We've talked about being an only child, and, we've talked about being adopted, how about single sex education?
No, that's not having sex only once like you told your parents, it means going to an all-girls school, or, an all boys school.
Yes, I am an adopted only child who went to an all-girls Catholic school, AND, I started kindergarten early, so I was 17 when I started college.
We can get a couple more topics out of that, no?
Anyway, as I said, I went to an all-girls high school. I didn't find it all that unusual, but, apparently some people do.
Let's start with the most obvious question, shall we?
Didn't you miss having boys?
No, no one took them, they were never there in the first place.
Seriously, I can only speak for myself, but, it's not something you think about while you're doing it, it's just school.
I think other people think about it more than the students.
As far as I can tell, there really are fewer distractions to learning when you're not hung up on influencing the opposite sex, and, though it sounds a bit cliche, I did have some leadership opportunities that might not have come my way in a different environment.
My parents didn't send me to school to meet boys, anyway, I was there for an education.
By the way, I believe parents should decide where their kids go to high school. We can talk about that later.
Single sex education isn't the real world, you need to learn to interact with everyone, don't you?
If you're wondering if I'm a social misfit, yeah, probably, but, I'm pretty sure it had nothing to do with my high school.
We went to dances, went to football games, and, to youth group things (to meet other yoots), just like regular people.
There were boys at all these things, we did social things with friends from other schools, we dated, had friends of the male persuasion, etc.
School isn't the only way to acquire social skills. As a matter of fact, since we had to do the asking of boys to our school dances, you really had to get over any shyness.
I hated my all-girls/all-boys school, they're all terrible.
Um, sorry?
Like many things, I think there is an element of "you get out of it what you put into it".
But, if a school isn't a good fit, it isn't a good fit.
I wonder if you really examined it, though, it would be more to do with the school program and expectations itself, and, less to do with what gender was there, I dunno.
Aren't all-girls schools snobby?
You're talking to me?
Isn't that cute?
Kidding.
Any school can have a difficult social environment, it's part of being that age.
I think the media portrays a certain stereotype about girls' schools, and, private schools (I know! Who knew they could do that?!), and, sometimes, people are attuned to looking for those characteristics.
What other questions do you have for me?
I can only speak to my experience, and, yours may vary, but, I just wanted to let you know that going to an all-girls school isn't that mysterious.
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I so wanted to go to this all girl boarding school when I was little. I think you're lucky. I probably would have done much better in school without the distraction of boys, too.
I also really wanted my parents to send me to an all-girls school. I think I would have done much better in school without all of the competition.
;)
"By the way, I believe parents should decide where their kids go to high school."
Amen, sister.
I went to both and I preferred the co-ed. SO MANY BOYS !!! What can I say???
Had we stayed in Calif. I would have sent my daughter to a girls middle school and high school. I believe that same sex education is a great idea, especially for girls.
Now, every day I drive by Wellesley College and wish ferverntly that my Girl could get in there. It's such a great GIRLS college.
Hi,
I went to an all girls school in Nashville, and I would not trade that experience for anything. It was the best move my parents made for me. The uniforms were a big plus too. Having had to be at practice at 6am, that certainly made life much easier getting ready for school.
I think I would have preferred going to an all-girls school. I'm sure my high school years would have went a lot smoother were I not so busy trying to impress the boys and show up the other girls trying to impress the boys.
My 5th grade girl wants to go to an all girl high school, she's in coed private now. I think a lot of people who can't or don't want to afford it think it's "snobby", in a reverse "snobbism" sort of way. We've elected private schools for our children, and a few friends and family members have accused us of trying to raise our kids "to move above our station". One, I thought that's what all parents want for their kids, and another, we sacrifice to afford it, living in a much smaller house and forgoing vacations. Why does that anger people so?
By the way my husband and I both went to co-ed public schools.
I attended an all boy's high school...both public and military. My father was the band director at the nearby all girl's school..and that balanced things out nicely.
I am not, however, an advocate for schools segregated by sex...or additionally segregate by sex and race (but that is a whole different topic).
