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Single-sex education is the practice of conducting education where male and female students attend separate classes or in separate buildings or schools. Education encompasses both the Teaching and Learning of Knowledge, proper conduct, and technical competency The practice was predominant before the mid-twentieth century, particularly in secondary education and higher education. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on Australia See also Education Higher education is Education that is provided by universities, vocational universities, Community colleges Liberal arts colleges Single-sex education is often advocated on the basis of tradition, as well as religious or cultural values. A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos It is practiced in many parts of the world. A number of studies starting in the 1990s are showing statistical data that children from single-sex schools are outperforming students from coeducational schools, however, other studies suggest that these are non-conclusive. In 2002, because of these studies and bipartisan support, the US law of 1972 that made coeducation in public schools mandatory was revoked and funding was given in support of the single-sex option. Public education is education mandated for or offered to the children of the general public by the Government, whether national regional or local provided by an institution There are now associations of parents who are advocating for single-sex education.

Contents

Support

Many support single-sex education and hold that it can help student's learning.

According to supporters, gender roles can be subverted in a single-sex environment; girls will be more likely to pursue the arts, and boys more likely to pursue mathematics and science. A gender role is defined as a set of perceived behavioural norms associated particularly with Males or Females in a given social group or system Margrét Pála Ólafsdóttir, an Icelandic educator who introduced single-sex kindergarten to Iceland in 1989, stated: "Both sexes seek tasks they know. They select behavior they know and consider appropriate for their sex. In mixed schools, each sex monopolises its stereotyped tasks and behavior so the sex that really needs to practice new things never gets the opportunity. Thus, mixed-sex schools support and increase the old traditional roles. "

There are some neurological and chemical differences that can be observed in adults. The average woman is believed to use the left hemisphere of the brain more often; this area of the brain is associated with speaking, reading and writing. Likewise their frontal lobe (facilitates speech, thought and emotion) is more active. Some argue that this must thus hold true for girls of all ages as well. [1] Thus, girls retain and process information better with open ended assignments that allow them to fully express themselves. [2]

According to some studies (Kadidy & Ditty, 2001, Elliot, 1971, Cone-Wesson & Ramirez, 1998) females hear better than males which would call for males to sit closer to the front of the classroom to hear instruction better; as males usually are seated in the rear of the classroom, this would be a change from the traditional seating arrangement. Also females have higher levels of estrogen in the brain which reduce aggressive behavior and is thought to create a calmer classroom atmosphere. [3] They are also more likely to assume a leadership role in a single-gendered classroom than a co-educational one. [4]

Without the presence of the opposite sex, it is believed, students will be less distracted from their academics. As well, teachers will have the ability to devote more time to instruction and less to discipline.

In short, some argue that all males and females receive and process information differently, hear and see differently, and develop at different paces; therefore, they argue, different teaching styles and classroom structures should be adopted to accommodate both sexes. Further research involving classroom observation and gender specific instruction implementation should be monitored and considered, especially concerning the differences within a group of one sex as opposed to the rest of the class.

Supporters argue that socialization is not the same as putting together, but is a matter of educating in habits such as respect, generosity, fairness, loyalty, courtesy, etc. And this can be done with more success knowing the distinct tendencies of boys and girls.

Defenders also state that there are more teenage pregnancies and sexual harassment cases in coeducational schools. Catholics usually refer to teachings of Pope Pius XI in 1929. Pope Pius XI ( Latin: Pius PP XI; Italian: Pio XI; May 31 1857 &ndash February 10 1939) born He wrote an encyclical entitled "Christian Education of Youth" where he addressed the topic of coeducation. He said: "False also and harmful to Christian education is the so-called method "co-education". This too, by many of its supporters is founded upon naturalism and the denial of original sin. Original sin is according to a doctrine in Catholic theology, humanity's state of Sin resulting from the Fall of Man. "

