More on single-sex education

Here on the New Moon blog, we've been talking a lot about single-sex education lately. People have been writing in with strong opinions on both sides. I recently got a letter from a girl who has gone to both a co-ed and an all-girls school which I'd like to share with you.

"I currently go to an all girls school and I think it is the most fabulous place in the world! I have gone to co-ed schools before but I love the learning environment at my school. Girls are focused on their education, ready to learn, and not flaunting themselves distractingly. My classmates are kind and compassionate girls who are polite, considerate and trusting! We do not lock our lockers and we leave our things lying about without any fear of theft. We share everything, food, notes, cellphones; and sharing is not a sacrifice to us! We talk about our classes, teachers, the condition of the world, technology, our social lives, and how we hate and love boys. Boys are not our enemies or our classmates, but they are a part of our lives as we meet them at other places.

At the co-ed school I was at, we learned nothing because all of our attention was given to impressing boys! There was large amount of suspicion floating around the school like a deadly disease and we couldn't share anything, including thoughts and feelings, because we knew they would be destroyed! Is that the type of environment we want to grow and learn in? Why would we subject ourselves to that?

However, we do not live in a female dominated world and learning how to deal with boys and men is an essential part of development. Some schools enroll both boys and girls but the classes are separated by gender. Is this a happy medium? It is scientifically proven that the brains of boys and girls are physically different and that boys and girls have different learning styles. Daisy, 14
Victoria, British Columbia."

To read more about the topic of single-sex education, click here. Make sure to read the comments on the posts, too, and to leave your own thoughts!