IMPACT OF CULTURE ON TEACHING EFFECTIVENESS IN A SINGLE-SEX EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT
It is important to acknowledge the critical role that teachers play towards the development of students in the contemporary society. It is for this purpose as to why it is essential to carry out research that helps to vividly understand the major factors that influence both the performance and effectiveness of the teacher so as to learn how to increase efficiency in productivity of the teaching practice (Emer, 2010). The paper seeks to explore effectively the effects of culture on teaching effectiveness in an environment of the same-sex education of both female and male
The effectiveness of a teacher refers to the provision of maximum opportunities for all students in a given learning environment (Westwood, 2004). Educators often matter more to students’ success than any other scope of schooling (U.S. Department of Education, 2005). It is equally vital to acknowledge that single-sex education environment is one that exclusively accommodates either the male or female students.
Most of the studies conducted suggest that single-sex education environment has a positive impact on the effectiveness of teaching (U.S. Department of Education, 2005). The system of single-sex education is more beneficial at the elementary level where females or males attend school only with colleagues of the same gender (U.S. Department of Education, 2005). Single-sex education has continued to gain interest among many people that has attributed to the establishment of more single-sex schools in the United States by more than half the number of schools (U.S. Department of Education, 2005). As a result of the many learning institutions, there has been a high number of graduates in the same sex schools of at least 82 percent (Shah & Conchar, 2009).
However, the system of the same sex is harmful to the culture and the teaching effectiveness that has affected a significant number of teachers as they are not impressed by single sex education. According to Morse & American Association of University Women, the system of the same sex has had a neutral effect on girls and has had an even more negative effect on the boys. According to Thoonen et al. (2011), only 16% of teachers believe that same sex schools work with a majority favoring the abandonment of this form of education.
Community culture refers to the way of life of individuals according to the Cambridge dictionary (Cambridge University Press , 200). It encompasses the general beliefs and customs of a particular group of people at a given time. School culture in a community is crucial to note that if this problem persists we may witness poor education performance in the education facilities shortly. Also, both verbal and non-verbal communications vary with cultural variation. Therefore, it may be difficult to understand non-verbal messages from educators.
When students perform poorly it may be as a result of the cultural differences that influence their behavior and attitude in the same-sex system that may hinder them from interacting with each other (Riordan, 2009). Students in the same-sex system are a better platform for understanding each other despite the difference in the school culture system. However, if there is no understanding among the students from different cultural background may create a situation that divulges the student’s attention and consequently influences their studies (Reynolds, Ferguson-Patrick, & McCormack, 2013).
The perception that teaching practices of teachers in the single-sex education environment may be affected by the students resulting to in efficiency. This is because same-sex education, especially for females downplays subjects such as science and mathematics, compared to the male counterparts (Morse & American Association of University Women, 1998). Teachers have an uphill task in the same-sex system of the females in order to demystify such myths in order to match the performance of the male same-sex education system.
Teachers have divided opinions on the matter of having single-sex education environments in the United States with most of them advocating for the abolishment of the institutions with such system (Peter, 2004). The research findings indicate that single-sex education environments also negatively affect the performance of the students. Moreover, early childhood teachers should recognize the significance of culture as the building blocks of social life in institutions of learning
References
Cambridge University Press (2002). Cambridge advanced learner’s dictionary. Cambridge University Press third edition
Emer, S. (2010). "Single-sex Education: What Does Research Tell Us?"
Fred, M.,Alonso, A., Gibson, D.,Rogers, K., &Smith, M. (2005). Single-Sex Versus Coeducational Schooling: A System Review. Doc# 2005-01. Washington, DC: U.S Department of Education
Morse, S., & American Association of University Women. (1998). Separated by sex: A precarious look at single-sex teaching for girls. Washington, DC: The Foundation.
Peter, W. (2004). Learning and Learning Difficulties: Approaches to teaching and assessment. David Fulton Publishers
Reynolds, R., Ferguson-Patrick, K., & McCormack, A. (2013). Dancing in the ditches: reflecting on the capacity of a university/school partnership to clarify the role of a teacher educator. European Journal Of Teacher Education, 36(3), 307-319. doi:10.1080/02619768.2012.755514
Riordan, C. (2009). The Effects of Single-Sex Schools: Alice. Argentina
Shah, S., & Conchar, C. (2009). Why single-sex schools? Discourses of culture/faith and achievement. Cambridge Journal Of Education, 39(2), 191-204.
Thoonen, E. E., Sleegers, P. J., Oort, F. J., Peetsma, T. T., &Geijsel, F. P. (2011). How to improve teaching practices the role of teacher motivation, organizational factors, and leadership practices. Educational Administration Quarterly, 47(3), 496-536.
