Single-gender schools: adaptational strategies by Alan Ng https://padlet.com/alanng1995od/j2496vpdabrxzkth en-us 2021-10-02 11:24:28 UTC 2021-10-03 09:35:46 UTC hello@padlet.com The Position of Single-Gender Schools alanng1995od https://padlet.com/alanng1995od/j2496vpdabrxzkth/wish/1785772147 Single-gender schools remain on the decline in Victoria, with many schools of the type opting to convert to co-educational schools for a myriad of reasons. However, while they remain a minority within the schools landscape it is nevertheless more important still to tailor classroom policy and strategy toward gender equity.

(Word count: 556)]]> 2021-10-02 11:33:21 UTC https://padlet.com/alanng1995od/j2496vpdabrxzkth/wish/1785772147 Adaptational strategies alanng1995od https://padlet.com/alanng1995od/j2496vpdabrxzkth/wish/1785783397 In contrast to modern efforts in the class towards gender-inclusiveness for non-binary genders, the issues surrounding gender-inclusiveness in the co-ed vs single-gender schools debate remain at the traditional divide between the binary genders (Forgasz & Leder, 2017). 

For teaching strategies within single-gender schools, three key issues are explored: 
- Raising awareness for respectful relationships
- Adapting pedagogical content to support unique single-gender environments
- Encouraging inter-school collaboration to reinforce respect-based attitudes

It must also be said that the resources provided here are meant as adaptational strategies to be implemented as policy or program-level decisions to be supported with everyday practice in the classroom, among other strategic methods.

]]> 2021-10-02 11:47:18 UTC https://padlet.com/alanng1995od/j2496vpdabrxzkth/wish/1785783397 Respectful Relationships alanng1995od https://padlet.com/alanng1995od/j2496vpdabrxzkth/wish/1785791084 Perhaps more vital than any other program on gender equity, the Respectful Relationships program is a powerful policy tool available to schools as a whole-school initiative. 

Within single-gender environments the initiative is aimed at forestalling or reducing misogynistic cultures by promoting respectful and professional interactions with the opposite gender and highlighting the importance of day-to-day mindfulness of speech and action with regard to identifying inappropriate behaviour, creating a self-moderating environment among students.  

Contrary to popular belief, all-boys educational environments do not necessarily form discriminatory cultures (Watterson 2001). Research has shown that all-boys schools can provide a space for more egalitarian attitudes towards gender especially within academically focused spaces, but this is not a natural phenomenon – this kind of equitable environment must be actively implemented and cultivated at a school-wide level.

]]> 2021-10-02 11:55:45 UTC https://padlet.com/alanng1995od/j2496vpdabrxzkth/wish/1785791084 Adapting pedagogical content for single-gender cohorts alanng1995od https://padlet.com/alanng1995od/j2496vpdabrxzkth/wish/1786622455 Studies have shown that in all-girls and all-boys cohorts, both genders, though displaying negligible differences in academic performance, have reported relaxed feelings as a result of the influence of the other sex being removed. This eased mentality (Keller, 2011) enables students whose personal qualities might have been suppressed in a co-ed environment to display those qualities in a freer and more constructive manner in the classroom (Keller, 2011; Garvey, 2012).

Single-gender cohorts also tend to centralize certain attributes common to that gender. For example, all-girls cohorts tend to respond better to lecture-style instruction and work well in collaborative settings, while all-boys cohorts have been found to favour physical activity in the classroom and become more expressive among their peers (Forgasz & Leder, 2017; Ibanez, 2011).

It is therefore advised that teachers in single-gender cohorts be aware of cohort-level learning preferences (to be observed closely in the classroom), then adapt teaching strategy to fit the observed trend. This might include:

All boys: Spontaneous physical activity, visually-guided whole-class learning, simulation-based activity - in response to observed restlessness or desire for action

All girls: Collaborative group learning, expanded text selections, Socratic discussion tasks - in response to a language-dominated cohort culture

]]> 2021-10-03 02:05:48 UTC https://padlet.com/alanng1995od/j2496vpdabrxzkth/wish/1786622455 Inter-school collaboration alanng1995od https://padlet.com/alanng1995od/j2496vpdabrxzkth/wish/1786622660 In 2014, selective single-gender government high schools Melbourne High School and MacRobertson Girls' High School opted to combine VCE classes to create co-ed spaces for VCE subjects that might otherwise have suffered from low enrolment.

This underscores years of previous cooperation between the two single-gender schools and has contributed significantly to improved gender outlooks between the two institutions, enhancing learning outcomes for both major cohorts through extracurricular activities and now major pedagogical content. It is a potential tool for educators to encourage interaction with cohorts of the opposite gender.]]> 2021-10-03 02:06:11 UTC https://padlet.com/alanng1995od/j2496vpdabrxzkth/wish/1786622660 References alanng1995od https://padlet.com/alanng1995od/j2496vpdabrxzkth/wish/1786622794 Forgasz, H., & Leder, G. (2017, October). Single-sex versus co-educational schooling and STEM pathways. Monash University.

Garvey, J. (2012). Submission to the Parliamentary enquiry into the education of gifted and talented students. The Mac.Robertson Girls’ High School.

Ibanez, N. (2011, September). Best practices in single gender education. Department of Research and Evaluation.

Keller, S. (2011). Teaching methods at single sex high schools: An analysis of the implementation of biological differences and teaching styles (Thesis). Trinity College. https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/theses/48

Watterson, B. (2001). Practices and policies on single-sex classes within co-educational schools. AARE Annual Conference, Fremantle, Australia.
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