I also went to an all-girls Catholic high school and I was just fine with it. That's where I knew I'd be going since I was in 4th grade (at the Catholic K-8 school!) so it's not like I had my heart set on anything else.
I was quite comfortable in the setting without having to worry if so-and-so liked me or was looking at me, etc. And we had our brother school right down the road, the all-boys Catholic high school, so all the social events were done together.
Everything I know about private school I learned from a Phoebe Cates movie.
You mean, that isn't TRUE?
Come to think of it, I was quite disappointed with my regular high school, since Mr. Hand wasn't there to spice up history class.
I lived in Nashvegas up until 11 years ago. I attend 7th-10th grade at St. Bernard and then moved to Brentwood High for the last 2 years (this was right in the middle of SBA closing). I loved all-girls school. The focus was on school, not on what I was going to wear or how I looked when I got to school. When I made the move to co-ed public, that is all I cared about. I was so worried about if my big hair, big bangs and blue eye liner were out of place. Ahh, to be a teen again.
I wish that there was an all-girl school for my daughters to attend near where we live in WV. It was a great experience.
alum of an all girls hs as well, and i LOVED it. for all the reasons you list. plus, maybe i'm wrong, but i think it helped us stay younger. we still felt ok acting silly in school, because HELLO? no one to impress. and because we were a small school we all got along, it was nice and I wish I had one close so my neice could experience it as well.
But you didn't answer the most important question...
What did your uniform look like?
Thanks for the insight into your schooling. I have sometimes wondered how a school like that would have differed from the many schools I attended. In the end, I think that for me attending any school for my entire school career (or most of it) probably would have been better for me.
I SHOULD have gone to an all girls school. Who wants to do algebra when there's a dreamy hunka-hunka sitting at the next desk?
Heck, I was so distracted that I MARRIED one of 'em! (Yep, still married to him, and he STILL distracts me!)
I went to an all boys Catholic High School. Personally I hated it, but it had more to do with the school than anything else.
I am not a fan of school segregation. I think if it is a good school, it can be a good school whether it is an all boys, all girls or mixed.
I can't help but wonder about those that say though that it helps with distractions. I certainly know for me that wasn't the case. Just because Junie McTightSweater wasn't sitting in the same classroom as I was, didn't keep me from daydreaming about her. If you are prone to daydreaming (as I was), I suspect you would be regardless of who else is in the class. It has more to do with who you are, and to some extent how much the teachers are engaging you as opposed to the "eye candy"
I guess because there are so many private schools of so many levels in the North East, it isn't really considered "snobby" unless you go to certain specific (VERY high priced) schools that are clearly for the "elite" (super rich) only.
No, here the biggest "mock" on those that attend all boys or all girls schools are usually weak, cheesy homosexual jokes. "Why aren't there any elevators in your school? Give up? Because, fairies can fly." Like I said, weak.
I survived an all boys catholic MILITARY high school. Other than the occasional addiction later in life, I escaped unscathed.
I wonder... I didn't socialize well with females, ever. Elementary, middle school and high school. (As a note, I went to a co-ed school.) I was shy and backwards and the girls, snobby in co-ed, just so you know, took advantage of that... hardcore. I wonder if interacting with girls was the ONLY option, whether or not I would have had a better success... or if I would have just become more reclusive. To this day, I find interacting with females to be very scary. I hole up within myself until I feel that I can trust someone.
Oh, school drama at its best!
I went to a private co-ed boarding high school. I enjoyed it very much. No uniforms, but modest dress was a must.
Have to agree that the single-sex school isn't nearly as mysterious as many think. My introduction was when I took a teaching job at an all-boys high school. Went in expecting huge differences and left -- 5 years later -- realizing that schools are schools and kids are kids.
As a teacher, I found not having to deal with some of the boy-girl craziness and dealing with a good chunk less clothes and looks craziness (that started after-school) to be helpful. But the kids certainly had no problem meeting girls and socializing.
Worked well on all levels, from my perspective.
Tim Sullivan
www.back2school2007.com
Hi
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