Pros And Cons Of Single Gender Education

When people think of school classrooms, their first thought is of boys and girls together as a group of students. However, educational experts are now questioning whether it would be more beneficial for each gender, of all ages, to attend single-gender schools. Even though some experts are pro single-gender classrooms, there are others who are against this type of schooling.

With regards to single-gender education, it was common in the United States prior to the 19th century (Bracey, 2007). The curriculum was formed by the community’s views of the necessary knowledge based on the gender of the student. Typically males were more educated than females to prepare them for college-level academics and work beyond the home. Girls were educated

informally in the home (Bracey, 2006). The end of the 19th century brought males and females together in the classroom primarily to save money (Bracey, 2006). By the 20th century, coeducational classes were prevalent, not out of moral expediency but out of societal changes calling for females being prepared to work outside the home (Bracey, 2006). Even though coed classes have been the norm for the past few centuries, single-gender classrooms are being debated as to whether they are better for students as well as educators.
Concerning the pros and cons of single-gender classrooms, many experts see this as a positive move within school systems.

The reasons given for these types of classrooms are, first, it would eliminate distraction between the genders, especially during the teenage years when hormones are raging. Secondly, there would be less stereotyping, such as, girls feeling pressure to compete with boys in male-dominated subjects, such as math and science and boys would be able to show an interest in “feminine” subjects such as music and poetry. A third reason for single-gender classrooms is that teachers would be able to use instruction techniques geared toward a single gender, and lastly, boys would not hold girls back, since girls mature faster than boys. While the reasons to change classrooms to single-gender classrooms make sense to some, there are also reasons as to why classrooms should stay as coed classrooms. One main reason to not change classrooms into single-gender is that if genders are not mixed together in schools, boys and girls would have a difficult time adjusting to mixed-gender society when they get older and have jobs. Another reason is that teachers are not formally trained to teach gender-specific lessons, and a third reason is that since boys mature more slowly than girls, there would not be any girls to positively influence them. Furthermore, “the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) states that single-gender education is illegal and discriminatory”

