Here's a discussion I had recently...
me>I disagree 100%. The only way to lucratively educate children is to immerse them in the systems of the world that surrounds them. That means being involved with the opposite sex socially, and being comfortable cooperating with them as well.
Of course people familiar with single-sex education would advocate it. However, I believe such a thing is antithetical to equality and familiarity between the sexes, which I consider to be quite important. Perhaps some studies show different thinking processes between men and women: true, but some studies also show some women think as men and some men think as women! Granted, such studies refer to homosexuality. However, the day we separate education by sexuality is a sad day indeed.
There's a reason why "separate but equal" failed to satisfy the people who got the short end of the stick. The sexes should not be separated any more than should people of differing races and especially classes, but I feel class equality is a much greater goal than gender equality.
That said, I agree that people with different learning patters should be taught differently. I am one of those people, and public school has failed to cater to my unique learning strategy. I am adapting! The point is that gender has little to do with education. We should look at boys and girls as unique equivalents. I feel that same-sex education fails to do this.
Of course people familiar with single-sex education would advocate it. However, I believe such a thing is antithetical to equality and familiarity between the sexes, which I consider to be quite important. Perhaps some studies show different thinking processes between men and women: true, but some studies also show some women think as men and some men think as women! Granted, such studies refer to homosexuality. However, the day we separate education by sexuality is a sad day indeed.
There's a reason why "separate but equal" failed to satisfy the people who got the short end of the stick. The sexes should not be separated any more than should people of differing races and especially classes, but I feel class equality is a much greater goal than gender equality.
That said, I agree that people with different learning patters should be taught differently. I am one of those people, and public school has failed to cater to my unique learning strategy. I am adapting! The point is that gender has little to do with education. We should look at boys and girls as unique equivalents. I feel that same-sex education fails to do this.
er>Well I feel that they can get the exposure of the other sex in college- I feel that girls in particularly, in the areas of math and science might not shut down as much. And also- let's not forget that boys and girls are different! They learn differently and have different needs. It's too hard to adhere to those differences if the class room is mixed up.
me>Do you really think the co-ed experience should be introduced only at adulthood? That seems like a lot of problems waiting to happen, to me.
I addressed that; I believe that it's a specific case for each individual child as we are all so different mentally that it only makes sense for there to be different learning methods presented to us. I do not, however, believe that these learning differences are limited to the differences between male and female brains.
Ideally we would be separated and taught according to our strengths and learning patterns, regardless of gender. Girls will have girls to sympathize with, as will boys. But they will also have each other to reflect upon and brighten their impressions of both. We have differences which should be addressed, but more important are our similarities. Humans, prone to prejudice and megalomania, need to be humbled by recognition that all of us are equal. What better way to do this than to disregard our differences, (which become trivial on the subject of education) including race, gender, and class.
I admit I've digressed a bit.
I addressed that; I believe that it's a specific case for each individual child as we are all so different mentally that it only makes sense for there to be different learning methods presented to us. I do not, however, believe that these learning differences are limited to the differences between male and female brains.
Ideally we would be separated and taught according to our strengths and learning patterns, regardless of gender. Girls will have girls to sympathize with, as will boys. But they will also have each other to reflect upon and brighten their impressions of both. We have differences which should be addressed, but more important are our similarities. Humans, prone to prejudice and megalomania, need to be humbled by recognition that all of us are equal. What better way to do this than to disregard our differences, (which become trivial on the subject of education) including race, gender, and class.
I admit I've digressed a bit.
What do you think?
Single-sex education works great for certain people. For those students and teachers I say, "More power to ya." To me the danger seems hidden behind the assumption that "boys and girls are different! They learn differently and have different needs. It's too hard to adhere to those differences if the class room is mixed up." I'm sure this writer doesn't mean that all girls learn the same and all boys do too, but unfortunately that's sort of the logical outcome you'd have to arrive at in order to design a single-sex school. On some level or another you're still standardizing based on cultural assumptions which, if anything, I'd say we need to begin to see THROUGH AND PAST, rather than reinforce.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, any classroom with more than one student in it will be "mixed up," no matter what gender mix you've got. Rather than viewing that as a problem, it's possible to view diversity as a huge part of the SOLUTION. I'll stop typing in ALL CAPS NOW.
Yeah. I agree.
ReplyDeleteIt's true! Gender separation seems like a small problem compared to the fundamental issues with the education system as a whole.
Related:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U