single+sex+classes

= RAHS Note Page =

Source
"Separated by Sex: A Critical Look at Single-Sex Education for Girls [Part 13 of 15]." //Contemporary Women's Issues Database//. 01 Mar. 1998: 75+. //eLibrary//. Web. 29 Apr. 2010.

Summary/Direct Quote
The establishment of single - sex classes as a vehicle to enhance academic achievement among girls was in large part a reaction to the realization that access to educational experiences via mixed- sex classes did not necessarily result in equity of educational opportunity Research such as that published by the Sadkers and the AAUW Educational Foundation[1] has indicated that although girls and boys may occupy the same classroom space, they can sometimes receive quite different educational experiences. Gender stereotyping and gender bias can be major factors in coeducational classrooms. Girls receive less attention and are given fewer opportunities for learning and problem solving than boys. In addition, girls may feel inhibited and constrained in some mixed- sex classes and thus may become less motivated to engage in classroom activities and may demonstrate decreased levels of performance and achievement. These findings were particularly evident in the math, science, and computer related subject areas.

Perry reported that grade point averages were higher for both girls and boys in single - sex math and science classes than in mixed- sex classes.

A second goal focuses on the establishment of single - sex classes as a means of improving classroom behavior and participation. Studies by Bushweller[6], Evans[7], and Richardson[8] consider this issue. Bushweller, starting from the premise that boys engage in more antisocial behavior than girls, reviewed efforts to intervene on boys' behalf. Among the remedies with positive outcomes reported were all-male classes. Evans looked at the impact of a specific project that utilized single - sex groups, while Richardson described a school in which all classes were separated by sex. Both reported improved behavioral outcomes and enthusiasm for both boys and girls. All of these studies were in middle schools. An underlying assumption of this orientation toward single - sex classes appears to be that the developmental characteristics of early adolescents are related to increased difficulties in their ability to cope with classrooms. Similar to the research on achievement, all of these studies were descriptive. Furthermore, most were relatively short-term.