This question has plagued me for quite some years as what is difference in the behavioral aspect of a female who is educated from same sex to the girls who has been educated in a co-ed school. Convent school education is generally gender specific that is boys only or girls only. The focus is to keep them at bay which is not cases in public schools. Now likely so when such guys and girls meet opposite sex they have variety of thoughts and usually these thoughts vary in extreme and so do their behavior.
In a recent study in India it was found that most parents want their children to get a coed education this is driven by the fact that guys should not feel depleted from the presence of girls and girls for one could learn to handle guys better.
It is also seen that those in coed education have better in handling opposite sex issues such as in work place and in relationships too they are better.
“Upon meeting girls from all-girls school and they suggested me to Co-ed school only” says one of the parent. “The reason they cited was that in a all-girl or all-boy schools the kids become “excessive attracted towards opposite sex”. Later they may also develop cold feet talking, mixing with opp. sex .Moreover, recently, I read an article where it stated that each boy and girl should be nurtured in a normal way in other word co-ed should be the right environment for proper mental growth”,he adds further
Though another one counters it by saying “I say this from my personal experience as well: I had always been in convents and was a good student. 9th to 12th I moved to a mainstream top school that was co-ed. I noticed the girls were very self conscious. The boys dominated the class discussions. In the convents, we girls were really boisterous, had tons of loud fun and of course we did the silly giggling and talking about boys but that was it. I feel the girls in the new school lacked confidence and were very conscious of how they appeared to the boys. They had already started playing second fiddle to the guys at this young age! ”
Undoubtedly the institution is priority before getting into co-ed and all-boys or all-girls schools debate but lets assume that we are comparing schools which are same in terms of education but issue is more for same gender or co-ed education. Some parents especially in the case of girls might want out of protectiveness or conservatism that the girl need to be in all girls school. Since they might feel uncomfortable of their girl mixing with boys.
In Britain all-boys schools are booming in Britain as more and more parents are now shunning the idea of co-ed institutions as those apparently led boys to act “tough” or “play the fool”.
Though in term of personality if we talk then the child’s personality depends quite a lot on parents for example if a mother is strong dominating woman then it is more likely that her daughter ought to be if not same but confident. Same goes for the son , it is the confidence instilled by the parents in the child which would matter the most.
The question which seem to bugs me more is that some parents choose to keep their girls or boys in same sex schools so that they could avoid them to be “sexual” and when the right time comes they will pack their wards off to a marriage with their suitable choice. Though the outcome of such union is always a dicey one as if either of the bride or groom have been in same sex school then certain things can really get difficult at home.
In one of the forms I read a comment which I found quite correct by Kashish Mahajan “hey according to my opinion go for co-ed school it not only gives a child confidence but also teaches him/her how to behave while sitting among or with different types of people. it also gives us experience with different kind of people and moreover it is the best way to build a person’s social understanding so without any hesitation go for it get your daughter in a co-ed. I m also a girl and knows that truly.”
There are some interesting findings over the years about same sex schools :
- The popular belief about same-sex education was that it upheld general stereotypes about gender, such as women should study nursing and men should study engineering. Experts at that time believed that coeducation dispelled those gender myths. That ideology turned out to be relatively inaccurate.
- Boys in coed schools are less likely to take up the arts in fear of being labeled a homosexual.
- Boys are also less likely to take advanced courses in fear of being labeled a geek.
- Girls, on the other hand have experienced some of the same problems on the reverse side.
- Girls avoid math and science in order to not seem masculine.
- Socially, same-sex schools are emotionally easier on students. Stereotypes based on gender are not a huge issue in these settings.
- Girls are more outspoken and competitive when boys are not around to tease them.
- Girls feel more comfortable participating in sports and traditionally male dominated fields when boys are not watching.
- Boys become less competitive and collaborate more because they don’t have to worry about girls’ opinions of them.
- Boys feel free to participate in the arts with a class full of other boys.
- Studies have also suggested that the benefits are more evident in girls, lower income families and minorities.
- Author Rosemary Salomone, argues that there is a place for same-sex schools. In her book, Same, Different, Equal: Rethinking Single-Sex Education (Yale University Press 2005), she examines the benefits of single-sex education in the public realm.
But like all there is a flip side too:
- Some opponents also suspect that same-sex schooling will either push students into exploring homosexual relationships,
- It could lead high level of curiosity and desire for opposite sex in both male and female which may spill problem in later stages of life when in marriage or work places full of opposite sex.
- It could increase gender stereotypes and homophobia.
In my research on the topic things which i have found is that parents of girls are more inclined to get them into same sex school rather than the parents of boys. They have said that it is got to do more with the gender-bias that the girls might have to endure in a co-ed education along with harassment from boys which might deplete the girls confidence.I couldn’t agree with them because in my own experience I have seen enough girls raising their view point which are sensible also being appreciated and applauded by boys .By not allowing girls to face the realities of life these parents are doing a great injustice to their girls because sooner or later they will get a taste of real world conflicts why not start strengthening them from childhood.
As for boys well if I may say so, without girls around I don’t think they might behave properly and more so feel a desire to prove themselves.Additionally a harmless chats with females will help understand woman folk better and become part of their education process.