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Single gender classes


missrunway

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I don't think there are any long-term benefits in having single-gender classes. You may feel more comfortable in one, since you may be less self-concious etc., but it's not a real-world environment. It's better if you get used to having co-ed classes while you're young. As well, I think it's beneficial to have both female and male perspectives for class discussions.

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^ I don't agree with you. If a single gender envrionment brought up your self esteem, chances are you'll be more confident in the real world because you'll have that confidence that single gender builds up. Also, in single gender its not like you never see boys ever.

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Actually it isn't boring. We have a ton of fun every day and actually get work done. I have never been in a co-ed class expect kindergartern but I have a ton of guy friends and I don't think that the 'fun-ness' of a class depends on the fact that its co-ed, but on the students there. We have many humerous girls that make up for the girls.

^_^ fair enough! afterall my comment was completely biased since i've never been in all girls.

and wow, i would wonder what i would be like if i went to an all girls school....that would probably be scary :blum: and yup! there are some damn funny chicks out there! but it's the guys that do the stupidest things sometimes *sigh, but of course as ib kids we would never muck around in class....*coughcoughcough

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Well I attended an all-girl high school for 5 years...undoubtedly, the atmosphere is alot more comfortable (uncombed hair, no eyeliner lol ) but the chit chat and gossiping in class was a problem....especially on Mondays after a weekend break. Girls always have something to say, I remember the uncontrollable fits of giggling that would break out at random for no reason, this was a big distraction when you were actually trying to pay attention, there would always be some drama from one of the 35 girls to interrupt. ALWAYS. However, we were very competitive. Now, for 11th grade, i'm in a co-ed class with some of these same girls. Strangely enough, when boys are around, they sober up and pay attention. The giggling and silly behavior is ALMOST non-existent. The girls who have a crush sitting in a classroom with them are particularly well behaved and attentive, always answering questions etc. In short, they are more focused on the work and even if it's for the sake of impressing a crush or not wanting to come off as immature, it works >.< .

I feel however, that academic performance really has nothing to do with the gender of the person who is sitting next to you...

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I don't think there are any long-term benefits in having single-gender classes. You may feel more comfortable in one, since you may be less self-concious etc., but it's not a real-world environment. It's better if you get used to having co-ed classes while you're young. As well, I think it's beneficial to have both female and male perspectives for class discussions.

I know what you mean. When I attended an all girls school, all the views were somewhat feminist, which annoyed me. Especially when studying a particular piece of literature or a certain period in history regarding women. I think it would've been very beneficial to have male perspective on some of these issues. So now some of the graduates of my school have a faint notion that men are a species to be conquered or something lol. It's complicated.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I've had some single-gender PE classes and I must say that I liked it, since the girls in my class weren't usually as good at football/basket/etc as the guys and it's easier "daring" to play actively against people that aren't 2 metres taller than you. But to have all classes single-gender would be horrible.

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The only single gender class I've had in high school is physical education (thank god for that).

However, I went to a single gender middle school.

To be quite honest, I've performed at the same level (as compared to my classmates) in high school as I did in middle school.

So, I don't really think it matters (Unless you're really shy)

:)

Edited by 1-2-3
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I've only attended co-ed schools all my life, but I think that there are benefits to both types, as mentioned above.

With all-girls, there are less "distractions." Have you heard of Boys State and Girls State? Each is a mock government type camp. It used to be set up so that the program was co-ed, but the students were often.... distracted. So I guess at the DP level, distractions must be taken into account, but I sincerely think that co-ed schools provide a more well-rounded experience. It's not like one can't find an all-girl or all-guy clique in IB.

I think that each member of my IB class has something unique to offer, as corny as that sounds. So if you were to take all of the guys out, we'd be pretty deficient. I'm the only girl in my IB physics class. So perhaps if I went to an all-girls school, the class (which I love to death!) wouldn't make it. And like people have mentioned, guys tend to dominate higher level math classes (like team-related classes), but, and I'm not being cocky, my friend and I make a big difference in the atmosphere. We're still nerdy with the lame inside jokes, but we stay on task and the teacher doesn't feel like blowing a gasket daily.

