School Choice

There was a conversation entitled Co-ed versus single sex schooling and was published by Sunrise on 29th May 2013. The education expert Sharon Witt was interviewed and explained her point of view on this debate. You can access the video through the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB_IY6gBCQM.

She stated it was great to be at schools and get to know each other of the opposite sex because we actually lived in a co-ed world where men and women both played important roles.

Obviously, the single sex schools and co-ed schools both have their advantages and disadvantages. Personally, I agree with Sharon Witt’s argument. Firstly, I think co-ed schools are likely to provide more in the way of student diversity. In the classroom, students can learn how to work with and communicate to people of the opposite sex. Moreover, boys and girls may offer diverse point of views on a particular question because of the gender difference. The various perspectives can help students understand the issue in a more comprehensive way. Secondly, I recognize it is important to learn how to respect other people especially that of the opposite sex and school is a place where people are educated. For instance, in my country, women didn’t get as good education as men many years ago. People believed women couldn’t do anything better than men. However, nowadays women break the stereotype and become more vital to the society. Hence, I think school can help the adolescents to build new perceptions of genders. Furthermore, I think co-ed schools can encourage students’ self-esteem; social skills and better prepare students for a diverse world. Trickett.J, Trickett.K, Castro and Schaffner (1982) states that co-ed schools offer much more extensive contact during school. The co-ed teamwork in the classroom can offer students a real-world experience.

In conclusion, the single sex schools are also beneficial for some students who prefer to study with the same gender. Even though I prefer co-ed schools better, I believe it is more important for students to choose the best suitable learning environment for themselves.

Reference:

Trickett Edison J., Trickett Penelope K., Castro Julie J., & Schaffner Paul. (1982). The Independent School Experience: Aspects of the Normative Environments of Single-Sex and Coed Secondary Schools. Journal of Educational Psychology. Vol.74, No.4, 374-381.