Advantages And Disadvantages Of Single-Sex Education

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Single-Sex Education
Imagine a hard working student sitting in a classroom where the opposite gender is a source of distraction. The teaching style isn’t tailored to fit his or her needs, which prevents the student’s academic performance from being at it’s best. Studies show that single-sex schools and classrooms benefit both male and female students by helping both sexes to attain higher levels of achievement. Single-sex education has long been provided in educational institutions such as religious, private, and preparatory schools in a diverse range of situations, including individual classes, programs after school, required programs, voluntary programs, and programs to remedy gender inequities and encourage cultural pride (Cable and Spradlin 1). In single-sex school environments, student achievement improves, as a result of improved behaviors and teacher focus on learning-style differences.
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Coeducation advocates claim that gender oriented facilities, content and methods create a gender-stereotypical environment. Any segregation sends a message of inferiority, which results in perpetuation of stereotypes. Advocates of coeducation believe that much of the boys’ crisis, a belief that boys are far behind girls in achievement, is based on gender stereotypes or mistaken notions of the sex/gender distinction that may dangerously be seen as real biological differences (Cable and Spradlin 6). “If researchers claim girls are better than boys in verbal skills but are behind in math, and vice versa, then the students will believe it . . . There is concern that stereotypes will be treated as real biological differences, which would have negative consequences, particularly concerning students’ confidence, motivation, and classroom engagement” (Cable and Spradlin 8). Single-sex education maintains and can even exacerbate sexist attitudes and gender

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