Archive for September, 2011

Single sex education is the best choice

According to long term studies of children from around the world, students achieve more and learn better in single sex schools.

An Australian study of 270,000 students found that both boys and girls performed significantly higher on standardized tests when they attended separate schools. During an experiment in Virginia in 1995, 100 eighth graders were separated just for math and science courses. Almost immediately, the girls began to achieve more, become more confident and participate more often in class.

In 2001, a British study conclude that nearly every girl regardless of her ability or socioeconomic status performed better in single sex classrooms than co-ed ones. The study of study of 2954 high schools and 979 primary schools showed that while boys at the lowest ends academically improved the most in single sex schools, single sex education was particularly beneficial to girls. Every one of the top fifty elementary schools and top twenty high schools in Britain are single sex schools.

By using magnetic resonance imaging, (MRI), researchers have begun to literally watch the human brain work. Being able to observe the physical differences between male and female brains as they function, particularly at high level tasks like tests and the SAT exam, have led to understandings in how using different teaching methods specifically designed for each sex work so well.

At an all girls schools, teachers use the latest techniques keeping with the female learning style. The textbooks and other materials don’t have a male bias. Girls are more able to participate in class discussions since there aren’t boys around to dominate as in co-educational schools. Girls become more confident in themselves as students and earn higher scores on their College Board and Advanced Placement examinations.

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In addition, having female adult role models, the lack of male favoritism, and the absence of the expectations for girls to be nice, quiet, non-athletic, and passive led to more successful academic careers when girls began college. Professor Robin Robertson said she could identify students from girls only schools on the first day of class. “They were the young women whose hands shot up in the air, who were not afraid to defend their positions, and who assumed I would be interested in their perspective.”

Girls take over all the positions of leadership in an single sex school, whether it’s drama, sports, yearbook, or debate team, and they are more likely to major in math and science in college. After ten years of studying sexism in classrooms, professors Myra and David concluded that girls stay confident and learn more in single sex schools – “where girls are the players, not the audience.”

Almost 90% of girls in co-ed high schools are affected by some form of sexual harassment. Being in an atmosphere that rails against the negative influence of mass media and its troubling depictions of women and girls is nothing but positive for teenage girls during a time when body image and self esteem are most critical.

While single sex education has been illegal in public schools since Title IX passed in 1972, applications and enrollment in private all-girls’ schools has steadily risen. According the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools to enrollment is up 29 percent in member schools, applications increased 40 percent, and more than thirty new schools have opened since 1991. Organized political pressure prevents experiments with single sex classrooms in public schools despite all the research that shows both girls and boys benefit from them. Most public teacher unions are against charter schools because they can be single sex.

A quarter of the female members of Congress and one-third of all female members of Fortune 100 boards graduated from all-women’s colleges. Adult graduates of all-girls high schools and colleges report extreme satisfaction with their education.

The demand for single sex education   does not only come from Muslim parents. A comparison of league tables shows that pupils (particularly girls) at single sex schools do generally better in exams than their peers in co-educational schools.

This is probably due to the fact that boys and girls mature at different times of their development, and girls are not held back by boys in single-sex schools nor distracted by the relationship problems common in co-educational schools amongst adolescent pupils. Islam, which does not permit sexual relationships outside marriage, does not approve the free mixing of the sexes after the age of puberty so as to reduce the risk of temptation. Most Muslim parents would prefer single-sex schools for their teenaged children, but other measures recommended by the teachings of Islam include modesty in dress and behavior. Islam invites people before 14 centuries not to mix girls and boys  in a same school . Islam introduces the solutions for all human problems .Islam is the greatest solution for human.

 

 

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Sex Education: Its Importance and Need in the Society

Sex Education, as the term clearly indicates, refers to education which is based on human sexual behavior. Parents, schools or caretakers offer it in some parts of the world to educate the children, who are stepping into their adolescence. If formally received, sex education is either taught as a full course at high school or junior high school level or in biology, health, home economics classes. Teaching sex education is rather a controversial issue; debates have been going on for several decades discussing if it should be taught formally in schools or not. Sex education in schools should exist without any doubts and apprehensions as it offers many benefits.

