Would you send your child to a single sex school? Or are you co-ed all the way?
As if choosing a school is not hard enough, one factor that came up recently in a discussion in the office was the single sex vs co-ed debate. It seems to be a talking point that everyone has wildly differing opinions on. Here’s what the HoneyKids and Honeycombers’ teams have to say on the matter…
The single sex vs co-ed school debate
THE PROS OF A SINGLE SEX SCHOOL
Nabila: “Studying at a single sex school made me more confident.”
Look how I turned out (kidding)… Jokes aside, single sex schools definitely get a yes from me. Attending a single sex school moulded me into a more confident and eloquent young woman for sure. I actually used to be a shy girl back in primary school, but secondary school changed all that for me and I put not having boys there to take over as a big factor of why it worked so well for me.
Yvonne: “It’s made my daughter thrive.”
My older daughter is currently attending an all-girls school and I feel like she’s thriving there. She’s blossomed in her few short months at this girls’ school because she’s not really outgoing and is more comfortable around girls. When she was in kindergarten, she was bullied by naughty boys, which she doesn’t have to deal with anymore. However, she’s started asking me questions that I can’t answer: “Mum, why does Miss Tan look like a boy? Why does she wear boys clothes? Why is her hair cut like a boy’s?” I also worry about her ability to handle interactions with the opposite sex in the future.
Tracy: “The single sex school in our neighbourhood has much better results.”
My daughter is due to start secondary school this September and we were offered spots at both a single sex AND a co-ed school. The single sex school has much better results and is one of the best schools in our neighbourhood, so for me it was more about picking between an excellent single sex school or a mediocre co-ed school. She’s in a co-ed primary school at the moment, and is comfortable chatting and being friends with boys, plus she has two brothers, so I am not worried about her suddenly losing the ability to hang out with the male folk because of her single sex classroom time.
Sheralyn: “There’s no need to compete with boys for attention!”
While having exposure to the opposite gender is necessary for kids, I think in a single-sex school, girls have the opportunity to thrive without having to compete with boys for attention. It’s hard enough getting a word in edgewise in a class with girls, and boys add an extra level of noise!
WHY CO-ED SCHOOLS ARE BETTER
Brynie: “It teaches kids to deal with all genders.”
It’s a big NO for single sex education from me. If we want children to feel equal in society and to be able to equip themselves with dealing with all genders, then co-ed is the way to go. Single sex schools, in my opinion, increases sexism and impairs the development of interpersonal skills. It’s a very outdated system which was brought in a million years ago probably to originally address religious beliefs or the opinion that ‘genders learn differently’. I personally feel single sex schools breed inequality.
Selina: “People who go to single-sex schools are usually the ones who go crazy once they have full-time exposure to the opposite sex…”
I’m still glad I went through co-ed schooling, and had guys I counted as my best friends growing up. And this might say more about hormonal young adult behaviour, but more often than not, the people I know who went to single-sex schools are the ones who went CRAZY when they finally had full-time exposure to the opposite sex…
Jana: “All the crazy stories you hear about single sex schools are enough to scare you.”
It’s a nay from me, but that’s probably because I have boys and I’ve heard crazy stories from my husband about his 18 years in a private Catholic boys school. I was in a single-sex school from kindergarten all the way to third grade — I don’t remember much but I do remember being in shock when I first moved to a co-ed school.
Louise: “Girls can be ruthless to other girls!”
I can only speak from my own experience, but I’m glad I went to a co-ed school for the simple reason that the boys ‘drowned out’ the ‘mean girls’! I wasn’t bullied by other girls as such, but there’s often fierce competition amongst girls – especially now in today’s digital world. I’m sure it’s the same for boys too, but I for one am pleased I had male friends to escape the stereotypical high school drama.
It seems it’s a tied vote! What are your thoughts on single-sex schools vs co-ed?