Advantages and Disadvantages of Single-Sex Classrooms

Single-Sex Classrooms

Imagine attending an all boys or all girls school while you were growing up. For some people this was reality, but for most people they have always attended a coeducational school. There are many opinions on single sex classrooms, as the topic arises in areas as a potential solution to enhancing students performances. According to LynNell Hancock the author of, A Room of Their Own, critics worry that single sex classrooms will create more gender inequality and set us back further in time by creating unfairness in the classroom(Hancock, 1996).[1] However even though some may believe it will create a set back in gender equality, having single-sex classrooms may be exactly what America needs to boost international test scores and students performances.Although many critics think single sex classrooms are insufficient because they separate the sexes, they are efficient because there are many ways that they enhance student’s performances by focusing on gender needs and eliminating distractions.[2][3][4]Currently America is seeing a drop in the youth’s test scores in school and are seeking out options for solutions to these low scores. This poor performance has led to calls for changes in public school education. According to the Article Boys and Girls learn differently! A Guide for teachers and parents by Michael Gurian,Patricia Henley, and Terry Trueman, one solution the country may be thinking of to bring up the low scores in classrooms could be single sex classrooms (2001).The reason for this is because the country wants to see how single-sex classrooms would affect the youth’s scores and change their performance in school overall.For our young ones this may mean they will see less coeducational classrooms and more single sex classrooms being implemented around the country and possibly in their own school. Some believe the reason our youth generation are receiving such low scores is possibly because of the social pressure they face each and everyday in the classroom. According to Peter Simon the author of, Single Sex Classrooms minimized Distractions at Two Buffalo Schools, Simons claims that boys and girls going through adolescents need their own rooms for teaching, so they can focus on school more and not just on each other(Simon,2008). For kids going through adolescence the only thing they fear is being judged and their self image. So being in front of the opposite sex and performing or presenting can create a lot of pressure and damper their scores. This is one of the many reasons people feel that single-sex classrooms are a very effective way to stop physical and mental distractions. Although many feel that single-sex classrooms can decrease distractions, there are many different views people have when it comes to this topic. Smithers and Robinson the authors of, [5][6][7]The paradox of single-sex and coeducational schooling,had conducted a study of reviewing girls and boys together in classrooms and separately to see how it affects the students(2006).They looked at studies from New Zealand, the U.S., Ireland, Canada,the United Kingdom, and Australia and from their findings the two authors had concluded that single sex classrooms does not bring an advantage or disadvantage to the students or the schools. [8][9][10]This is an example of a point of view where they may feel that single-sex and coeducational classrooms make no difference because it all depends on the students in the study and how the teachers are also making a difference for these students. In this study they found that they believe both single-sex classrooms and coeducational classrooms have advantages and disadvantages but neither is considered better or worse.

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Single-sex classrooms do have their advantages to a child’s performance. In respect to the previous claim there is a beneficial outcome from single sex classrooms. For example at Houghton Academy in Buffalo, New York in a single-sex classroom the amount of students who had passed the state’s eighth-grade math exam went from 30.8% of students to 60% of students due to the single sex classrooms implemented into the school(Peter,2008). Also there was a rise in english too. The passing rate improved from 28.6% to 40% of the students passing(Peter,2008). This means because of the single-sex classroom the test scores alone improved almost 50% for both subjects.That is a big improvement from coeducational to single-sex classrooms to show that they can make a difference in students’ performances. Many proponents of single-sex education believe that separating boys and girls increases students’ achievement and academic interest.

One of those proponents being “girl power” and encouraging girls to participate more in subjects that are seen as more masculine. According to the article, Still failing at fairness: How gender bias cheats girls and boys in school and what we can do about it, by David Sadker and Karen Zittleman, teachers and schools worry that subjects seen as more masculine decrease young girl’s interests in pursuing these subjects because they feel intimidated(Zittleman and Sadker,2009)[11][12][13]. This means that when girls are in coeducational classrooms they feel less interested in the traditionally masculine courses such as mathematics, technology, engineering, and science because the boys make the classroom setting seem as if it is very competitive and do not allow for girls to participate as much. Author Erin Pahlke explains this in her article, The Effects of Single-Sex Compared With Coeducational Schooling on Students’ Performance and Attitudes,she claims that single sex classrooms empower girls because it allows them to enjoy those masculine classes such as math and science without being intimidated by the boys and feeling that they are in a masculine based classroom(Pahlke,2014). This shows that girls have better confidence and can build their performance in mathematics and science when in single-sex classrooms. Although girls feel more comfortable separated from boys in the classes seen as more masculine, boys may not always benefit as much as girls. Nancy Protheroe author of,Single Sex Classrooms, claims that some teachers explain that they feel that boys feel uncomfortable in this type of classroom setting and that teaching in a single sex classroom of all boys is a demanding job for the teachers(Protheroe, 2009). One of those reasons may be because boys always like to compete with one another so the classroom is just a big competition between those students.This shows that even though one gender may feel more comfortable alone,that boys may not feel as comfortable, and may not be able to perform better because of the pressure they feel in a masculine based classroom.

