Why Boys and Girls Should Study in Different Classes Essay Sample, Example

In recent years, the question of whether male and female students should study in separate classes has been widely discussed. The opponents of this educational approach argue that if boys and girls do not study together, they cannot develop skills and communication habits necessary to interact with the opposite sex. However, providing education separately for boys and girls has advantages that outweigh the possible inconveniences of this approach.

Although people today are losing their minds about trying to minimize differences between genders, biology often remains unswerving: different sexes tend to have different learning styles. This occurs because male and female brains work differently. Such differences—and studying styles that result from these differences—can be best explored in separate classrooms. This does not mean separating girls from boys will automatically help increase grades in both groups; however, understanding the core differences in learning styles, and adjusting lesson plans according to this knowledge will definitely help improve the overall quality of education (USNews.com).

According to a study conducted in Australia, in which approximately 270,000 students participated, both male and female students showed much better results in standardized tests when they attended separate schools rather than schools where boys and girls studied in the same classrooms. During an older experiment, held in Virginia in 1995, 100 eighth graders were separated while studying math and science courses, and almost immediately girls became more active, displayed more confidence, and achieved better results in general (DebateNirvana.com). Therefore, separate education makes the studying process more comfortable for girls, allowing them to benefit more from it.

Studies also show that girls attending single-sex schools were more likely to enter and attend a four-year college than girls studying at regular co-educational schools. The same conclusion applied for boys who studied in all-boys schools. Boys in single-sex schools also earned higher test scores (Harvard.edu). This allows to presume that when students do not get distracted (and harassed, because harassment is typical for children and teenagers) by the opposite sex, they tend to improve in terms of discipline and academic performance. Hence, this is yet another advantage of single-sex schools.

Although the question about whether boys and girls should study separately remains debated and open, there are several significant arguments in favor of single-sex schools. Separating girls from boys allows to develop effective studying plans that would take the peculiarities of male and female studying styles into account. When students do not get distracted or harassed by the opposite sex, they tend to perform better in terms of discipline and academic results; according to studies, students from single-sex schools show better test results, and are more likely to enter four-year colleges. Therefore, the advantages of single-sex schools should be taken into account.

References

“Should We Separate Genders in the Classroom?” Should We Separate Genders in the Classroom? N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2015.

“Advantages of Separate Boys and Girls School.” Dooneducation.com |. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2015.

“Single-Sex vs. Coed: The Evidence.” NASSPE. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May 2015.

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