When it comes to a child’s education, parents take it very seriously. They know that school is important for a child’s development and growth. They go to school to not only learn academically, but to develop socially and in other areas. Making sure that mom is picking the right type of environment for their child is vital when it comes to making sure that a child gets everything that they need. The good news is that there are a lot of different school environments to choose from right now, and there is something for every family and child out there.

Mom can choose to go with the traditional public school, private school, magnet school, lab school, and even homeschooling is an option. It is important to weigh the pros and cons of every type of schooling for the children. Another option that is out there is “single-gender” schools, and these are commonly referred to as “all girls” or “all boys” schools. This may seem like it is something from the past, but it is definitely still an option for mom and dad, but they may want to know more about it before they make their decision.

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What Are Single-Gender Schools?

It is first important to look at what type of school this is, and how it works. According to Great Schools, single-gender schools are basically set up exactly how they sound. Students are separated by their gender, so girls only go to schools with girls and boys only go to school with other boys. This is something that has been done in private schools for a while now, but it is starting to gain some power in public schools as well. The National Association for Single-Sex Public Education states that there are approximately 400 public schools out there that offer some form of single-sex education. The reason that this is gaining momentum is that there has been research showing that boys and girls learn differently naturally, and this was seen to be a beneficial solution.

Impact For Girls

Single-gender schools will have a different impact on boys and girls, and it is important that this is all explored. According to US News, studies have been done on how all-girls schools can impact a girl’s development, and the findings have been profound. They have found that girls who attend a single-gender school perform better in school, particularly when it comes to STEM. They also have higher aspirations and greater motivation in life.

It can also help empower girls because when there needs to be a student body president or valedictorian, the person is going to be a female and this can lead to students feeling more confident, and while there can be some competition, the environment has been reported to being pretty supportive.

Impact For Boys

When it comes to single-gender schools for boys, there has been some research to show that single-gender schools can reduce some behavioral issues that are commonly seen in boys. That is because the classroom is typically more comfortable for boys, and they are more willing to take risks. This is especially true for older boys because they are not afraid of “failing” in front of the other sex, which can be a big deal for adolescent boys.

Experts also stated that boys developmentally do not hone their skills as quickly as girls, so they are able to be in a more relaxed environment where they can learn at their own pace

There Is A Warning

Just with anything in life, there are always going to be some downsides to a single-gender school, and it is important that mom and dad are aware of these if they are thinking of enrolling their child in one of these schools. According to The Conversation, one of the big arguments against single-gender schools is that it does not prepare children for working in places that are mixed genders or other real-life experiences.

This lack of experience is thought to possibly hurt a person's ability to share leadership roles and even family roles. That it may breed gender stereotypes if instructors and parents are not careful. When making any decision, it is important that parents look at all the information in front of them, and it may even be a good idea to talk to other parents who have children in single-gender schools to see what their experience has been. If mom is looking for a community to connect with, the best place to start is usually social media, as schools will often have pages and parent groups to share.

Sources: Great Schools, US News, The Conversation