Current Issue Single Gender Schools- Is it Fair?

Janel Brown

INTASC Standard # 3
The teacher actively works with a team to provide the children with supportive creative learning environments. This environment should encourage and support individual work and group work. This environment should also foster positive social interaction,self motivation and active participation/ engagement in the children s learning process. I will make sure to research and know my resources to encourage the children by working with those who are willing to provide a better education experience for my students. I will also be available for other educators to work with their students.

- In March of 2002 there were about 12 single gender classrooms inside of coed schools across the US - In 2011-2012 there were a total of 508 schools that offered single sex learning opportunities - Out of those 508 schools only 111 were a gender based only school. -Common before the 19th century
The district superintendent of Missouri Kirk Eidson stated that "the single-gender classes have created fewer distractions and that students are doing better". Single-Sex Schools / Schools with single-sex classrooms / what's the difference? (2013). Retrieved from NASSPE: Schools website: http://www.singlesexschools.org/schools-schools.htm

Benefits for Boys -Eliminates common flirting -Boys are thought to learn differently, more hands on -Boys develop slower then girls - Free to choose activities without judgment

Retrieved from NYTimes

The ACLU claims many schools offer the classes in a context that violates the U.S. Constitution and Title IX. This includes a federal law banning sex discrimination in education. St. Catherines Academy. (2014). Six Advantages of All Boys Schools. Retrieved from http://www.orangecounty.net/html/edu_article12.html Increasing number of US schools splitting up boys, girls in classrooms. (2012, July 8). Retrieved from Fox news website: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/07/ 08/increasing-number-us-schools-splitting-up-boys-girls-in-classrooms/

National Coalition of Girls' Schools. (n.d.). What do girls' schools do best? Retrieved from http://www.ncgs.org/CaseForGirls.aspx

- Less distractions - Reduced sex based stereotypes - When rating their computer skills, 36% of graduates of independent girls' schools consider themselves strong students, compared to 26% of their co-ed peers. 48% of girls' school alumnae rate themselves great at math versus 37% for girls in co-ed schools. Three times as many alumnae of single-sex schools plan to

Benefits for Girls

become engineers

(NCGS)

Negative Impacts
Discrimination
Raises issues for the LGBT community
- What about the children who feel as though their physical identity does not match how they feel?

Intersex?

Segregation
Limited scope Could go into the work force unable to work with men.

Positive Impacts
- According to Valerie Lee and Marlaine Lockheed the graduating class of 1972 and 1982,all single gender, exhibited higher scores in academics then those graduating classes of coed schools.
Studies show students who attend single sex schools go on to college.
-

- Equal opportunity to learn. Boys vs. Girls being called upon

- Girls have been referred to as second class- educational citizens. Single gender schools would eliminate this.
Sadker, M., & Sadker, D. (2010). Failing at Fairness: How America's Schools Cheat Girls

Food for Thought

- Are single gender schools fair?

- Why are single gender schools successful?

References
Increasing number of US schools splitting up boys, girls in classrooms. (2012, July 8). Retrieved from Fox news website: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/07/ 08/increasing-number-us-schools-splitting-up-boys-girls-in-classrooms/

Lee, V., & Lockheed, M. (1990). The Effects of Single Sex-Schooling on Achievement and Attitudes in Nigera. Chicago Journals, 32(2), 209.

National Coalition of Girls' Schools. (n.d.). What do girls' schools do best? Retrieved from http://www.ncgs.org/CaseForGirls.aspx Sadker, M., & Sadker, D. (2010). Failing at Fairness: How America's Schools Cheat Girls Single-Sex Schools / Schools with single-sex classrooms / what's the difference? (2013). Retrieved from NASSPE: Schools website: http://www.singlesexschools.org/schools-schools.htm St. Catherines Academy. (2014). Six Advantages of All Boys Schools. Retrieved from http://www.orangecounty.net/html/edu_article12.html