Should School be Separated by Gender - Admission/Application Essay Example

Should School be Separated by Gender The nature of the scholastic environment has been a that has been considered by theorists since Greek antiquity. Educational theory and educational reform measures have presented a nearly endless array of perspectives and solutions. One such prominent consideration is the role of gender in the school environment. Many institutions -- both secondary and post-secondary, public and private, have experimented with gender-segregated classrooms. There are a number of historical considerations within the gender-segregated classroom. For many years women were restricted from entering the educational environment. These trends continued in many institutions that were slow to change, or believed that gender-segregation created a more functional scholastic environment. This essay argues that gender segregation in the scholastic environment is a misguided policy because of the nature of school as used for student development, the problem of stereotypes, the learning experience, and the undemocratic process of such segregation. A counter perspective is also considered. Large amounts of people reject the notion that schools should be segregated along gender lines. There are a variety of reasons that support this perspective. One of the prominent reasons in this mode of understanding is that the scholastic environment does not simply function as a means of promoting education, but also operates as a means of preparing students for the real world and the democratic process. In these regards, restricting school to one gender creates an artificial environment that is not at all reflective of the real world. When this notion is considered on a deeper level one also understands that the process of the scholastic environment functions on a developmental level as well. For instance, children learn how to interact with the opposite sex in romantic and platonic ways. For an individual to successfully function in the real world it becomes necessary for them to learn to navigate such relationships (Barton & Cohen). Individuals that support gender segregation then are shortsighted in that they fail to recognize the strong amount of learning that occurs between classes. Within the understanding of students’ development, one also considers the nature of stereotypes. Proponents of gender segregation in the classroom have argued that because of gender differences learning can be more effective and efficient in a gender-segregated classroom. While such theories are rooted in educational theory, a number of people have challenged such notions on the grounds that they constitute simple stereotypes. Instead, males and females exhibit a large variety of learning styles that cannot simply be restricted to one gender. Through dividing classrooms along gender lines and teaching to specific gender divisions the students in these classes are then encouraged to assume gender stereotypes (Barton & Cohen). Classrooms with both genders require students to seek out their own identity in terms of an environment that reflects the real world, rather than following an identity that has been artificially imposed on them through educational theory. Individuals have also argued that the nature of the segregated classroom hurts the student’s learning experience. In this context of understanding, the segregated classroom allows individuals to assume gender roles that are never challenged through inter-sex collaboration and discussion (Patterson & Pahlke). One considers that a primary element of the learning experience occurs in classroom discussion and collaboration wherein students must form and defend their opinions against others. Classrooms that contain both males and females offer a larger variety of perspectives that ultimately strengthen the student’s critical thinking skills. Another prominent concern is that the very nature of segregation is undemocratic. The 20th century witnessed considerable segregation in terms of both race and gender. A great amount of such segregation occurred under the auspices of separate but equal standards. The Constitution guarantees equality for all people and the propensity for unequal standards of instruction are much greater. Indeed, in 1954 the Supreme Court in Brown vs. Board of Education rules that separate but equal can never truly be equal in terms of public education. While the Supreme Court decision was about racial inequality, the same principles apply to gender. In this context of understanding one can envision such male centered schools as receiving considerable more funding for athletics or sporting departments, while female schools receiving perhaps more emphasis on the fine arts. Even as such funding would aid some students the overarching affect would be too restrict students to specific modes of learning and extra-curricular participation. Ultimately, all students would suffer as they receive inequitable opportunity and rigid stereotyping. While there are a great many reasons that indicate the school environment should not be segregated, there are a number of supports of school segregation. One of the main perspectives in these regards considers the strong biological differences between men and women. While there are the obvious physical differences, there are more subtle biological differences that surface in terms of learning style. For instance, it’s been noted that boys more frequently respond to active teaching styles (Thompson & Austin). Conversely, girls are more responsive to teaching methods that are less oriented on classroom discussion. Statistics have even demonstrated that, “of more than 2,000 students in single-sex classes, 67 percent said it increased their self-esteem, and 72 percent reported an increased desire to learn and participate than when they were in co-ed classrooms” (Thompson & Austin). In these regards, the primary argument in favor of classroom segregation is the promotion of a stronger learning environment. In conclusion, this essay has demonstrated that gender segregated classrooms are not for the student’s greatest benefit. While there is support of gender segregation in terms of improved learning, there are considerable more reasons that classrooms should not be segregated. In these regards, gender segregated classrooms promote stereotypes through teaching to specific learning criteria; such classrooms also provide unequal learning opportunities. Ultimately, classrooms with male and females are more effective as they provide a real world context for student learning and development. References Barton, Benjamin K., and Robert Cohen. "Classroom Gender Composition And Childrens Peer Relations." Child Study Journal 34.1 (2004): 29-45. Patterson, Meagan, and Erin Pahlke. "Student Characteristics Associated With Girls Success In A Single-Sex School." Sex Roles 65.9/10 (2011): 737-750. Thompson, Franklin T., and William P. Austin. "The Gender Role Perceptions Of Male Students At A Prestigious, Single-Gender, Catholic High School." Education 130.3 (2010): 424-446. Read More