Edited by sweetnsimple786
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  • 2 months later...

Firstly, I heard that single gender is great for girls but detrimental for guys. Guys work better in a co-educational setting whereas girls work better in a single-gender setting.

I've been in a single gender school for quite a few years (5+), and I also know people who have never been to a co-ed school but have had the co-educational experience through Kindergarten and Grade 1. I find that within IB, the girls who come later are less male oriented, they go home and study with all of their time and are generally pretty sheltered and bad with social settings. Then, there are the IBers who have been here a while, and they tend to want to rebel against what they have experienced their whole life and thus have a good chance of getting by, but passing with flying colours is another story. Lastly, there are the IBers in between who came not too late but not too early. I find these people are very varied, some of them are great in a social setting but some of them are only comfortable within the boundaries of the school, socially.

I think a single-gender school allows for girls to be themselves but it doesn't teach enough social constraint. Other co-educational schools find the way we act both in and out of class extremely odd. :D:) It's definitely great for educational purposes but socially we're being raised in a world that isn't realistic to the real world we'll encounter when we leave the school.

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My German Teacher wrote a long report about this topic. She told me that in some classes girls tend to do better if there are no boys in the class, for example mathematics. The reason for this is because when boys and girls are in the same class, the girls are shy to answer the question or to speak up. This research was done for Elementary School only, so I cannot really say what it would be like in Middle or High school. But for the most part, I think it is a good idea to have single gender classes, but not single gender schools.

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You aren't going to graduate high school and go to a single gender university, then work in a single gendered workplace.

Saudi Arabians would beg to differ. There, public schools, universities, and workplaces are all segregated. The same goes for many gulf countries, except that it stops at public schools. In Bahrain, there is only one single sex university. In Dubai, almost all public universities are segregated.

Many of my friends in public schools say that IT'S AMAZING to be all girls. However the problem is some girls become lesbians as a result of constant contact with girls. It's a big problem here.

] Also, in single gender its not like you never see boys ever.

That's true, but a major problem lies there. Because it's 'forbidden' or 'outlawed' in single-sex schools, having a boy in your class becomes a fantasy or desire you end up craving very much. Every time my cousin (who's in public school) comes over to my house, she always asks me what it's like to be with guys in a classroom, how it's like to talk to them and have them as friends.

It's sad, really, because she doesn't realize that having co-ed classrooms is completely normal, if not annoying since we do nothing half the time because of their endless disruptions.

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Many of my friends in public schools say that IT'S AMAZING to be all girls. However the problem is some girls become lesbians as a result of constant contact with girls. It's a big problem here.

I don't really think that's that much of a 'big problem'. It's entirely their choice and I honestly don't think that just because going to an all girls school could create an environment for 'lesbians' doesn't means that were all going to go gaga over the girl sitting next to us.

But back to the debate, I've been going to a single sex school for 3 years so far and before that went to co-ed schools for 8 years. They're both definitely very different. I loved my co-ed schools for it's social environment and for the different sorts of opinions you get when you have boys in your classes but at the same time I never felt confident enough to really express myself.

I completely accept that I may be an anomaly in the world but after going to my single sex school I really did 'come out of my shell' as other people before me have said.

But like most things in life some people just suit some other types of learning and really, the type of school they go to is just that, a place to learn. Socially, if you aren't meeting people outside of school regardless of what type of schooling you're enrolled in, meeting new people when you graduate is still going to be a bit tough.

In someways (just for the sake of an arguement :) ) single sex schools could even encourage such mingling with other people.

I guess when it comes to single sex classes everything's a bit different. But the basic idea's still there. Girl's tend to understand things in a different way to guys (yet another gross generalization but hey) putting them in classes based on their gender makes sense logically.

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Ok from personal experience I wouldn't agree that girls who attended girls only schools would become homos since mu mum's entire family went to single-gender classes and they all ended up straight.

However, I am with the idea of co-ed schools because it gives you the feel of what it is like to be surrounded by the opposite sex. In the work world, whether you like it or not, you will have to deal with the opposite gender from time to time. The experience of co-ed schools prepare you for that.

