Four Advantages of Single-Sex Schools

Four Advantages of Single-Sex Schools A lot of research has shown that single-sex schools have a great deal of advantages. for students, with benefits ranging from confidence and empowerment to new activities and higher levels of achievement. For example, on the whole, girls and boys who are educated in single-sex schools gain more confidence than their coed peers. In addition, they make academic gains above those in co-ed schools. They also learn to gravitate towards untraditional areas that are not always accepted for their gender. For example, boys learn to love literature in boys schools, while girls in girls schools feel more comfortable with math and science. Though its hard to generalize about all single-sex schools, here are some commonalities that tend to characterize many single-sex schools: A More Relaxed Environment Despite the fact that many boys and girls schools are at the top of their game academically, they often have a more relaxed environment. This relaxed environment is created, in part, because boys and girls dont need to worry about impressing the other gender. The students can be themselves in class, and they can speak openly and honestly. At the same time, students in single-sex schools are often more willing to take risks because they do not fear falling on their face in front of the other sex. As a result, the classrooms in these schools are often dynamic, free, and bursting with ideas and conversation, all hallmarks of a great education. While teachers in co-ed schools sometimes beg their students to contribute to class discussion, this is not true in single-sex schools a great deal of the time. Fewer Cliques Though it is not always true, sometimes single-sex schools can help reduce cliques, particularly in girls schools. The girls again do not have to worry about impressing boys or seeming popular, common concerns in middle and high school. They can instead concentrate on their studies and being open to befriending the other girls, and there are often fewer cliques as a result. Though the stereotype about boys schools is that they are rough-and-tumble places in which boys are hazed, the reality is often quite different. While one cant generalize about all boys schools, in general, boys schools are places that do not involve hazing or cruelty. Boys in an all-boys environment tend to  not form cliques because they dont have to appear cool, and they are often more generous to their peers as a result. In many boys schools, there is room for all kinds of boys, and the less socially mature students are not punished, as they might be in a single-sex school. A More Tailored Curriculum The teaching at a single-sex private school can be tailored to all girls or all boys, and the ability to tailor the curriculum allows teachers to design classes that have the potential to really reach the students. For example, at boys schools, teachers can teach books that are likely more of interest to boys and find books that speak to boys and their concerns. For example, a class discussion of Hamlet in a boys school can involve a study of a boys coming-of-age and of father-son relationships. In a girls school, students can read books with strong heroines such as Jane Eyre or look at books such as The House of Mirth  that touch on how womens lives are affected by prevailing attitudes towards women. While such discussions are possible in co-ed schools, they can be more open and concentrated in a single-sex school. The Loss of Gender Stereotypes In addition, students in single-sex schools can gravitate without embarrassment towards untraditional subjects. In boys schools, male authors can come in to speak about their writing, and the students can ask questions without feeling embarrassed about being interested in writing, a subject that they might shy away from in a co-ed school. The same holds true for the arts, including visual arts, music, drama, dance, and even digital arts. In a girls school, female scientists and mathematicians can offer their experience, and girls can be interested without fearing that they appear dorky or unfeminine. The examples of how single-sex schools free students from gender stereotypes are endless. In addition, teachers in single-sex school can use methods that might interest their students. For example, in a boys school, they can use techniques that draw on boys energy, while in a girls school, they can offer the kinds of feedback that girls are most likely to accept. While each child is different and there is no one school that is right for all kids, there is no doubt that single-sex schools offer a great deal of advantages and a special atmosphere that encourages kids to feel comfortable and to learn. Article edited by  Stacy Jagodowski