What is the best setting for high school students to learn in, one where it is only single sex, or co-ed? There has been some controversy as to whether segregating students by gender produces a better learning environment than co-education. One opinion on this topic comes from Ellen Goodman, who is a Pulitzer prize winning columnist, author, and speaker. Also authors Robert P Parker, Bobby H Hoffman, and Barbara A Badgett show a different perspective.
In "Same-Sex classes Are a Step Back", Goodman claims that single sex education is not a good alternative to the regular co-ed public schools. She claims that how we live today in a society where gender equality is very normal and that should not change at the public school level. She states that young people need to get used to functioning in a co-ed world.
In "The Effect of Single-Sex Instruction in a Large, Urban, At-Risk High School", the other three author’s article, they conducted a two year study comparing a Single Sex Instruction (SSI) and a coeducation (CE). They claim that teachers felt that the SSI environment was more conducive for learning. They also found that SSI, compared to CE, is beneficial to students with short-, and long-term academic achievement.
These differing points of view on Single-Sex education do have some in common. The three authors reported evidence that there were no measurable differences in performance between SSI and CE, which would agree with Ellen Goodman’s point of view. Even though teachers felt that SSI created a better learning environment, students disagreed, which concurs with Goodman’s idea of living in a co-ed world.
Obviously the authors come to different conclusions, with Goodman feeling that bringing kids up in a co-ed environment will help them for the real world. Whereas the Parker, Hoffman, and Badgett, conclude that SSI is, at least statistically, a better format for education.
The bottom line of all this is that there will always be two sides of the fence on any topic, but SSI will always be the minority because public schools will never conform to the point where they make such dramatic changes.
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ReplyDeleteSingle-sex schools have been a hot debate topic lately.
--> [This is overstated, vague, and probably unsupportable. Delete.]
Whether or not to segregate boys and girls in school for an "optimal learning" environment.
-->[Fragment] [Why use quotation marks?] There has been some controversy [when?] as to whether segretating students by gender produces a better learning environment than co-education.
There are different opinions by many on this topic.
-->[Redundant. Delete.]
Including the likes of
-->[The likes of is slangy and derogatory.] [Fragment]
Ellen Goodman, who is a Pulitzer prize winning columnist,
-->Pulitzer-Prize-winning
author, speaker, and commentator.
-->[What's a commentator? Different from author and speaker?]
And authors Robert P Parker, Bobby H Hoffman, and Barbara A Badgett.
-->[Fragment]
In Ellen Goodman's article Same-Sex classes Are a Step Back,
-->[Article titles are in quotation marks]
she claims
-->In "....", Ellen Goodman claims
-->Normally, we use the full name on the first mention; afterwards, just the last name.]
that single sex education is not a good alternative for
-->[alternative to]
the regular co-ed public schools. She talks about how
-->She claims that
today we live
-->we live today
in a society where gender equality is very normal and that should not change at the public school level. She states how
-->She states that
the youth
-->young people [no "the"]
need to get used to existing
-->get used to functioning
in a co-ed world.
-->[New paragraph, no?]
In the other three author's article, The Effect of Single-Sex Instruction in a Large, Urban, At-Risk High School,
-->In ".....," Parker et al.
they evaluated
-->evaluate
two years of studies [Whose studies? their own? or are they just evaluating the work of others?]
-->[one study? If so:] a two-year study
done between a Single Sex Instruction (SSI) and a coeducation (CE) setting.
-->comparing Single Sex Instruction (SSI) and coeducation (CE).
They state how the teachers felt
-->They claim that teachers felt
that in an SSI the learning environment was more conducive for learning.
-->that the SSI environment was more conducive to learning.
They also found that SSI, compared to CE, is beneficial to students with short, and long term academic achievement.
-->[What is a student with short and long term academic achievement?] [Punctuation: short- and long-term...]
These
-->[Which?]
differing points of view on Single-Sex education do have some
-->[some what?]
in common. The three authors feel that
-->["feel that"? Aren't they reporting empirical evidence?]
there was no actual grade difference
-->there were no measurable differences in performance
between SSI and CE,
-->between SSI and CE students,
which would agree with Ellen Goodman's point of view.
-->a finding that is consistent with Goodman's.
Even though teachers felt that SSI created a better learning environment, students felt the opposite way,
-->Even though teachers feel ...students disagree,
which concurs with Goodman's idea of living in a co-ed world.
-->and generally concur with Goodman's view that students should get used to living in a co-ed world.
Obviously the authors see this topic differently, with Goodman feeling that bringing kids up in a co-ed environment will help them for the real world.
-->the authors come to different conclusions. [This is redundant.]
Where as the Three authors
-->whereas Parker et al.
feel that statistically SSI is a better way for kids to learn.
-->conclude that SSI is, at least statistically, a better format for education. ["Kid" is slang.]
The bottom line of all this is that there will always be two sides of the fence on any topic, but SSI will always be the minority.
-->[Too breezy. Your parting assertion is unsupported.]