Single gender education, a good idea? What do you think?

[pizzathehut]

I think its great. It gives kids the chance to academically excell without the distraction of having to impress the other half. Also males and females think and learn differently.

My wife went to an all womens college. Although it went coed 5 years ago. She liked it.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. But look what happened to me

:D

[Maddy McCall]

3. LMFAO

Actually, if you emerged from a single-sex school, then there must be something good about them!

:loveya: NSMA! :hi:

[Maddy McCall]

2. No No No

My god, college should expose you to "others" to broaden your world view. "Others" includes the opposite sex. I can't imagine teaching all women or all men. Gender brings some interesting debates into the classroom--nothing like seeing a fiery woman standing up to a "carpet-bomb Iraq" guy.

Honestly, I don't see the merit in it. I teach co-ed and there are no distractions. Women don't go to college to find husbands anymore; they go for career training. The idea of single sex classrooms is SOOOO 1950s. That's why colleges like the W (Columbus, MS) are now co-ed and actively recruiting men.

The real world includes both sexes, all races, many cultures, and the classroom should too.

On Edit: I was in some single-sex classrooms in the late seventies, as a middle-school student, and it really sucked. I think it is pointless. If you are not given a chance to compete with men, then you never realize your full potential.

[Insider]

4. sister helen jean agreed

big ups to the academy of saint aloysius

[ScreamingMeemie]

5. Girls can be so B*tchy when their hormones are trying to fight for space

I think you need some boys to level things out. I don't know if it works vice versa. I was never a boy.

[Maddy McCall]

8. I don't ever see that...

and it's stereotypical of women. (Males have hormones too.)

:hi: Mrs. Grumpy!

[Lady President]

6. Good and bad

I went to both types of high schools and a co-ed college that had only had women for about 10-15 years (which was nothing for a 200+ yr. old school). It really depends what your goals are~ a mix of social and academic, or purely academic. The single sex school I attended was great not only because there were no distraction, but because it allowed girls to speak their minds. It's sad that so many girls are still afraid to stand up for themselves or seem too smart, but it happens. I've also wondered if girls at single sex schools are more physically fit. I noticed that girls weren't afraid to really work-out and sweat when they knew that boys weren't around.

On the other hand the girls seemed to act a little silly and somewhat out of their element whenever we got together with the boys' school. Having transferred from a co-ed school they acted very childish and didn't know how to make simple small talk the way average teenagers could.

These are obviously generalizations, but if I had kids, I would try to find a co-ed school that really stressed the importance of academics. Some co-ed schools offer a few single sex classes, especially math, which seems to me like a perfect happy medium.

[Maddy McCall]

7. How long ago was this?

I never see women having a problem challenging guys, or speaking their mind, and they definitely work out in the college athletic center.

Again, that seems so 1950s. I don't think girls in college now are intimidated to be in classrooms with boys. (Might be the other way around ;-) )

[Lady President]

15. Some time ago...

I graduated high school in 1989. I tried to google some of the studies that I read, but the ones I was referring to were done in the early 1990s, so they might not be as applicable now.

Just my opinion, but I think things change in college. The women did speak up more than what I saw in high school. I also think working out at an athletic center is different. I was comparing sweating during gym class at both types of schools when you couldn't shower and reapply make-up before your next class.

Or, maybe the co-ed high school I attended was just prissy. :)

[pizzathehut]

9. The objectors

Even though my wifes college (William Woods in Fulton Missouri)was all women they did have some classes with men since the town also had an all mens college. They also had alot of socials with them.

Here in KC one of the best HS's is Rockhurst HS, an all boys school. There are also some all girls schools but they are much smaller and dont compete as well. And the boys at Rockhurst dont need worry about fun, every afternoon after school in the parking lot there are cars full of teenage girls checking out the cute clean cut Catholic boys in their uniforms and ties. Much better looking than the purple haired freak boys in their public high schools.

As for someone saying women dont go to college looking for husbands. Well I only graduated 16 years ago and there were plenty of them bragging about their fiances in law or med school.

[Maddy McCall]

10. My son goes to public school and he's no "purple haired freak"

AND so what? Women and men get married in college? Just because a woman college student brags about marrying a man who's studying to be a doctor doesn't mean that she won't finish her own college education and begin a career. Look at the stats now on women working in professional careers and compare it to the 1950s, and you will see what I am talking about.

In other words, you won't convince me that women go to college to find husbands. Just because people marry in college does not mean that that is the only reason they went there.

[pizzathehut]

14. Women do GREAT in college

in fact better than men. But thats not the point. Maybe I cant convince you that women go to college to find a good husband but go down to your local park and talk to the stay at home Mom's there. They will.

And where the hell is a better place to find a potential husband than in college. Where the best men are.

The reason they went looking for husbands is that many women would love to have a husband with a well paying job so they can stay home with the kids. Not dump them in daycare. At least until they are in school. Then they can work when and where they want to, not because they have to.

I was in education. A field that doesnt pay that well. Yes women want to get jobs as teachers. But its alot easier to be a teacher if your hubby makes $100k a year.

[dsc]

11. The few people that I know who went

to all boys schools (HS) really seemed well adjusted and raved about their school. They also seemed to have at least an interest or two that would have been difficult to pursue at a co ed school. Having been into music, drama, and the rest at a co ed high school I was more than a little jealous. It seems to me that if a system offers a choice of all boy, all girl, and co ed and funds them all the same it would be the best of all worlds.

[HEyHEY]

12. At young ages until learning habits develop..

Because girls and boys learn differently. But there comes a time when you have to intigrate them because social skills must be developed.

[pizzathehut]

13. What do you mean by integrate?

Because kids can still meet each other socially after school and such. But why when they are going through puberty and their all messed up anyways, should you give them something else to stress out about?

Nowadays they want coed PE and sex ed.

[pizzathehut]

16. See what Harvard university says about it - link

Check out the following link on the subject.

www.dsha.k12.wi.us/single.htm

[pizzathehut]

17. Another link from a group pushing it

www.singlesexschools.org

[pizzathehut]

18. Anybody else out there go to a single gender school?

Just wondering.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

19. Segregating the genders is kind of creepy to me

Some people like it I guess.

[BigMcLargehuge]

20. Ack... No!!!

The educational experience provides an important social function. It's where we learn to talk to, relate to, and interact with others of the opposite sex. These years are hard as hell because those social skills are hard to learn.

Putting it off is like putting off teaching someone to read until they are 20.