The issue of children’s education is significant and multi-component. For a child to receive knowledge to the fullest extent, it is necessary to create special conditions that take into account the child’s characteristics and the requirements of the educational program. However, it is also necessary to resolve the social issue since learning usually occurs in a social school environment. In this context, there are two large-scale approaches: same-sex and mixed-sex schools. The purpose of this essay is to examine these two types of interactions to elucidate their impact on academic performance.
The gender division of schools is a historical norm since, initially, there were only schools for boys. Later, female schools appeared, and by the 20th century, mixed-sex education spread around the world. On the one hand, this approach allows children to learn to interact with the opposite sex. In addition, many believe that this equal distribution represents an equal opportunity both in school and in later careers (Hoelker, 2018). However, to ensure truly equal opportunity, many additional socio-economic factors need to be considered. At the same time, according to studies, in the context of mixed schools, boys perform worse than girls, not using their strengths, doing worse at school, and leaving it more often (Hoelker, 2018). Thus, for boys, mixed classes present a certain kind of problem, as the school curriculum adapts to girls, but at the same time leaves some of the needs of boys unclaimed.
However, purely male classes are also not a solution to the problem. Research has shown virtually no correlation between class type and education quality for boys (Skital & îru, 2021). On the other hand, the creation of the female classes brings positive results. Practice shows that girls who study in female classes receive higher grades, and after graduation, they are more likely to enter higher education institutions (Skital & îru, 2021). This distinction is most noticeable in elementary school, and much less difference was found in middle school.
Thus, the approach to improving academic performance depends on the gender of the child. In the case of boys, there is practically no difference between whether they will communicate with boys or girls. At the same time, the constant interactions of girls with women’s groups can stimulate better academic performance. However, it should be borne in mind that in this context, only indicators of academic achievement were considered without taking into account social development.
References
Hoelker, J. (2018). Single-sex and mixed-sex classes. In John I. Liontas (Ed.), The TESOL encyclopedia of English language teaching (1st ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
Skital, E., & Ţîru, L. G. (2021). The relationship between classroom type (single-sex or mixed-sex) and the academic achievements in mathematics among students belonging to the national-religious society in Israel. European Review of Applied Sociology, 14(22), 31-42. Web.