I have heard the same about same sex schools. I went to a public school that must have been the exception to the rule. I never remember not being called on or not wanting to speak up in class. Most of the top students in my class were female. It was a small (compared to ones where I live now) public high school.
Nah I had same thing. Public co-ed school. Never felt ashamed to raise hands, etc. Actually, although I wasn't one of the smartest I did read a lot. Every year there was MS Read-a-thon and it always came down to myself and 2 other girls competing for top spot lol They were/are smart, so it made me feel good about myself to be able to be up there with them
It's interesting to hear the discussion about same sex vs. coed schools. Definitely points I'd never considered because the positives of it didn't apply to me personally, but the negatives would have been devastating for me.
There isn't a doubt in my mind that I would have turned out to be really messed up mentally, if I had gone to a same sex school. To me, a major negative of that is kids will have limited experience working with people of the opposite gender. A critical aspect of school isn't just the education, it's learning to work with others and navigating disagreements.
I was always confident in school, was regularly called upon, and never feared speaking my opinion. To be fair, the teachers at the schools I went to encouraged children to think more deeply about subjects and speak about their POV.
However, I was insecure socially and especially around boys. But at least I had the early practice of having male classmates. Then in high school when kids start dating each other, I again had the crucial experiences of gaining some confidence because I went to school with guys and talked to them all the time. I had friends who were guys, which made it easier to talk to guys I had crushes on. And all of it in the low stakes world of HS.
If I'd spent the first 17 years of my life with almost no exposure to the male gender, I would have graduated from high school into a world I would have found terrifying.
Plus we've been looking at it for the pros/cons specifically to girls. But what about boys? We already live in a grossly chauvinistic world. If boys had little exposure to girls until after they'd graduated from high school, I'd think that would only make it worse. After all, if they spend 12 years only doing projects and homework with other boys, they will at least subconsciously associate doing work tasks with other males.
Nowadays it might be different because of the Internet. It's so much easier to connect with a wide range of people. As I'm typing this in a forum, lol. But the average person didn't have access to the Internet until I was in my last years of high school.
I did K-12 co-Ed and College women only. Loved both. But in law school I could tell immediately which women had also attended women’s colleges.
Female only schools aren't super popular here, let alone college. What's the difference? Like .... how could you tell?
They’re rare here too! And I don’t think they’re for everyone. But every time a classmate was particularly eager to raise her hand and join in the discussion, turned out she went to a women’s college.
Re: Testy Tuesday
Actually, although I wasn't one of the smartest I did read a lot.
Every year there was MS Read-a-thon and it always came down to myself and 2 other girls competing for top spot lol They were/are smart, so it made me feel good about myself to be able to be up there with them
What's the difference? Like .... how could you tell?