It is certainly not my task to undermine any co-educational school, but there is something about so called monastic schools which enables. They enable boys to be boys and girls to be girls, if I am allowed to be as “binary as that” these days? My own opinion is that the difference in brain functioning and development between boys and girls is so vast that running a coeducational school is incredibly complex. Yet, of course, each boy or each girl does not necessarily conform to the so called norm, and is an individual in their own right.
I ran a co-ed School for 11 years. I know the difference.
https://brainconnection.brainhq.com/2001/07/26/the-truth-about-boys-and-girls/
At its most basic an article from the Pretoria News of 15 January echoes this thought. Quoting a Dr Terry Fitzsimmons from the University of Queensland, the article starts with “Girls are more likely to match boys in confidence if they attend a single sex school.”
In her doctoral thesis, our own Dr Pienaar, quoting many sources, makes the point that while research into the overall benefit of co-ed and monastic schools for children is unclear (some research says it benefits while others say there is no evidence of benefit,) but confidence, career aspiration, class room atmosphere and achievement do favour girls in all girls schools, more so it seems that boys in boys monastic schools. Our curriculum certainly favours those who are “more engaged with reading and writing” and brain development MRIs do suggest that girls may have different strengths than boys in this regard.
The point is made that single sex schools exist because boys and girls are not seen as a homogeneous group.
This plays out strongly in the idea that boys are better at Maths and Science than girls, affecting the confidence of girls in these areas resulting in fewer girls entering these professions. Again my opinion is that this is also affected by a girl’s appetite for risk. Generally my experience is that girls place themselves under such pressure that they would not want to try a problem and risk getting it wrong. Girls want to understand and get it right. This plays into anxiety when confronted with a task.
Professor of Engineering, Petra Bonfert-Taylor from Dartmouth College laments that “parents and teachers pass on Maths Anxiety to kids like a virus, especially girls. Anxiety over Maths has been seen as a grade killer.” It is about confidence.
https://engineering.dartmouth.edu/news/stop-telling-kids-youre-bad-at-math
Author Rachel Simmons’ article “Why failure hits girls so hard” which draws on Jessica Lahey’s book “The Gift of Failure: How the best parents learn to let go so their children can succeed” has much to say on this topic. She writes on how girls, especially intelligent girls, are more affected by failure than boys, because they feel that talent not practice leads to success. Girls are much more badly affected by failure than boys.
https://www.rachelsimmons.com/why-failure-hits-girls-so-hard/
In addition girls are also more likely to give up in a stressful academic situation says Harvard economist Claudia Goldin.
Whether at a Co-ed or monastic School confidence is key, and we need to nurture our boys and girls differently to get the best out of them, especially in Maths and Science.
“If a girl believes in herself….she will fly.”
Belonging, purpose and hope 