Page 52 - Tropic Magazine Issue 22

TROPIC • OPINION

Paul Sjogren
Principal
Trinity Anglican School

The co-education debate

As a Principal of a co-educational school, and someone who has the genders than there are differences. From The Conversation:
“In-depth analysis of educational outcomes by Janet Hyde and
always worked in a co-educational setting, I thought I would do a colleagues at the University of Wisconsin has found scant evidence
little research into the current thinking on the interesting debate of that single-sex schooling leads to better academic achievement”.
co-education verses single-sex schooling. We frown upon classifying differences in brains by racial, political
CO-EDUCATION - THE ACADEMIC ARGUMENT or sexual preference. Why is it considered acceptable to do this by
When it comes to research findings, I listen to researchers such as gender? Of course, all the research points to the skills and teaching
Professor John Hattie who works with meta-analyses of education effectiveness of the teacher as being clearly the dominant factor in
research, combining many studies to come up with more robust student learning.
research outcomes. From the York School blog: “About achievement THE SOCIAL ARGUMENT FOR CO-EDUCATION
in math, for example, Hattie says ‘there was no support for the Great teachers view all learners as unique individuals who come
advantages of single-sex mathematics classes for either boys from a range of backgrounds, cultures and experiences. All Saints
or girls… There are more powerful effects due to the quality of College in Western Australia puts it beautifully: “In the context
teaching and teacher expectations than whether a class is all one of valuing diversity, respecting and interacting with the other
sex or mixed’.” Furthermore, from the same source: “In another gender is an absolutely essential first step. If we cannot manage
meta-analysis published in 2014, combining 184 studies of more that fundamental level of diversity, present in all aspects of our life,
than 1.6 million students from around the world, the researchers there is little hope that we can do so in more complex areas”. From
concluded that ‘single-sex education does not educate boys and an article in The Conversation: “Research by Rebecca Bigler at the
girls any better than co-ed schools’.” University of Texas and Lynn Liben at Penn State University shows
The Good Education Group also found there was no consistent that children are especially susceptible to feelings of favoritism
evidence to show that students of either sex “achieve higher grades about members of their own group, and to prejudice against those
in single-sex than in co-educational settings”. So, the research in contrasting groups. The effect on children is the same whether
seems to show there is no academic advantage to single-sex adults divide them by race, gender or even t-shirt color. Similarly, in
schooling. Are there other possible advantages to co-education that classroom-based research Valerie Lee at the University of Michigan
is backed up by research? found the greatest expression of sexism in all-boys’ schools. She
BUT BOYS AND GIRLS BRAINS WORK DIFFERENTLY, found such behavior was not limited to males - all-girls’ campuses
DON’T THEY? could also foster stereotyping and a type of ‘pernicious sexism’, or
Another argument put forward by the proponents of single-sex dumbing-down of challenging material”.
schooling is that boys’ and girls’ brains need separate, customised Real life is full of diversity. Students should develop the skills to
learning environments to succeed. But neuroscientist Lise Eliot be comfortable and able to work and live with people from all
from Rosalind Franklin University found there was “much more backgrounds. That includes gender.
overlap” in the academic and even social-emotional abilities of MORE: tas.qld.edu.au

author, Brené Brown. If we stay silent asked yourself to give an extra 3% on
and don’t ask for help, we contribute to a your next presentation, an extra 3%
Amy Eden culture of isolation. When we ask for help, into your relationships or an extra 3% to
Community Advocate we give others permission to do the same community? Asking yields results. ASK!
and provide opportunities for people to The answer is always no until you ask. The
care. The power of asking for help and power of asking of yourself and others.
providing opportunities for people to
The power of asking step up and contribute or get involved
can be powerful currents to support a
A little while back I was asked what I loved community culture towards openness,
about the Cairns community and my answer generosity and connectedness. Let me
was (and still is) the generosity! Specifically, I demonstrate with a very simple exercise
was talking about business and community from leanin.org that shows the power of
people stepping up and contributing to asking. Find a friend, spouse, colleague or
causes, and helping to restore a sense of hope child and ask them to reach their hands as
and pride of place. But to give people the high as they can. Now ask them to reach
opportunity to be generous and show they 3cm higher. What happened? Hands
care, first we must ask. “Sometimes our first were raised an extra 3cm just because you
and greatest dare is asking for support,” said asked. The power of asking yields results.
renowned human experience researcher and Imagine what you could achieve if you MORE: amyeden.com.au

52 • Tropic • Issue 22