Coed Schools Or Single Sex Schools? How To Choose Between

There are several theories that promote coed schools and some that promote single sex schools. While choosing the right school, there are many things that parents have to consider. The main arguments for single sex schools are that boys and girls evolve differently and that they require different styles of teaching. The merits and faults of coeds schools have always been a controversial topic in India and this article will outline arguments for both single sex schools and coed schools. Some of the main arguments for coed schools and single sex schools are given below: Learning Patterns Researchers claim that girls and boys require different types of teaching and training and separate classrooms are more beneficial. It is claimed that the patterns of development in the human brain are unique for girls and teachers must adopt separate strategies for them. Girls are said to be more emotional and hence information processing in girls is different from that of boys. While this may be true, there are no specific results that are available to suggest that using a common teaching method for both boys and girls might not work. Several leading businessmen and women today are from co-ed schools. However, there are examples of single sex schools that have been under prepared and that have experienced bad outcomes. Dr Leonard Peril has pointed this out in the book ‘The Promise of Single Sex Public Education'. Hearing Sensitivity Another argument for single sex schools is that hearing patterns and sensitivity are different for boys and girls. Teachers will be able to create specific learning techniques that are suitable for girls and implement then. The counter argument to this claim is that schools need to employ teachers who are well versed and experienced in using gender specific programs and this might not always be feasible. Irrelevance of Segregation In the context of today's world where men and women are working together in large organizations, the concept of a single sex schools seems outdated. Men and women have to come together at some point in their life and children who are in a coed school are better served to understand and manage the problems relating to gender in the dynamic corporate atmosphere. Children who are growing up by interacting with the opposite sex will be able to express themselves in a work culture that may contain not just people from the opposite sex but also people from different countries and nationalities. Hence, the argument is that single sex schools no longer offer any relevance. Quality Of Education There are many arguments that state that parents in India focus too much on gender and forget about the quality of education that the school offers. A girl or boy studying in a single sex school, which offers poor educational standards, will not benefit from their education, and parents should not get sidetracked by this point and the main focus should be given to education. Children who are brought up well will be able to concentrate on their work, irrespective of any distraction that they may face in a coed school. Overall, parents must consider more important aspects such as quality of education, extracurricular activities and other aspects rather than focusing on whether coed schools or single sex schools are the right choice for the children.