Single Gender Education

Boys and girls experience significant emotional, physical, and cognitive change during middle school. This transformative period of their lives demand the simplicity that single gender education offers. Many private schools, particularly those sponsored by religious organizations, have connected this correlation through its offering of single gender classes. Research has shown that the decision made by these schools to separate genders is based on the positive effects on the students’ behaviors. Schools are important because they prepare students for future responsibilities. It is important that different educational systems are assessed to determine best practices. Whether these practices require single gender education or not they’re importance is reflected in the impact they have on the student. Some scholars argue that separating boys and girls in the classroom enhances academic performance. Those that oppose such separations have contributed to the prohibition of single sex education in some states. However, other states are giving single gender education a chance. For example, South Carolina has introduced legislation that requires all districts to promote options for students to participate in single gender classes. The legislation was brought upon with strong opposition although it gave students a choice. Despite the oppositional arguments single gender education has yielded high academic results. These results are due to its building of self-esteem, enhancement of future work relations, and reduction of discrimination.

Single sex education builds self-esteem and confidence, which is important in achieving academically. Those against single gender classes have argued that those students do not perform better than in coed classes. However, research that has been conducted by the opposition has not been conclusive as results have been inconsistent. Furthermore, the research methods applied have also been challenged by notable psychologists. Some psychologists have argued that tests should address the students’ self-esteem and confidence, which is important in academic performance. Studies have concluded that students participating in single gender classes were more confident. The girls tended to be positive towards the STEM fields compared to girls in coed classes. Research shows that girls from same sex classes are more likely to be risk takers and creative thinkers in their adult lives. Additionally, boys are more competitive without girls in the classroom. When boys in middle school face challenges with girls they tend to develop an inferiority complex, which may insight conflict. They are more receptive in same sex classes whereas in coed classes they are often distracted. Research has demonstrated that the same issues coed classes have produced are mitigated by the implementation of single gender classes.

Separating boys and girls in classrooms have enhanced the work relations between them in the future. Some scholars have argued that separating boys and girls sends a message that both genders cannot work together harmoniously, thus, creating a negative view of the workplace for the future. They believe that coed classes would prepare students best for the coed workplace environment they’ll come across in their adult lives. In their opinions, once students who study in single sex environments enter the workforce they cannot work with those of the opposite sex. The argument made by these opponents assumes that a single sex education frames the entire gender experience of a child. Children interact with members of the opposite sex outside school in their homes, church, playground, after school programs, and many other places. There, they not only participate in negotiating but also share responsibilities with the opposite sex. In the home students place their parents as models to learning skills. Students from single gender classes can work comfortably with members of the opposite sex because they will have learned to interact with members of the opposite sex in other areas of their lives outside of school.

The discrimination that exists in coeducational classrooms can be reduced by single sex classrooms. Many feel that the separation of boys and girls in schools are discriminatory, and as a result, unconstitutional. In response to this other scholars have stated that having students in coed classes is more discriminatory because of what research shows. Research shows that the coed educational system favors boys because they appear to participate more than girls. In addition, it shows that teachers call out or address boys more than the girls because of the previous assumption. The preferential treatment of boys in coed classrooms by teachers discourages girls from participating and engaging in class. Many believe that teachers address boys more because they view girls as weak and delicate.

Generally, this essay has demonstrated that separate classrooms for boys and girls yield higher academic performance through building self-esteem, enhancing future work relations and reducing discrimination in the classroom. Clearly, single sex education yields results that should be taken into account when determining the best options for students. Research has shown that both boys and girls have gone beyond the boundaries they’ve experienced in coed environments and succeeded in single sex classes. As mentioned above, girls become more confident in participating in science and mathematics classes, and boys are more focused and competitive.