Criticism

According to defenders of coeducation, segregated learning facilities are inherently unequal. System bias will reinforce gender stereotypes and perpetuate societal inequalities in opportunities afforded to males and females. Sexism is the belief or attitude that one Gender or Sex is inferior to or less valuable than the other and can also refer to a Hatred or distrust towards Single-sex schools in fact accentuate gender-based educational limitations and discrimination. Boys' schools may not offer home economics classes, while girls' schools may not offer metalwork, woodwork or as wide a variety of sports. Family and consumer sciences is an academic discipline that combines aspects of social and natural science Metalworking is craft and practice of working with Metals to create individual parts assemblies or large scale structures Woodworking is the process of building making or carving something using Wood. Sport is an Activity that is governed by a set of rules or Customs and often engaged in competitively

Critics of the single sex education argue that without the presence of the opposite sex, students are denied a learning environment representative of real life. This deprives them of the opportunity to develop skills for interaction with peers of both genders in their work environment and fosters ignorance and prejudice toward the other gender. The word prejudice refers to prejudgment making a decision before becoming aware of the relevant facts of a case or event

Furthermore, there is some speculation that single-sex education promotes homosexuality.

Schools & Institutions

Europe

A single-sex school is a school that advocates single-sex education. This has been the traditional situation for independent schools, especially public schools and grammar schools in the United Kingdom, but many of these have now become coeducational. An independent school is a school which is not dependent upon national or local Government for financing its operation and is instead operated by tuition charges gifts and An independent school in the United Kingdom is a school relying upon private sources for all of its funding predominantly in the form of school fees A grammar school is one of several different types of School in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Mixed-sex education, (or just Mixed education) also known as Coeducation, is the integrated education to males and females at the same school facilities The number of single-sex state schools has fallen from nearly 2,500 to just over 400 in 40 years. According to Alan Smithers, Professor of Education at Buckingham University, there was no evidence that single-sex schools were consistently superior. Professor Alan Smithers, the distinguished educationist is best known for his distinctive style of research which leads to him often being called upon to comment on the issues of the The University of Buckingham is the only Private university in the United Kingdom. In Hong Kong, where 10 per cent of schools are single-sex, girls appeared to do better. But in Belgium, where single-sex schools are in the minority, boys and girls who study together get the best results. [5]

US

In the United States, single-sex public schools are in many cases considered unconstitutional, for similar reasons against racial segregation in schools before the civil rights movement. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the See also Protests of 1968 Historically the civil rights movement was a concentrated period of time around the world of approximately twenty years (1960-1980 in Equal but separate is viewed to never be possible. [6] However, new federal rules introduced in October 2006 allow districts to create single-sex schools and classes as long as enrollment is voluntary. The number of public schools exclusively for boys or girls in the United States rose from 3 in 1995 to 241 in 2006, according to Leonard Sax, executive director of the National Association for Single Sex Public Education. Leonard Sax is an American Psychologist and family physician He is the author of Why Gender Matters (Doubleday 2005 and of ''Boys Adrift the five factors [7]

Australia

In Australia, the proportion of students from independent schools attending single-sex schools, dropped from 31% in 1985 to 24% in 1995. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. In secondary schools, 55% of boys and 54% of girls went to single-sex schools, in 1985. However by 1995 the proportion attending single-sex secondary schools had dropped to 41% of boys and 45% of girls. [8]

Middle East

However, in the Middle East in most schools it is mandatory for schools to be single-sex schools. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. Each school accepts boys or girls exclusively. In places where sharia is the law students attend sex-segregated public schools. Sharia ( Arabic: ar شريعة) is the body of Islamic Religious law. In the Islamic Republic of Iran, sex-segregated public schools have been in place since the Islamic Revolution. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The Iranian Revolution' (mostly known as the Islamic Revolution, Persian: انقلاب اسلامی Enghelābe Eslāmi was the Revolution that transformed [9]

In some areas of Pakistan, policies that require single-sex schools may limit girls' opportunities, when, as a result of such policies, only schools for boys are established. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and [10]

