All schools should be coeducational. Explain your views on this statement.

English Coursework Assignment C – Argumentative Writing

All schools should be coeducational. Explain your views on this statement. You may wish to take into account such issues as: Examination Results

Social Skills

Relationships

Stereotyping

Role Models

Distractions

Bullying

Many people look back on their school years and say, “Those were the best days of my life”. The majority of people did not have a choice when they were younger of what type of school they attended. Mostly it would have been the nearest or handiest school to them or even the only school they could get into. Years ago most grammar schools were single sex. The majority of people didn’t care what school they went to, as there was usually dances or social events in which they could react with the opposite sex.

But now a day it is different. We live in a totally different society and things have changed. The key to life and a good career is to develop your key skills including communication and interaction with the opposite sex. Many people feel uncomfortable and threatened when in the company of a member of the opposite sex. This can be very awkward especially in life after school when they are integrated with the opposite sex in the workplace. This is why coeducational schools are important for building these gaps between the two sexes. They offer students the chance to work together and to develop their social skills, friendships and relationships. They also help to rid unrealistic fantasies, which have been made up about the opposite sex. It provides the two sexes to mix and mingle with each other with out having to feel uneasy or uncomfortable. Many people who attended a single sex school find it easier to mix and relate with they’re own sex and do not have very much confidence with talking to the opposite sex.

Understandable others think that a student that attends a single sex school still has the opportunity to regularly interact and socialize with the opposite sex through social events like teenage dances and discos etc. But for the majority of us including myself has attended coeducational schools throughout childhood and has had no say in it and were not complaining. We get used to being in everyday situations with the other sex and therefore get used to being in their presence and have more confidence and treat them equal when associating with them.

Pupil’s exam results for both sets of schools ...

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Pupil’s exam results for both sets of schools really show no significant difference. This is when we take into consideration the abilities of different students. Official figures from the Inner London Education Authority can prove this point to us. There are many under performing schools across the country, and there are just as many under performing Single sex schools, as there are coeducational. Both sexes do a bit better when in single sex schools but not much. The girls always seem to do better than the boys in Public Examinations but this seems to be the trend throughout the nation. In the past boys usually studied the more scientific subjects, but it seems now that more and more girls are choosing to study these subjects in single sex schools rather than coeducational schools. This could be because the boys usually take up a good percentage of the teachers time by telling them to get on with they’re work and to behave so that doesn’t leave much time left for the girls. Also in male single sex schools the boys would tend to do subjects like ‘Home Economics’ which in coeducational school is viewed upon as a girls subject not to be done by the boys.

Flirtation and rivalry. We all know what it is like. This may sometimes cause problems especially in coeducational schools. Can you remember all the silly things you did in school to impress that girl or boy you fancied? As people come into their teens they become more interactive with the opposite sex. In class many of the boys are keen to try and show of their manliness to the girls and flirt with them. But school is a place for work and for study members of the opposite sex are a distraction from it. Usually boys seem to waste an awful lot of time performing to the girls and looking for attention in the hope the girls may notice them. And the girls are just as bad if even worse. They focus all their time and attention on they appearance for the pleasure and to impress the boys instead of concentrating on what they are supposed to do. Much of teacher’s time is wasted on telling the pupils to pay attention and to focus on their work and not to be looking round the classroom. Especially for girls head teachers rant and rave at them bout the amount of make up they have on the length of there skirt and the amount of rings they are wearing. There would be far less distractions at a single sex school. At single sex schools there will still be distractions but these will not really impose over the schoolwork. They still may try to impress each other to be part of a group and to compete against each other. . In some aspects the girls seem to have a good influence over the boys in a coeducational environment. They tend to keep control of them and keep them out of trouble. In a Male single sex school fights would be more common then they would be in coeducational schools, as things tend to be a lot more serious. In some aspects the girls seem to have a good influence over the boys in a coeducational environment. They tend to keep control of them and keep them out of trouble.

One big problem no matter what type of school it is bullying. There is a lot of pressure from people inside the school for you to conform to a certain type of person. If you are different or believe in different things you may be bullied. Bullying is present in single sex schools and could turn out to be worse than in a coeducational school. For instance in you went to an all male school and you were gay you could get bullied for being different and for that fact that you are only amongst boys were as in a coeducational school there are two different sexes so you could take shelter from all the insults and bullying and staying in favor with the girls. Also in single sex schools the level of bulling could be taken a level further as they may want to act ‘Hard’ in front of there mates.

So we have looked at all the points for and against coeducational and single sex schools. Coeducational schools are important in helping both sexes interact with one another in a worry free environment. The exam results for the two types of schools don’t really have any significant difference in them. It would seem that in coeducational schools boys seem to behave a bit better even though they are trying to impress the girls compared to single sex schools. So in my view I think overall that all schools should become coeducational because there really is no difference in the results and the fact that the students can interact with each other while feeling at ease.