed that college girls who came from mixed schools were quiet and passive in class as compared to those who were from single-sex schools.
He says that these girls were active in class and they shot their hands in the air to answer questions, or even volunteered to read a passage. He was able to identify those who came from single-sex schools with those from same-sex schools.
On the other hand, female students from mixed-sex schools are distracted by boys, especially in adolescent stage when their emotional and sexual feelings are high, and they spend time trying to impress each other, while the single-sex schools are more focused on their studies.
In colleges, female students are more focused on education rather than dating. This saves them from being side tracked by men who may divert their attention in class. They are comfortable in expressing their opinions in groups or in class because they will not seek to impress men (Sullivan & Joshi 40).
Women’s colleges and universities are likely to give undergraduate degrees to women, even in the most male dominated field as compared to other co-educational institutions. They have direct and positive impacts on women who are satisfied with their college or university experience.
In high schools, girls take all the positions of leaderships such as games, drama, and debate clubs as compared to mixed schools where males are favored, especially when it comes to other activities apart from learning as women are seen as a weaker sex.
Marsh and Rowe affirm that in some schools or colleges, teachers are biased towards one gender; normally, boys are favored. They give less attention to girls hence giving them fewer chances of learning and problem solving skills (155). The students in turn deteriorate in performance.
In this regard, female students in both colleges and schools learn better in single sex schools, especially those who are pursuing university degrees have a chance of achieving their career goals without being overshadowed by men.
Some of them may be mothers, and their teaching pace and time schedules are adjusted to their favor if they have other domestic chores. Same-sex schools provide opportunity for young women and girls to learn issues of gender identity and other roles that they are supposed to take in the society.
Similarly, young adolescent girls are able to deal with changes of puberty in the absence of boys. Girls mature early from boys and they are taught about development changes in adolescence.
Boys have been known to laugh and joke about girls, especially when they are undergoing body changes such as breast development and monthly periods, which makes the girls fear and this affects their studies. The only remedy in such cases is single-sex schools or colleges.
In conclusion, single-sex schools boost performance in girls and young women who are pursuing their careers. This can break gender stereotype, especially when teachers or lecturers have good professional development skills where young women and girls in single settings excels in maths and sciences.
College and university students are able to choose careers, particularly those related to medicine and engineering. Therefore, women are encouraged to go to single-sex institutions because it enables them to have great expectations and extreme satisfaction with their education.
Works Cited
Graeme, Paton and Mathew Moore. “Girls do better in single-sex schools.” The Daily Telegraph (London). 2009. Web.
Leonard Diana, Allice Sullivan, and Heather Joshi. “Single-Sex Schooling and Academic Attainment at school through the Lifecourse.” American Educational Research Journal, 47.1 (2010): 6-36. Print.
Marsh H. W. and Rowe K. J. (2005) “The Effects of Single Sex and Mixed Sex Mathematics Classes within a Coeducational School: A Reanalysis and Comment.” Australian Journal of Education, 40.2 (2005): 147-162. Print.
Sullivan, Alice and Heather Joshi (2011) Single-Sex Schooling and Labor Market Outcomes. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. Print.