However, statistically it is shown that people who study at single gender classes tend to do better than people in co-ed classes. I don't know why this is the case but I do know for a fact that people stir the courage to try out different subjects. For example, boys try out girly subjects like art whereas girls try out guy subjects like physics and computer science.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I think having 1 gender students in the class really helps. If there are only boys in one class, then you can concentrate well on studies in the class as you do not think that 'what that girl will think if i ask this to teacher?' and also there are no chances of you being distracted by any sweet beautiful smile. :)

What if you're gay?!

That might make things a bit distracting/flustering in a class full of guys :D

Edited by Zeke
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I have to say, I went to a single sex institution and there was no homosexual behaviour there. At least nothing above normal levels! I only knew two people who were (openly, at least) gay out of over 200 or so in our sixth form. I obviously have no experience to speak for all-boys education, but in all-girls education I would honestly say such an atmosphere doesn't really promote any serious homosexual behaviour.

*shrug* I don't know if that goes against other people's experiences, but based on my own, I'd say it wasn't at all a problem! One expects a certain percentage of people to be openly gay nowadays anyway, now it's no longer considered a social blight, so the odd few people doesn't really surprise me. Besides, being honest, even at the ages of 16-18 or so, I expect a lot of that kind of thing still has a largely experimental aspect when trapped in a single sex environment (rather like it does in a co-ed environment). People just growing up, I guess!

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I was in 2 segregated schools from 1998 to 2004. So 6 years essentially. I say segregated because the Ministry of Education in the United Arab Emirates weren't going to let people have co-ed classes. Anyhow, needless to say, there weren't any gay romances or any gay people as a matter of fact. There was only one person who acted 'gay'ish, but to 14 year old kids, anybody touching any part of the body not even close to the reproductive parts counted as gay touching.

That said, segregated schools do have more hormonal problems than co-ed schools.

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Many of my friends in public schools say that IT'S AMAZING to be all girls. However the problem is some girls become lesbians as a result of constant contact with girls. It's a big problem here.

1. I don't think that guy deprivation turn you into a lesbian

2. So what if it does?

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Bahrain is a Muslim country (as stated in the constitution), and in Islam, homosexuality is forbidden. As a result, our society does not view homosexuals, and especially teenage lesbians, kindly: they are frowned upon and ostracized (especially by the conservatives!).

So to answer your question, it's a problem because it stirs controversy and creates conflict because the number of homosexuals is growing every day.

Also, our society disapproves of the mixing of boys and girls - all public schools are segregated.

It's hard to explain...

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I think being segregated is a wonderful thing. But it should be extended to those individuals who are also male. Some of the prestigious American universities that are women-only have a very small dose, like a dozen, men graduate every year. I personally feel more comfortable around girls than men. It’s not due to the simple fact that I am gay, but to me it is more relaxing and open atmosphere. The chit Chat and Gossip can be reduced and kept to a minimum if you just take part in not spreading, or let the things you talk about in one conversation die. I find that, and I don’t mean to sound prejudice or condescending, but with heterosexual men I have my guard up a little and not that I am not myself or I really care what they think, I just don’t want them to feel uncomfortable. I have a bit of energy and life in me, and that always is transferred to dancing and other things.

Some of the universities now have Fraternities for homosexual men, but there have been reports of the brave individuals (who I spoke to) that felt that homosexual men were great roommates (the person said he could concentrate better and he found that they were as cleans as women in his onetime experience).

So really, I think, while segregation is a wonderful idea, it should not be limited to biological sex. Self-Identity is a maybe better factor, and some schools were willing to accept gay men in a sorority! I thought this was refreshing.

I have been in segregated-type activities like camps and other things, and even with a group of 200 men I found none of them to be really bothered by my sexuality. The focus was always friendship, and regularly, they poked fun at me crushing on some of the members of the group.

Also, the top universities have co-ed dorms (except Harvard, who only allows people who identity transgendered to room with whatever preference). I think this is neat. More schools should be open to the idea.

So to answer your question, it's a problem because it stirs controversy and creates conflict because the number of homosexuals is growing every day.

This isnt an epidemic. I think you are confusing self-epiphany with some kind of change :P

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