(Stanberry, n.d., para. 16). While there is much controversy as to whether school classrooms should remain coed or change to single-gender, there have been studies conducted to show which type of schooling would be better for students.
One such study was conducted in 2013. “Researchers at Stetson University in Florida completed a three-year pilot project comparing single-sex classrooms with coed classrooms at Woodward Avenue Elementary School, a nearby neighborhood public school. For example, students in the 4th grade at Woodward were assigned either to single-sex or coed classrooms. All relevant parameters were matched: the class sizes were all the same, the demographics were the same, all teachers had the same training in what works and what doesn't work, etc. On the FCAT (Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test), here were the results:
Percentage of students scoring proficient on the FCAT
• boys in coed classes: 37% scored proficient
• girls in coed classes: 59% scored proficient
• girls in single-sex classes: 75% scored proficient
• boys in single-sex classes: 86% scored proficient
Remember, these students were all learning the same curriculum in the same school. And, this school "mainstreams" students who are learning-disabled, or who have ADHD etc. Many of those boys who scored proficient in the all-boys classes had previously been labeled "ADHD" or "ESE" in coed classes” (NASSPE, 2013, para. 12). Even though this one study shows boys and girls, in single-gender classes did better than boys and girls in coed classes, other studies show that single-gender classes are not in the best interest of the students.
Regarding one study, that shows coed classes are better for students than single-gender classes, a team of psychologists at the University of Wisconsin “examined all available research on single-sex education published within the past seven years, which included 184 studies comprising 1.6 million students from kindergarten to 12th grade in 21 different countries, and found no evidence to support proponents’ claims. In their study, the psychologists said that students who attended single-sex schools weren’t any better off than peers who attended coed programs in terms of self-esteem or performance in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) subjects” (Taylor, 2014, para. 2). While studies, reasons, and opinions of educational experts and psychologists show both sides of this debate, teachers and students have also given their thoughts and opinions as to how they feel about single-gender classes.
Concerning the opinions of educators and students, some feel that single-gender classrooms should replace coed classrooms, while others are against a change. One teacher, who teaches seventh and eighth graders at an all-girls school states, “I enjoy seeing girls participate so much in class discussions. ... And, like it or not, girls seem to talk more in class in an all-female school. I often see a whole classroom of eighth graders sharing ideas in an animated manner. Compare this with a scene I used to face daily: a coed class of 10th graders, in which many of the boys talked but it took the teacher's calling on the girls to get them to participate. Even when I taught such units as Women and Islam or Female Infanticide in India at the coed school, it was still the boys who talked the most in class” (Johnson-Cramer, 2015). Like Johnson-Cramer, one student, on Debate.org, is pro single-gender classrooms. That student states, “I go to an all-girls high school. I have learned more in my two years at my same-sex school than I did in all my years with boys in middle school. They were always fooling around and trying to impress girls, distracting everyone from learning. At my high school, there's less drama, better focus, and not as many distractions. I have much more confidence in myself and my opinions now than I ever did in middle school. There's a lot more freedom and a lot less bad decisions without boys around” (Anonymous, n.d.). Although this teacher and student feel that single-gender classrooms have positive effects, there are others who feel differently about these types of classrooms.
In Educational Studies, there is one article that states “teachers are unimpressed with the results and do not support single-sex classes. It has a neutral effect on girls and is more detrimental to boys. At a medium-sized school of 600-700 students in a working-class area, single-sex classes did not raise academic achievement nor improve behavior for students. Many teachers found teaching boys’ classes stressful and believed that a “macho mind-set” increased disruptive behavior, bullying and discouraged academic achievement” (Gray & Wilson, 2006). Like the teachers in this article, students are not impressed with the idea of single-sex classes. On Debate.org, one student states, “There shouldn't be single-gender classes or schools because girls and boys have different brains therefore you can learn differently. And also who would want to be stuck with all girls or boys. People have to interact with others. I don't know I just don't agree that there should be single gender classes” (Anonymous, 2015). While this debate continues on, single-gender classrooms, according to some, cause concerns when it pertains to human development and cognitive processes. Data has revealed that there are differences in how boys and girls receive and process information in the brain. The female brain has a larger hippocampus and stronger neural connections (Gurian and Stevens, 2004). With the male brain having less serotonin and oxytocin, male students’ impulsivity and the ability to sit still for long periods of time are impacted. Having a larger hippocampus allows females to have fewer attention issues than male students. The prefrontal cortex in the female brain is more developed than in the male brain which limits females’ impulsive behavior. Female students also have a greater ability to use details in speaking and writing, and enhanced verbal skills as a result of the larger hippocampus and stronger neural connectors than males (Baron-Cohen, 2003; Gurian and Stevens, 2004; Halpern et al., 2007).
With regards to single-gender classrooms “the view that girls and boys are cognitively different and should be treated differently or taught separately has led to some confusion about the relationship between gender and teaching practices. Some controversy surrounds the role of teachers in counteracting gender stereotypes. Some feel that gender stereotypes are a product of the early rearing practices in the home environment and that schools should remain neutral, thus allowing students to develop their own gender identities” (Frawley, 2005). Others believe that challenging these stereotypes liberates children from gender restrictions (Gray & Leith, 2004). “Ultimately, teachers' own perceptions of gender differences certainly influence how they treat and interact with their pupils” (Frawley, 2005). “Educators should educate themselves about gender differences in all areas of development and build upon that knowledge with sound instructional design and implementation strategies for teaching with respect to gender differences. Based on the research conducted and reviewed on gender differences, educators need to consider implementing strategies that will successfully engage both boys and girls in the classroom” (Bonomo, 2010). Here are some suggested strategies:
“BOYS
• Be brief and involve them actively in the lesson.

Encourage them with quick praise, cut down on written tasks, and use models and rubrics they can follow. Challenge them—boys thrive on competition.

• Keep a close eye on boys, but let them play. Without a physical outlet, their aggressiveness will show up elsewhere inappropriately. Thus, provide large spaces for boys when possible.

• Lessons should be kinesthetic and experiential. Use a variety of manipulatives. Be aware of ambient temperature—try to keep the boys from warmer areas in the classroom. Males do not hear as well as girls, so move them closer to the instruction.

GIRLS

• Girls work well in groups when they are facing one another or the teacher. Find activities that allow them to help the teacher. Don’t protect girls from activities that may cause them to get dirty or skin their knees a bit, which could promote “learned helplessness.” Safe-risk activities provide opportunities for girls to take calculated risks.

• Girls do not respond well to loud, sharp, short tones. They prefer softer voices. Girls enjoy tying lessons into emotions. They respond to descriptive phrases. Loud, repetitive noise can be distracting and disturbing to

girls.
• Make it bold: girls prefer a lot of colors. Use puzzles to promote perceptual and symbolic learning. Girls’ attention will focus on overheads or writing on the chalkboard” (West 2002). These teaching strategies can be implemented in both coed classrooms and single-gender classrooms.