One factor that can affect whether the student’s performance enhances in a single-sex classroom is the teacher. Some teachers may be willing to adapt to the new single-sex classroom. On the other hand some teachers may not want to teach single-sex classrooms so if they are being forced to teach a class they do not want then the children’s performance will suffer because the teacher doesn’t want to give 100%. For example Michael Gurian and Kathy Stevens explain in their writing,Single Sex Classrooms are Succeeding, that if teachers feel uncomfortable teaching a single sex classroom and feel that it goes against their beliefs they have the option to say no(Gurian & Stevens, 2005). This means that if a teacher does not feel that single-sex classrooms is the right idea for the children then they will they have the option to say no. If the teacher can not have a say in the decision and is forced to teach single-sex classrooms that is when you will see no benefits coming from the children’s performance because of the teachers lack of want to be there. Although for those teachers who would like to teach single-sex classrooms there are training sessions they can take. According to Michael Gurian, Kathy Stevens,Patricia Henley, and Terry Trueman,the authors of,Single Sex Classrooms are Succeeding,there are multiple trainings that teachers have already attended through the National Association for Public Single-Sex Education and the Gurian Institute, so that the teachers can be taught and be aware of the naturally different ways that boys and girls learn in the classroom.(Gurian, Stevens, Henley, & Trueman 2009). This means for those teachers who would like to experience teaching in single-sex classrooms that they have a chance to be taught how so that there will be a positive atmosphere in the classroom. Overall the country is trying to find an effective way to help improve students’ scores and performances in school. Some schools are trying to implement single sex classrooms. However in single sex classrooms it does not just depend on the children’s willingness to participate. The teachers willingness and positive attitude in the classroom will play big role in how the students’ grades will improve. For those who are in single sex classrooms it will take away their social pressure and hormonal distractions for adolescents. It will also help girls succeed more in masculine seen classrooms because they will not feel the social pressure that those programs are just for boys. The feeling of not being judged or pressured helps students’ scores dramatically because while growing up kids are so worried about self image and not embarrassing themselves that they sometimes forget how important school really is.

Author’s Note

As a whole my strengths in my paper I believe were integrating many different sources and presenting a counter argument. Also I feel I had very strong sources. Some weaknesses my paper has is I had trouble breaking up the paragraphs because I had sources in them and I was explaining them in depth so it made them very long. Also another weakness is my word choice I feel that I could have used better words to describe certain situations. At this point as I turn in my paper I have revised it about 2-3 times and cut down on paragraphs and switched the format so it made more sense. Some of the paragraphs are now moved around to flow better.However, this has been a work in progress since I made my outline during spring break.My request for feeback is do you think I presented my argument very well or do you believe I jumped all over the place? Regardless of what is written above I spent 2 hours changing and paraphrasing my work so that I did not plagiarize. I feel that I paraphrased what the authors said instead of copied it now that I went back and changed my paper. I Thank you very much for letting me revise and not failing me right away. This is my 4th revision so it should be okay now.

Works Cited Page:

Gurian, Michael, et al. “Boys and Girls Learn Differently.” Ebscohost. Ed. Michael Gurian et al. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2015.<http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uwc.edu/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/

bmxlYmtfXzMzOTMzMl9fQU41?sid=739e2c4a-98df-435f-a9e9-49e37d141959@sessionmgr4002& vid=0&format=EB&rid=1>.

Gurian, M., K. Stevens, and P. Daniels. “Single Sex Classrooms Are Succeeding.” Ebscohost. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2015. .

Hancock, LynNell. “A Room of Their Own.” Ebscohost. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2015. <http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uwc.edu/pov/detail/detail?sid=d8443f40-9d5c-4a3b-b735-fef181bd6f4b@sessionmgr4005&vid=0&hid=4214&b data=JnNpdGU9cG92LWxpdmU%3d#db=pwh&AN=9606187719>.

Pahlke, Erin, Hyde Janet, and Allison M. Carlie. “The Effects of Single-Sex Compared With Coeducational Schooling on Students’ Performance and Attitudes: A Meta-Analysis.” Ebscohost. N.p., 2014. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uwc.edu/ehost/detail/detail?sid=ab828222-145b-416a-a3b8-57dbc673971f@sessionmgr111&vid=1&hid=110&bdta=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWNvb2tpZSxpcCxjcGlkJmN1c3RpZD1zNTgwNTA4MyZzaXRlPWVob3N0LWxpdmUmc2 NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=pdh&AN=2014-03898-001&anchor=c170>.

Peter, Simon. “1. Single-sex classrooms minimize distractions at two Buffalo schools: Principals separate boys and girls in grades seven and eight.” ProQuest News and Magazines. N.p., 2008. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.<https://ezproxy.uwc.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/ 455627612?accountid=42411>.

Protheroe, Nancy. “Single-Sex Classrooms.” Ebscohost. N.p., May 2009. Web. 19

Apr. 2015. <http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uwc.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/

pdfviewer?sid=e933715f-f864-4ca4-8e7a-3ca094fec92a%40sessionmgr110&vid=1&hid=110>.

Sadker, David, and Karen Zittleman. “Still Failing at Fairness: How Gender Bias Cheats Girls and Boys in School and What We Can Do about It.” Ebscohost. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2015. <http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uwc.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/ pdfviewer?sid=9068df59-cbc5-4a39-a0ba-5cf10b5d5796%40sessionmgr4004&vid=1&hid=42

Smithers, Alan, and Pamela Robinson. “The Paradox of Single Sex and Coeducational Schooling.” Alansmithers. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2015. <http://www.alansmithers.com/reports/Paradox27Jul2006.pdf>.

[1]_Re-opened_

[2]Easily identified, and, I think, is a good thesis.

[3]_Marked as resolved_

[4]_Re-opened_

[5]Words taken directly from Words taken from https://www.naesp.org/resources/2/Principal/2009/M-J_p32.pdf

[6]_Marked as resolved_

[7]_Re-opened_

[8]Words taken directly from Words taken from https://www.naesp.org/resources/2/Principal/2009/M-J_p32.pdf

[9]_Marked as resolved_

[10]_Re-opened_

[11]This is taken directly from: http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/bul-a0035740.pdf

[12]_Marked as resolved_

[13]_Re-opened_