Adolescence is called the “age of storm and stress”. The young teenagers, during this phase of life are under deep psychological pressure. Mainly, this psychological pressure is the result of one’s growing sexual needs and the biological changes and hormonal effects on the individuals. During this time, most of the children are observed to become easily irritable. They find it difficult in most situations to deal with the family members. They might not want to talk to them about the natural changes taking place in their body and mind. In such circumstances, one highly suitable option is that of the teachers who are able to teach them to control their urges until a proper age. In schools, trained teachers would help the students to know how to deal with their sexual impulses. This role can not be replaced by parents or other entities. A classroom discussion and lesson would make them feel it is natural, and they would also feel that they are being understood by someone. However, taking them individually to psychologists or other trained educators would not help. In such a situation they might consider themselves to be different and misunderstood by family and people around them. Therefore, it becomes crystal clear that the best way to offer sex education is always in school.

It is a psychological phenomenon that children at young age are under an immense peer pressure. Something that they learn in the class with their peer group is what makes a better impression on their minds than otherwise. They are more focused in the lessons that teachers offer and are more eager asking question to clear their ambiguities. They might feel embarrassed and uneasy questioning their parents about it, but it always differs in case of the teacher in the class. This is because everyone in the class is going through the same stage. A class discussion becomes healthy source of learning as it helps in enhancing the knowledge on the subject.

Many people advocate that sex education should only be restricted to families, that is, that parents should personally educate their children. This view is totally illogical and holds complications and questions. The first point is that not all the parents would be willing to do it or would be able to do it. Secondly, this education needs a proper channel through which it should reach its required learners. There could be many possible problems in the families so they might not be able to take the role of a teacher in educating their children regarding sex. The demand of annulment of sex education from the schools is highly conservative.

Most importantly, there are many single parents, how would they take up this challenge of educating their children on their own? Parents can not properly educate their children about sex also because they lack details that qualified sex educators convey in schools. Thus, the stance of abolishing sex education in school is not a favorable thought. In many observed cases where parents or children are embarrassed about talking over sexual matters with each other, it is most likely to be uneasy situation at both the ends. This keeps the children from learning the answers to the questions they might have in their minds. This can be a great flaw of shifting the duty of sexual education from teachers to the parents. It will leave the children only half or less educated about the issue and as they say “Little knowledge is a dangerous thing”, this might end up in grave situations.

According to research, most of the parents also feel uneasy because they know that they are not equipped to provide the apt sexual information to their children. They also fail to comprehend what details and information should be concealed and what should be revealed, keeping in mind their children’s age. On the other hand, there might also be parents who would feel comfortable talking to their children about sexual matters, but only when the children bring the matter up.

Most parents, around the world, may also lack role models to look up to as they would not have talked over sexual issues with their own parents in their adolescent. This makes them inefficient to trigger their roles of educating their children in an effective way as the assigned teachers are able to do in schools.

Sex education is not limited to only a single branch of knowledge. This education focuses on a number of significant sexual matters that are offered with especially designed courses and programs. Sex education covers the education of relationships, sexual abstinence at a certain level and teaching to practice safe sex to the level of children who are thought to be sexually active. Therefore, its claim for being appropriate and guiding holds strong base.

At a certain age of adolescence, growing children have problems facing relationships and controlling their personal emotions. Conflicts related to such matters persuade many youngsters to commit suicides or take part in other immoral activities. Proper sex education in schools also concentrates in making the youngsters emotionally stronger and in educating ways to cope with relationship problems. This argument strongly shows the immense benefit of sex education in schools.

Sex education is an important health strategy and this cannot be denied. AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases can only be controlled if people are aware of precautions and have a vast knowledge in this case. This knowledge is conveyed through sex education, and if sex education is banned in schools and if parents have to educate their children, then it would not be as beneficial to the individuals and the society on the whole as teaching in school could be.

Sex education does not exist in all parts of the world. Asians are commonly regarded conservative when compared to westerners. It is not a part of their course in schools; this does not in any way mean that their teenage pregnancy rate is any lower if they are not exposed to sexual matters openly. In fact, this is one way how peers can mislead most of the youngsters and persuade them to bask in young age sexual relationships without any attempts for safety. This has resulted in serious problems such as the spread of fatal diseases like AIDS and has also increased rate of illegitimate births.