New Systems Adopting Single-Sex Education

In February 2008, Greene County School District in Greensboro, Georgia voted to implement a system-wide conversion to single sex academies. The superintendent plans to renovate the existing middle school to accommodate the new girl's academy, as of yet the two schools proposed to house the separate academies do not have equitable facilities. The academies are to be up and running by August 2008 [11]. "We decided to go to single gender for one reason and one reason only…to help kids get across the finish line," said Greene County Superintendent Shawn Arevalo McCollough, on an interview with the American media. "The facts are when you implement single gender classrooms, you have an increase in test scores and achievement and a decrease in teen pregnancy and discipline rates," he believed. However, the new federal rules introduced in October 2006 only allow single-sex schools and classes to be implemented if students voluntarily enroll into the new gender separated system. Since Greene County does not currently offer alternative public schooling, there is still some question as to the legality of the superintendent's decision.

See also

Books

- JOSSEY-BASS (Ed): Gender in Education. This is a sub-article to Islamic jurisprudence and Sex segregation See also Purdah Islam discourages social interaction Mixed-sex education, (or just Mixed education) also known as Coeducation, is the integrated education to males and females at the same school facilities Men's colleges in Higher education are Undergraduate, Bachelor's degree -granting institutions whose students are exclusively men Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2002.

- FIZE, Michel: Les pièges de la mixité scolaire. Presses de la Renaissance, 2003.

- SALOMONE, Rosemary C. : Same, different, equal : rethinking single-sex schooling. New Haven : Yale University Press, c 2003.

- CAMPS, Jaume & VIDAL, Enric (Ed): Familia, Educación y Género. Monografias IESF n. 1, Instituto de Estudios Superiores de la Familia, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, abril 2007.

- RIORDAN, Cornelius: "The Effects of Single Sex Schools: What Do We Know?", Lectures and Papers, First World Congress of Single-Sex Education (EASSE), Barcelona, 2007.

- VIDAL, E. (Ed). Diferentes, iguales, ¿juntos? Educación diferenciada. Ariel, Barcelona, 2006.

Footnotes

  1. ^ Gurian, M. , Henly, P. , Truman, T. (2001). Boys and girls learn differently! San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
  2. ^ Ferarra, 2005. The single gender middle school classroom: A close-up look at gender differences in learning. The Australian Association for Research in Education Retrieved from: http://www.aare.edu.au/05pap/fer05090.pdf
  3. ^ Gurian, M. , Henly, P. , Truman, T. (2001). Boys and girls learn differently! San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
  4. ^ Grossman, H. & Grossman, S. (1994). Gender issues in education. Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon.
  5. ^ Anushka Asthana (2006-06-25). Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 524 - Battle of Vézeronce, the Franks defeat the Burgundians Single-sex schools 'no benefit for girls'. Guardian Unlimited. guardiancouk, formerly known as Guardian Unlimited, is a British website owned by the Guardian Media Group. Retrieved on 2007-08-17. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 986 - A Byzantine army was destroyed in the pass of Trajan's Gate by the Bulgarians under the Comitopuli
  6. ^ Cornell Can separate ever be equal in public single-sex schools? Cornell law professor says issue still has to be resolved. Cornell University News Service (2005-04-05). Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 456 - St Patrick returns to Ireland as a missionary bishop Retrieved on 2007-08-17. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 986 - A Byzantine army was destroyed in the pass of Trajan's Gate by the Bulgarians under the Comitopuli
  7. ^ Diana Jean Schemo (2006-10-25). Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1147 - The Portuguese, under Afonso I, and Crusaders from England and Flanders conquer Lisbon after a Correction Appended. New York Times. Retrieved on 2007-08-17. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 986 - A Byzantine army was destroyed in the pass of Trajan's Gate by the Bulgarians under the Comitopuli
  8. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics Retrieved August 17 2007
  9. ^ AdventureDivas: IRAN: Groundwork
  10. ^ Maureen A. Lewis and Marlaine E. Lockheed (2007-06-01). Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 193 - Roman Emperor Didius Julianus is Assassinated 987 - Hugh Capet is elected Getting All Girls into School. Finance and Development. Retrieved on 2007-08-17. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 986 - A Byzantine army was destroyed in the pass of Trajan's Gate by the Bulgarians under the Comitopuli
  11. ^ Greene County Single Gender Academies.

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