a ‘Mrs. Helmick English 102 13 March 2015 Single Sex Education, Separate and Equal Outline ‘Thesis statement: Single sex education is the best form of education and it should be offered in Public schools. It lays the foundation for a more comfortable learning environment where the teaching methods are tailored to each group, students are more in control of their education, and there is more academic freedom. All of these factors are conducive to higher standardized test scores which is beneficial for schools 1, The history of single sex education is a long one, it can be traced way back to the late renaissance (Streitmatter 26) A. There were two women who were instrumental for female’s opportunity at a post secondary education. These women were Hannah Mather Crocker and Emma Willard (Streitmatter 28). B, Early 1900s, the women’s rights movement really took off. C, Title IX changed education, making it much easier for dual gender schools to exist and more difficult for single gender schools to thrive (Streitmatter 2). 1. Boys and girls are differen, which means tht they leam differently (Guvian 17). 3% "4 A. Their brains work differently, they process information in unique ways (Gurian 26),oa i B. In sex segregated schools or classes teachers have the opportunity to customize lesson plans and teaching strategies to best fit the specific group (Spielhagen 62). TIL. Students feel more in control of their education if they are given the option to choose single sex classes or coeducational classes. C. In this situation, students and their parents could choose the best option for them. 1, This could make students feel important, ike they have a say. Which ‘means that they might care more about school and learn to have an opinion about important matters (Spielhagen 62). 2. Single sex education may not be for everyone, but students should at least get the chance to try it out B, Parents are usually for single sex education because they see the potential for distractions to decrease and concentration to increase. Which leads to better grades and a greater amount of information retained. 1, Adolescents are, for the most part, concerned with how their peers will see them. ‘They want to have the best clothes, friends, and overall representation of themselves as possible. The chances of this being true only increase when those of the opposite gender are present in the classroom. They may feel the need to impress them in order to get them to like them (Gurian 56). C.. What is the difference between private schools and public schools? 1. One of the main components that differentiate the two besides the high price of tuition and high academic standards, is the fact that in private schools students areusually in classrooms or schools with students of the same gender (Streitmatter 29), a. By giving public school students the same opportunity, that would lessen the gap between the two forms of education. TV. Certain subjects in the curriculum are traditionally seen as dominated by one gender or the other. Single sex education would eliminate the pressure that students in a coeducational environment face when it comes to suecceding or even enrolling in courses that are portrayed as “unconventional for theit gender. A. The stereotype concerning what classes a female or male should take dates back to the beginning of education. Women were seen to be more useful inthe areas of sewing, home management, and cooking. Whereas men would excel in mathematics, science, and geography. Overtime this has changed progressively. However today there still may be some underlying stereotypical ideas when it comes to subjects that each gender excels in In single sex schools, girls and boys alike can find the freedom to pursue eny subject that they wish with less judgement from their peers (Spielhagen, 64). B, For instance, in a meth class, which is traditionally seen as male dominant, girls may feel intimidated to participate in class. Boys may convey the idea that they have supreme domain over the subject. Or the same could be opposite where a boy feels less comfortabe ina art class because ofthe creative aspects which can be seen as feminine (Gurian 29). i | | |V. Young children are known to be more comfortable in a setting that surrounds them with other children that are their same gender. They are more likely to make friendships with kids that are alike them, ‘A. The classroom, especially in an elementary setting needs to be open, accepting, and encouraging. Ata young age, children are competitive, especially when it comes to the opposite sex. The create rivalries, perhaps unintentionally, that can become distracting. Instead of focusing on their own work they are worried about what their competition is doing. a, Students are more likely to participate and focus on their own work in a single sex classroom because of the less distractions. They also do not feel that pressure of competition that they likely would create with peers of the opposite sex. b. Competition for the teacher's time and attention can be huge. Boys or girls could demand the attention of the teacher if they act out in class. However, in single sex education, behavioral problems are less than those in coed (Spielhagen 62). i c. With less competition students can use their energy to participate in classroom discussions and class projects. They are less likely to feel intimidated by a student j that is acting unnuly d. Studies show that for adolescent girls, “the presence of boys fosters the development of more gender typed attitudes and adherence to gender role norms” (Drury 445). This inhibits the freedom to become whatever students want to be. Instead, they might be held back from gender norms that they “should” be associated with,==, VI Alll of the previously stated factors contribute to the fact that out of the schools analyzed, sex WSenale SOK segregated schools have higher test scores compared to ther duel gender counterparts (asses E oy" and Comroversies),i Works Cited / Drury, Kate, etal. "Victimization And Gender Identity In Single-Sex And Mixed-Sex Schools: Examining Contextual Variations In Pressure To Conform To Gender Norms." Sex Roles 69.7/8 (2013): 442-454, OmniFile Full Text Select (H.W. Wilson). Web. 3 Feb. 2018. Sf — Gurian, Michael, Stevens, Kathy., Henley, Patricia, Trueman, Terry. Boys And Girls Learn BR We? Differently!: A Guide For Teachers And Parents. San Francisco, Calif. : Jossey-Bass, 2011. Print. /*Single-Sex Education.” Issues & Controversies. Infobase Learning, 6 June 2008. Web. 11 Feb. 2015. . VSpielhagen, Frances R.,eds. Debating Single-sex Education: Separate And Equal?, Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2008. Print. A8treitmatter, Janice. For Girls Only: Making A Case For Single-Sex Schooling. Albany: State University Of New York Press, 1999. Print.