Researches have shown that the cause for ramification of STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) in the eras of 80s and 90s in the US and the UK is the lack of knowledge and information provided about sex in schools or home. Home and family has never and will never play an integral part in conveying sex education to teenagers, therefore to rely on the option of home, is to deceive your own self from the expected exigency in the future.

Some conservative groups assert that to discuss sexual issues openly is to devalue religion. No religion in the world abstain its followers from spreading the information that is so essential for human lives. Sexual behavior is natural and takes place through biological changes and this cannot be questioned as this is a part of human life. Thus people who take refuge under the religious shelter, to make their arguments strong, are misinterpreting religious ideas and laws.

Modern time is the time of internet and powerful media. Teenagers are exposed to Hollywood, TV and internet. These sources offer demonstration of sex which is highly thoughtless and casual; in this situation it is almost illogical to leave the teenagers on their sexual choices. They are young and fully excited; therefore they can not make a favorable choice. Sex education in school offers the information and knowledge they need to understand to know the responsibility that is accompanied by sexual relationships. The teacher in school helps the students to know the difference between a thoughtless and thoughtful sex. Having an urge for sex is not a problem; it is a natural process showing that the young people are developing to become adults; however the problem is having unsafe sex and hurting people through sexual choices.

People who claim that sex education in schools have more cons than pros, often come up with the statements suggesting that sex education in classroom should be avoided because the most effective tool for offering sex education, according to them is TV, films, magazines and media. Such people fail to understand that trained sex educators under especially designed programs teach sex education to children in schools. They are thus able to handle children’s problems and clear their ambiguities in the best possible way, whereas magazines, films, TV and other channels and mediums of providing sex education are be reliable. They are most of the times urging the young people by encouraging their sexual promiscuity rather than effectively teaching and educating them. This wrong approach damages the society and the individuals in disguise of ameliorating them.

People contradicting the notion insist that sex education always makes the learners have sex and experience it personally, once they learn about it in school. The reality is that sexual urge for any human being is a natural occurrence. When children reach to a certain age, whether they find people to educated them about sex or not, they do have natural instincts about it, and therefore if provided a chance they would surely want to satisfy their urge. This natural reaction can not in any way be related to the outcome of sex education in schools. In fact, the best time for letting sex education play its role is when the sexual urge increases and the teenagers want to find a source for its satisfaction. It offers individuals with the required knowledge so that they are careful. It is only then that they understand the consequences of sex leading to child birth as well as sexually transmitted diseases. Thus sex education is basically a warning and a caution for such children who are stepping into the phase of life where they would need to know all this.

Some people who go against the topic also argue that even though sex education exists, it has still not decreased the rate of teenage pregnancies. I would rather not go deep in to the moral issue of the topic, but it is important here to discuss and point out the shortcomings of our society. Social values that insist that being single, pregnant and teenagers is fine, is what has to be changed. Through educating the children and making them aware that it is just not ‘cool’ to be pregnant when single or teenager, and just because ‘others are also doing it’ does not in any way justify their actions, this change can be achieved. There are many sexual education programs that teach the learners about the grave consequences that can result in having early sex. This type of sex education in schools is helpful and makes the learners responsible and mature enough to understand the difference between morality and immorality.

People, who are against the notion, repeatedly state the question that why sex education is given so much importance when there are also many other issues connected with juvenile delinquencies such as drugs, drinking and aggressive bullying. No doubt, there are also many other issues to consider important enough to be taught in school for awareness but psychological researches show that behind most of the juvenile behavioral problems, one main reason is always the active sexual urge which drives the young people to indulge themselves in harmful activities like drug abuse and alcoholism. It is also commonly observed that young teenagers who indulge into such activities are unaware of proper sex education. Once they are given a true picture of sex and its consequences their mental status relaxes and they are easily able to cope with other social taboos.

Parents, who believe that sex education pollutes the minds of their children, have in large number taken their children out of schools promoting sex education. In this process of instilling in their minds their religious and family values, they forget that the media, their children are largely exposed to can also lead them astray. Sex education in schools does not in any way offers them an invitation to have open sex by making them aware of the risks; it just educates them about the matter in the best way.

Apart from educating the students about safe sex, sex education in schools is also helpful as it helps students to learn proper terminology for reproductive system, STDs and birth contraceptives rather than the street lingo that is commonly used by laymen. Sex education classes are gender based and that is why the young learners are not embarrassed and are only taught what is related to their gender. Early inclusion of classes also helps the teenagers to either become abstinent for some time or to become responsible if they are already active. Therefore, many sexual problems that occur in adulthood can be controlled if effective and apt sex education is given at the right time.

A proper sex education which is holistic, nonjudgmental and comprehensive never misleads or misguides the teenagers. Such a curriculum should be imposed in all schools around the nation; it is an answer to many social problems and conflicts. Would any parent leave their kindergarten kids to walk alone on the streets without letting them know how to walk safely? No parent would actually do that, in the same way, letting your teenager children socialize with their peers and fellows without any proper sexual education is nothing contrary to the analogy mentioned above. It is hazardous and risky for their lives. Thus, proper sex education in schools should be encouraged so that they learn all the significant facts through trained teachers, who help and supports them in these matters of highly crucial value. Sex education should be taken as a positive aspect which promises healthier and better life for the youngsters. It therefore should be taken as a subject taught in schools to enhance knowledge on the subject matter; something merely as human anatomy or biology class. Sex education should be given in all schools to educate the children for their betterment, avoiding it will only result in emotional, social and health problems.

How to provide sex education to your teenager?

You were always apprehensive of the fact that your teen could indulge in sex and your doubts were confirmed when you found packets of condoms and birth control pills in their room. How does a parent approach a teen and tell them the need for safe sex? How do your warn them about the pitfalls of teen pregnancy? What is the best approach to inform them about sexually transmitted diseases?

Most teens tend to learn about sex from sources other than their school and parents and this leads them to have preconceived notions about it. As a parent it is your duty to inform your child before their approach their teens about sex, the need for safe sex and the consequences of unprotected sex.

Your immediate reaction when you come to know that your teen has been indulging in sex behind your back is to scream and take out your anger. If this is the option you choose you will only succeed in creating a rebel who would probably end up doing it more number of times than before.

Most parents are uncomfortable talking about sex even with adults so the question of discussing things in the right perspective with their teens just doesn’t arise. It is such parents who are more shocked when they come to know that adolescent sex.

Talking about sex is not a onetime affair that you do on a particular day and then forget all about it. Your teen could come up with a lot of questions about sex which they feel are appropriate to ask and it is your duty as a parent that you should answer all their questions in the language they understand and not just confuse them with adult talk.

You as a parent must address the physical and emotional aspects of sex while talking about it to your teen. Do not indulge in a long lecture of do’s and don’ts.

Most teenagers are comfortable with either one of the parents and if your teen happens to be a girl you as a mother can talk with her about the pitfalls of unsafe sex and teen pregnancy. As a father you could have a conversation with your son about sex and its consequences at an early age. Teens prefer talking to their respective gender parents about sex as the awkwardness is less then.

You could also inform them about the various sexually transmitted diseases and the precautions that one needs to take regarding this.

If you do come to know that they have indulged in sexual activity then you need to make them realize the importance of love in a relationship and that sex is just one beautiful aspect of it. You will need to approach the entire thing in a mature way and inform them that there will be consequences of sex, which at such a young age they might not be able to comprehend correctly.

You can also provide them knowledge about AIDS and other deadly sexually transmitted diseases that could prove life threatening. Most teens succumb to pressure from their peer group and your role, as a parent is quite significant as you can give them the necessary confidence to withstand and handle such pressure.

Sex and sexuality are beautiful aspects and you, as an adult must make sure that you provide your teens with adequate knowledge by communicating with them and removing any sort of misapprehensions that they might harbour regarding it.

In the book “Solving Teenage Problems” various tips to deal with teenage sex education have been provided. The book also provides various communication models to have difficult discussions with teenagers, so that you can structure your conversation to achieve optimal results.

Related Sex Education Articles

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